Melbourne Croquet Club (Former Glenferrie Hill Recreation Club)

What is Significant?

The Glenferrie Hill Recreation Club, 37-41 Glen Street Hawthorn, is significant for its 1928 pavilion, the second one to be built at the site, replacing an earlier 1908 pavilion. Later alterations to the current building, including filled in verandahs and the entry porch are not significant.

How is it significant?

The Glenferrie Hill Recreation Club is of local historic, architectural and aesthetic significance to the City of Boroondara.

Why is it significant?

The Glenferrie Hill Recreation Club is historically significant as one of several sporting clubs established from the 1900s in Hawthorn, Kew and Camberwell. Although earlier clubs existed in these suburbs, by the early 1900s the private sporting clubs were able to be established and supported by elite, wealthy and professional clientele. Glenferrie Hill, like several others, is historically significant as a private sporting club, built and funded by its members who were often prominent people in business, the industry and the professions. As the second clubhouse to be constructed on the site in Glen Street, the first being demolished to make way for the current 1928 building, it retains its use and function as a sporting club with croquet and lawn bowling as its activities. (Criterion A)

Glenferrie Hill Recreation Club is significant as a demonstration of the large sporting pavilions that were established primarily in the early 1900s. Their typology was derived from Federation buildings and they adopted a linear form with multiple intersecting gable roofs and generous verandahs with timber posts and fretwork. Like the Canterbury bowling and lacrosse clubhouse at 2 Kendall Street Canterbury (part of HO145), the Glenferrie Hill pavilion borrowed this form and was rebuilt in fairly conservative style in 1928. (Criterion D)

The Glenferrie Hill Recreation Club pavilion is aesthetically significant for its elements that place it in the Interwar period, including the timber posted verandah with decorative timber frieze/bracket elements, multi-paned timber sash windows and panelled doors and the linear plan form with jerkin-head gables intersecting the main gabled roof. The pavilion is significant, particularly for its rink-side elevation which is more intact than its streetside facade. The wall finish featuring rough cast and smooth render is also notable. (Criterion E)

Group

Community Facilities

Category

Community Club/ Clubhouse