Residence

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

The house at 224 McKillop Street, East Geelong, has significance as a predominantly intact example of the Federation style. Built in 1908 for James Drew of the well-known Geelong stonemason and bricklaying family, and later owned and occupied by Tasman Gurr, first Office Manager of the State Electricity Commission, the house appears to be in good condition when viewed from the street.

The house at 224 McKillop Street is architecturally significant at a LOCAL level. It demonstrates original design qualities of the Federation style. These qualities include the broad hipped roof form with gables that project at the front and side, and the return verandah under the hipped roof. Other intact or appropriate qualities include the asymmetrical composition, single storey height, unpainted pressed red brick wall construction, slate tile roof cladding, two unpainted pressed red brick chimneys with rendered tops and projecting cornices and terra cotta pots, modest eaves, projecting corner bay of timber framed casement windows with leadlighted highlights under the verandah, other timber framed double hung windows, worked square timber verandah columns, decorative timber fretwork verandah valances and brackets, rendered wall band under the front gable infill, cast iron ventilation grills in the projecting gables, terra cotta ridge capping and decoration, and the gable infill (worked timber brackets, stippled metal panelling and timber battening). The front fence also contributes to the significance of the place.

The house at 224 McKillop Street is historically significant at a LOCAL level. It is associated with residential developments in East Geelong during the Federation (c.1895-1915) period. In particular, this house has associations with James Drew, original owner from 1908. Drew was part of a well-known Geelong stonemason and bricklaying family, responsible for the construction of numerous important local buildings, including St. Mary's Catholic Church, Geelong West Town Hall and the Gordon Institute of Technology. The house also has associations with the long-time owner and occupier, Tasman Gurr, accountant and later the first Office Manager of the State Electricity Commission. Overall, the house at 224 McKillop Street is of LOCAL significance.

REFERENCE

Reports and Drainage Plans, Barwon Water profis system, 1921, 1954, 1985, 1986.

Sands & McDougall's Directory of Geelong, 1972, Geelong Historical Records Centre.

Sands & McDougall's "Invicta" Geelong Directory,1968, Geelong Historical Records Centre.

Geelong City Council Rate Books (Ormond and Barwon Ward), 1905-1960, Geelong Historical Records Centre.

Town Plan of Geelong 1881, Geelong Historical Records Centre.

The Geelong Advertiser, 2 October, 1929, Geelong Historical Records Centre.

Investigator, Magazine of the Geelong Historical Society, September, 1983, and September, 1986, Geelong Historical Records Centre.

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

Residence