Dwelling

History/Notes
The land at 9 Upper Skene Street initially formed part of larger landholding owned by Thomas Ryan from 1857. He built a dwelling on the eastern portion of his land (3 Upper Skene Street) at about this time. His property was transferred to Miss Mary Ryan in 1895. In 1926, Miss Mary Ryan proposed the sale of four allotments in Upper Skene Street. The western-most lot at 9 Upper Skene Street was sold to C.E. Stringer 1927. He built this house at this time, selling it to Valentine Curtis in 1928. Curtis lived there with his wife, Gladys (nee Anstee), until 1930.

Valentine Otto Curtis was born in 1895 at Warracknabeal, the son of Valentine and Susannah (nee McEwen) Curtis. By the early 20th century, the Curtis family had relocated to East Geelong. A clerk in 1915, Valentine enlisted in the A.I.F., serving with the 29th Battalion, 3rd Reinforcement. In 1923, V.O. Curtis commenced business in Geelong as a house, land, estate and general commission agent at the corner of Gheringhap and Little Malop Streets. He died in Geelong in 1966 aged 71.

The timber interwar Bungalow styled dwelling is predominantly intact from the front. The original fabric includes the gabled roof forms, with the front gabled verandah (supported by brick piers and paired timber posts) being a feature. There is also a brick balustrade. other original features include the boxed timber framed double hung windows (the front bank of windows having a window hood), broad eaves, rendered chimney, front door opening and the gable infill. At the rear are additions. There is an introduced front timber picket fence.

References:
Land Application 47386, General Law Library, Laverton.
Victorian Births, Deaths & Marriages Indexes, Dept. of Justice.
Newtown Rate Books, 1927-1935, Geelong Library & Heritage Centre.
Newtown Building Permit, 23 February 1927, City of Greater Geelong.
Geelong Advertiser, 10 & 13 March 1923.
V.O. Curtis, The AIF Project at https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

House