Residence

The house at 26 Lonsdale Street, South Geelong, has significance as an externally intact example of the pressed red brick Late Victorian Italianate style. Built between 1893 and 1896 for Samuel Law, this house appears to be in good condition when viewed from the street. This house also neighbours two semi-detached houses of identical design and construction, forming an unusual residential grouping.

The house at 26 Lonsdale Street is architecturally significant at LOCAL level. It demonstrates original design qualities of a Late Victorian Italianate style. These qualities include the hipped roof forms and the return bullnosed verandah. Other intact or appropriate qualities include the lapped galvanised corrugated iron roof cladding, unpainted pressed red brick wall construction, unpainted pressed red brick and strapped chimneys with terra cotta pots, narrow eaves with decorative timber brackets and incised cream brick rectangular panels, timber framed double hung windows, shallow arched window heads accentuated by brick voussoirs, timber framed doorway with sidelights and highlights, cast iron verandah columns with decorative capitals and the cast iron verandah valances. The significance of the house also relies on the retention of the neighbouring semi-detached houses of identical design and construction.

The house at 26 Lonsdale Street is historically significant at a LOCAL level. It is associated with residential developments in South Geelong in the late 19th century. In particular, this house has associations with the Law family, and especially Samuel Law, original owner from 1893-96, and later with Alice Law until 1920.

Overall, the house at 26 Lonsdale Street is of LOCAL significance.

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

Residence