Dwelling

History/Notes
The property at 319 Shannon Avenue was originally the location of Jeffrey's Fernery Hotel, established by William Thomas Jeffrey in 1855-56. In addition to the original four-roomed stone hotel with detached kitchen, Jeffrey was an accomplished horticulturist and he established a substantial garden and fernery on the site in the c.1860s. It was glowingly described in the Geelong Advertiser in November 1868. The hotel and fernery (as the gardens became known) were operated by William Jeffrey until they were taken over by his son, Thomas, in 1887. In 1895, the hotel and grounds were sold to Hodges Brothers, brewers.

Following T. C Bragge's ownership from 1923, the former hotel was converted into W.A. Emery's fruit and confectionary store. The hotel was destroyed by fire in 1930.

The land remained under the ownership of Bragge until 1938 when it was sold to H.R. Leach, builder. He constructed the existing dwelling as his family home at this time. Born in 1908 in Geelong, Harold Robert Leach married Miss Phillis James in 1935. Leach worked as a master builder throughout most of the 20th century. He contributed to local community life as a Councillor with the City of Newtown & Chilwell Council in the 1950s. He died in 1994.

The single storey, brick, late interwar Bungalow largely reflects its original design at the front. It has a principal hipped roof forms with minor hipped wings at the front and side (these wings have curved walls) and a curved, flat-roofed, cantilevered front porch. Other early features include the tiled roof cladding, broad eaves, chimney, and the timber framed double hung windows (including the corner windows). There are additions at the rear.

References:
Victorian Births, Deaths & Marriages Indexes, Dept. of Justice.
Newtown Rate Books, 1931-1950, Geelong Library & Heritage Centre.
Newtown Building Permit, 14 June 1938, City of Greater Geelong.
Geelong Advertiser, 23 November 1868, p.2, 2 March 1887.
The Age, 6 January 1930, p.10.
G. Seaton, Model Borough, City of Newtown, 1983, p.69.
Certificates of Title, vol. 2042 fol. 344, vol. 2087 fol. 201, vol. 6243 fol. 459. Land Application 24195, General Law Library, Laverton.
City of Newtown & Chilwell Centenary 1858-1958 , City of Newtown & Chilwell, 1958.

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

House