Residence

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

The house at 240 Ryrie Street, Geelong, has significance as an unusual and intact example of the interwar Bungalow style. Built in 1927 for Sarah Hannah Smith, member of the monumental mason family who had occupied this site from the 1890s, the house appears to be in good condition when viewed from the street.

The house at 240 Ryrie Street is architecturally significant at a LOCAL level. It demonstrates original design qualities of an unusual interwar Bungalow style. These qualities include the hipped roof form, together with the vertical, flat-roofed side first floor balcony and ground floor porch pavilion. Other intact or appropriate qualities include the asymmetrical composition, two storey height, unpainted brick wall construction, terra cotta tile roof cladding, wide eaves, two unpainted brick chimneys with terra cotta pots, arched balcony opening on the side pavilion, timber framed door and windows under the side porch, recessed balcony porch under the main roof supported by cement rendered Doric columns, timber framed double hung windows, and the small leadlight window flanking the ground floor porch pavilion.

The house at 240 Ryrie Street is historically significant at a LOCAL level. It is associated with residential developments in Geelong during the interwar period 1920s1940s. In particular, this house has associations with Sarah Hannah Smith, original owner who instigated construction in 1927 after the removal of an earlier brick cottage with adjoining stone yard. Sarah's husband, Joseph, had occupied the site from the late 1890s, where he operated his monumental mason business. This business was continued by his sons, Allan and Charles, who also resided on the property and later owned the property after Sarah Smiths death. The Smith family therefore have long associations with this property.

Overall, the house at 240 Ryrie Street is of LOCAL significance.

References

Voters Roll, Bellerine Ward, 1992, Geelong Historical Records Centre.

Electoral Roll Div. Corio Subdiv. Geelong 1984, Geelong Historical Records Centre.

Sands & McDougalls Directory of Geelong, 1972, Geelong Historical Records Centre.

Sands & McDougalls "Invicta" Geelong Directory, 1968, Geelong Historical Records Centre.

Geelong City Council Rate Books Barwon Ward, 18961960, Geelong Historical Records Centre.

Town Plan of Geelong 1923, Public Records Office, Melbourne.

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

Residence