Irish Cottages

Previously C listed - Local Significance

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

The semi-detached cottage at 4 McCann Place, Geelong, has significance as an intact example of the Victorian Vernacular style. Built in 1854-55 for the successful hotel keeper, Patrick Hede, the cottage is suffering some deterioration and appears to be in fair condition. It also now forms part of a significant duplex of semi-detached cottages.

The semi-detached cottage at 4 McCann Place is architecturally significant at a LOCAL level. It demonstrates original design qualities of a Victorian Vernacular style. These qualities include the simple gable roof form that traverses the site, together with the two rendered masonry parapets (excluding overpainting to one of the parapets) that form the gable ends. Other intact or appropriate qualities include the single storey height, symmetrical composition, unpainted red brick wall construction, rendered brick chimneys, central flat-arched arched doorway with flanking flat-arched window openings, two courses of header voussoirs above the door and window openings, rendered wall plinth and the rendered window sills. The architectural significance of this semi-detached cottage also relies on the retention of the neighbouring semi-detached cottage at 6 McCann Place, as both cottages form an unusual duplex.

The semi-detached cottage at 4 McCann Place is historically significant at a LOCAL level. It is associated with residential developments in Geelong in the mid 19th century and is an unusual surviving example of that period. In particular, this house has associations with Patrick Hede, successful hotel keeper and original owner from 1854-55. Hede had been hotel keeper of the Rock of Cashel Inn in 1847-47, Red Lion Hotel in Corio Street in 1848, Red Lion Hotel in Moorabool Street from 1853 and elsewhere in Geelong and district. The cottage also has associations with Anthony Kinnon, owner from 1913 who erected the neighbouring semi-detached house at 6 McCann Place in 1914.

Overall, the semi-detached cottage at 4 McCann Place is of LOCAL significance.

REFERENCES

Reports and Drainage Plans, Barwon Water profis system, 1922, 1935.
Application for property history APP40659, Lands Office, Marland House, Bourke Street, Melbourne.
Voters' Roll, Bellerine Ward, 1992, 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), 1854-1960, Geelong Historical Records Centre.
Town Plan of Geelong 1858, Geelong Historical Records Centre.
Morrow, W., J., Index to the Geelong Advertiser, 1850-1866, p. 198.
Morrow, W. J. & Wynd, I., Hotels & Licensees of Geelong, pp. 32, 34,41, 47, 49.

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

Cottage