Dwelling

History/Notes
The land at 19 Upper Skene Street was offered for sale as lot 6 of the McQueen Estate in 1928. Two years later in 1930, this dwelling was constructed for Walter Foster by R.J. Gunn. It was built in anticipation of Foster's marriage to Miss Mabel Emma Stott in 1930. They lived there until at least 1950.

Walter Stanley Foster was born in 1893 in Prahran, the son of Walter Whitelaw and Rosamond (nee Marshall) Foster. Walter Foster senior was a printer and with his family he relocated to 5 Western Street, Geelong West, where he died in 1903. Little is known of Walter Stanley Foster, apart from his occupation as a traveller.

The single storey, asymmetrical, interwar Bungalow styled timber dwelling largely reflects its original design. This is shown in the main gabled roof form that traverses the site, the front attic gable and the minor projecting gabled wing at the front with a bowed bay window. This minor gable is framed by the main gabled roof face. Other original features include the brick chimney, brick verandah piers, balustrade and entrance steps, banks of timber framed double hung windows, front door opening, decorative gable infill, brick wall base. timber shingling, broad eaves and gable brackets. At the rear are additions constructed in 2011. The prominent front carport was built in 2014. There is an introduced front fence with brick piers and plinth and bay defined by a hedge.

References:
Victorian Births, Deaths & Marriages Indexes, Dept. of Justice.
Newtown Rate Books, 1930, 1931, 1935, 1950, Geelong Library & Heritage Centre.
Newtown Building Permit 1930, City of Greater Geelong.
Building Permits 2142/2011, 1266/2014, City of Greater Geelong.
Leader, 14 February 1903, p.44.
McQueen Estate subdivision plan, 14 April 1928, special collection, Alfred Deakin Library, Deakin University, SAMSS 333.337099452 Gre/Pos.

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

House