Residence

The house at 56 Swanston Street, Geelong, has significance as a predominantly intact example of the Federation style. Built in c.1895 for Senior Constable Thomas Devereux, the house appears to be in good condition when viewed from the street.

The house at 56 Swanston Street is architecturally significant at a LOCAL level. It demonstrates original design qualities of the Federation style. These qualities include the complex roof forms that include the recessed hipped roof, gables that project at the front and side, minor gable that projects towards the front and the hipped and broken back return verandah that projects at the front and side. Other intact or appropriate qualities include the asymmetrical composition, single storey height, horizontal weatherboard wall cladding, painted galvanised corrugated iron roof cladding, three unpainted pressed red brick chimneys with multi-corbelled tops and terra cotta pots, modest eaves with exposed timber rafters, square timber columns with decorative incisions, large timber Art Nouveau verandah arch, decorative timber fretwork verandah valances and brackets, the timber framed windows (including the pair of double hung windows under the front gable and the projecting rectangular bay of casements with highlights under the front verandah), hipped window hood above the front windows with overhangs having exposed timber rafters, front timber framed doorway, timber and glazed door and sidelight and highlights, timber shingling and battening and panelling above the window hood on the front gable, and the gable infill (timber shingling, timber brackets and timber battening). The decorative front timber fence also contributes to the significance of the place.

The house at 56 Swanston Street is historically significant at a LOCAL level. It is associated with residential developments in Geelong during the Federation (c.1895-1915) period. In particular, this house has associations with Senior Constable Thomas Devereux and his wife, Elizabeth, original owners who instigated constructed in c.1895 and held the property for many years.

Overall, the houses at 56 Swanston Street is of LOCAL significance.

REFERENCES:

Reports and Drainage Plans, Barwon Water profis system, 1969.
Voters' Roll, Bellerine Ward, 1992, Geelong Historical Records Centre.
Electoral Roll (Div. Corio; Sub-div. Geelong) 1984, Geelong Historical Records Centre.
Sands & McDougall's Directory of Geelong, 1972, Geelong Historical Records Centre.
Sands & McDougall's "Invicta" Geelong Directory, 1968, Geelong Historical Records Centre.
Geelong City Council Rate Books (Bellerine Ward), 1893-1960, Geelong Historical Records Centre.
Town Plan of Geelong 1881, Geelong Historical Record Centre.

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

Residence