Manchester Street and Violet Grove and Marian Street and Riversdale Road HAWTHORN, BOROONDARA CITY

The Violet Grove & Environs Precinct comprising3-19 & 2-20 Manchester Street, 1-21 & 2-22 Violet Grove, 1-21 & 6-18 Marian Street & 137-139 & 149-151 Riversdale Road, developed between 1881 and 1930 is significant. 

The Violet Grove & Environs Precinct is of local historical, architectural and aesthetic significance to the City of Boroondara.

The Violet Grove & Environs Precinct is historically significant as part of the expansion of Hawthorn that gained momentum in the 1880s, particularly around the Town Hall precinct of Glenferrie Road, Auburn Road and Burke Road once the railway was extended to these localities in 1882. New subdivisions like the Violet Grove & Environs Precinct came on the back of both train and tramway extensions, including those along Riversdale Road providing an increase in public transport options. Violet Grove is historically significant as the site of the Riversdale Road Omnibus Company of privately operated horse-drawn transport. Historically, the precinct is associated with Dalley's Orchard prior to the sale of allotments in 1884 fronting Riversdale Road, Henrietta Street (outside the precinct) and Marian Street. The precinct reflects the influence of the economic depression in the delay in development in Manchester Street where the first lots were offered for sale in 1892 as the Manchester Estate, but after failing to sell, were offered again in 1909. (Criterion A) 

Violet Grove & Environs Precinct is representative of a predominantly Victorian-era precinct with consistent streetscapes of single and double fronted houses. The socio-economic status of the precinct is demonstrated through its lower topography in relation to Riversdale Road, when compared with the larger Victorian villas on the rising ground to the south. It is also demonstrated by the existence of timber houses of modest size, mostly detached but with some attached examples. A variety of Victorian residential styles are represented. Manchester Street demonstrates its later development through its examples of Federation houses and mixed brick and timber construction. There are also a number of Federation houses and interwar bungalow on other streets that continue the traditional gabled and hipped massing forms. The precinct also demonstrates the higher status given to houses on the main roads with several Riversdale Road properties situated on larger allotments. The precinct derives part of its value as a Victorian-era precinct from its high degree of integrity. (Criterion D)

Violet Grove & Environs is aesthetically significant for its consistent streetscape of Victorian timber small houses in Violet Grove including some high-quality examples with slate roofs at Nos. 8 & 11. The attributes of aesthetic significance include cast iron verandah friezes and feature hipped roofs with bracketed eaves, single, double and triple light sash windows and stuccoed chimneys. Similar features are found in Marian Street including three similar double-fronted houses at 6, 8 & 10 Marian Street. the precinct derives aesthetic value from Federation houses at 2, 3 and 9-11 Manchester Street with No.3 featuring a return verandah, angled box window with a gablet projecting above the terra-cotta tiled roof; and 2 Manchester Street having a bow window, terra-cotta tiled hipped roof and geometric timber fretwork. The semi-detached pair of houses at 137-139 Riversdale Road, in particular the elevation with verandah fronting Marian Street (of No. 137), provide a fine entry to the precinct. (Criterion E)