371 CHURCH STREET RICHMOND

KELSO HOUSE

371 CHURCH STREET, RICHMOND VIC 3121

Heritage Inventory Site

371 Church Street, Richmond is considered to be of local significance according to the following criteria:

A. Importance to the course or pattern of the City of Yarra’s cultural history – The site has been occupied and domestic

dwellings have been present within it since at least 1855, and likely earlier. The site is associated with the Kelso family,

early settlers of Richmond after whom streets and landmarks are named. Joseph Kelso was responsible for the

construction of many of the early houses in the area, and on his death an obituary described him as ‘one of the few

remaining members of that class of sturdy pioneers to whom the present generation owe a great deal, for it was their

industry and perseverance that paved the way for the present prosperity of the State’ (Richmond Australian 19

December 1914: 3)

C. Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of the City of Yarra’s cultural history – The site has

been occupied by two main stages of residential housing, the 1850s construction and a later c. 1873-1896 construction

phase where the main building on the site today. There is evidence that archaeological material likely relating to both

stages of occupation is present on the property, and it is possible that the demolition of the existing structures will

exposure further archaeological material related to both phases of historical occupation. The age of the earliest

occupation, and absence of broad-scale modern construction having taking place on the property allows for the

likelihood of features such as cesspits being present on the property. A field inspection also indicated the potential for

former garden features to be present at the site.

H. Special association with the life and works of a person or group of persons of importance – The site is associated with

the residence of the Joseph Kelso and family, an important figure in the history of development in Richmond.

Residential buildings (private)