Dwelling - Aireys/Till-Amook

History/Notes
This dwelling at 13 Upper Skene Street was built in 1904 for Charles Wilks, wheelwright, who lived next door at 'Meran', 11 Upper Skene. Wilks first leased the dwelling (which was named "Aireys") to Joseph Howcroft, head teacher of the Fyansford State School. He lived there until 1908 when Samuel Cousens took over as the Fyansford State School's headmaster. Cousens then occupied the dwelling until it was sold by Wilks in 1911-12 to Mary Ann Coates. The dwelling was then called "Till-Amook".

Charles Wilks was born at Fyansford in 1859, the son of Joseph and Ann (nee Colbert) Wilks. Joseph Wilks had a wheelwright business at Fyansford and Charles, together with his older brother, Joseph, followed their father as wheelwrights and blacksmiths in the family business. Joseph Wilks continued the wheelwright business on the premature death of his father in
1876. Charles appears to have continued to work in the family business under his brother, Joseph. Other connections with Fyansford were also maintained with Charles Wilks' son, Bert, attending the Fyansford State School, walking from their home in Upper Skene Street each day. He was probably accompanied by the Fyansford School's headmaster.

The asymmetrical, single storey, Late Victorian styled timber dwelling largely reflects its original design when viewed from the front. This includes the main hipped roof form and the projecting gabled wings at the front and side linked by a return verandah. There are also early brick chimneys, eaves with paired timber brackets and panelled, timber framed double hung tripartite windows, timber framed front doorway, decorative timber bargeboards with timber finials, and possibly the window hood at the front. The timber verandah posts and balustrades appear to have replaced the original fabric. There are additions at the rear, but the extent of the original dwelling is discernible. At the front is an introduced capped timber picket fence and gates.

References:
Victorian Births, Deaths & Marriages Indexes, Dept. of Justice.
Newtown Rate Books, 1903-04 - 1913-14, Geelong Library & Heritage Centre.
Geelong Advertiser, 6 November 1896, 18 January 1898, 27 July 1906, 28 May 1907, p.2, 29 May 1912, 20 October 1914, 16 April 1921 p.5, 15, October 1924, p.1.
Grenville Standard, 21 October 1916.
Charles Wilks, Ancientfaces, Ancestry online, December 2015.

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

House