Dwelling

History/Notes
Land at 16 Stephen Street formed lot 1 of the Devon Estate offered for sale in 1912. This dwelling was built in 1914-15 for William and Annie Maude. The property was leased to Hugh C. Hall in 1915-16 and in 1917 it was occupied by Mrs Isabella Neville. Her husband was Chaplain-Captain Charles Neville, who served in France during World War One.

William Maude was born in 1850 and emigrated to Victoria with his parents two years later. The Argus gave the following brief biography in 1923: Mr. Maude landed in Victoria with his parents in 1852, and Mrs. Maude with her parents in 1858. Mr. Maude entered the Hobson's Bay Railway service as booking clerk in 1865, and joined the Victorian Raiwlays in 1870 as telegraph operator. Later he was station-master at leading coutnry stations, and retired from service at Spencer Street in 1908.

William Maude married Miss Annie Richards. Born in c.1853, she was the elder daughter of one of the earliest settlers at Elsternwick, James Richards. William and Annie had three children: Arthur William, Florence Evelyn and Edith Annie. Arthur Maude became a shire engineer to the Shire of Dunmunkle where he died prematurely in 1901. Edith Maude's life was also cut short in 1906, aged 22 years, from exhaustion after appendicitis. William and Annie Maude retired to Geelong after 1908. There, William was a member of the St. Andrew's in South Masonic Lodge. By the 1940s William and Annie had returned to Melbourne. William Maude died at Canterbury in 1943 and Annie Maude at Malvern East in 1944.

The Federation styled timber house has a principal hipped roof with projecting minor gabled wings at the front and side connected by a return post-supported verandah. The roof tiles have been introduced. It would appear that most of the detailing, including the gable infill, windows, verandah posts, fretwork and brackets and front door, are original or reflective of the original design. The house appears to be in good condition. There are modest additions at the rear. There is a recessive introduced carport at the side and a rear introduced garage. The high front timber picket front fence has also been introduced.

References:
Victorian Births, Deaths & Marriages Indexes, Department of Justice, Melbourne.
Newtown Rate Books, 1913-14, 1915-16, 1916-17, 1917-18, 1918-19, 1919 -20, 1921, 1924, 1935, 1940, Geelong Library & Heritage Centre.
Newtown Building Permit Register, 19 May 1919, City of Greater Geelong.
Geelong Advertiser, 22 August 1917.
The Argus, 12 March 1903, p.1, 1 February 1906, p.1, 11 July 1913, p.10, 2

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

House