School Room (former)(rear of property)

The former school room at the rear of 3 Skene Street, Newtown, was erected c1961 for music teacher, Thomas William I'erson. In 1869, David Cartier acquired the building and combined general school classes until the early 1880's when the brick schoolroom is in use as a kindergarten. This rectangular plan gable structure is of brick, relatively unadorned and with a slate roof and timber ceiling. The design of this schoolroom has been foremostly attributed to John Matthews, an early builder and architect in Geelong, known to have erected adjacent buildings at No. 1 Skene Street and at 256-258 LaTrobe Terrace. The building is important as an early private schoolhouse in the Geelong region.

References

National Trust of Australia (Victoria), File No 2342 Survey and Identification Data Form, compiled by G R Seaton, July 1969.

Brownhill W. R., The history of Geelong and Corio Bay Wilke and Company, Melbourne, 1955, p. 202

Geelong Advertiser, 20 April 1970 'Building to be Preserved'

City of Geelong, Rate Books 1855 -1858.

City of Newtown Rate Books, 1859-1898 for details of ownership.

The rate valuation of 1861 indicates a substantial increase in rates, this being the principal factor in establishing the date of construction as c1861. T W I'erson acquired the property at this time.

Geelong Directory 1882 -83, p. 113, Miss Norman school mistress.

The house was originally stood in front of the school room was acquired in 1898 by A E J Trotter. The present house on the site at No. 3 Skene Street was erected in 1908 by Trotter.

Group

Education

Category

School - State (public)