Dwelling

History/Notes
In 1912-13, the site at 47 Upper Skene Street formed lot 2 of the Newtown Tram Estate that had previously formed Henry King's "Sunnyside" property. It was acquired by Thomas O'Gorman who sold it to Henry Stephen Johnston, a builder in 1913 (the Newtown Rate Books initially listed William Letherington as the owner of the vacant land). Johnston seems to have built this house in 1925, selling it at this time to Edward Congdon (c.1895-1933), a painter.

In the immediate ensuing years, the dwelling had a number of owners, with Congdon selling it to John Rice, a gardener in 1926, before it was purchased by Vernon Davey, a carrier, in 1927. He had a verandah built by J.H. Molyneux at this time. In 1929, the
property was sold to John Olney, a storekeeper of Moriac. He leased it to George McDonald under Mrs Reginald Harrison acquired it in 1930.

The single storey timber interwar Bungalow styled dwelling is mainly intact as shown in the main gabled roof form that traverses the site, projecting gabled verandah at the front, banks of timber framed double hung windows, flat-roofed front window hood, front timber framed doorway with sidelights, and the front gable infill (panelled, ventilator and bellcast timberwork simulating shingling). The square timber verandah posts and balustrade appear to have replaced original fabric. There is an introduced capped timber picket front fence.

References:
Victorian Births, Deaths & Marriages Indexes, Dept. of Justice.
Newtown Rate Books, 1912-15, 1926-1930, Geelong Library & Heritage Centre.
Newtown Building Permit, 1927, City of Greater Geelong.
Certificates of Title, vol. 3608 fol. 571, vol. 3738, fol. 547, vol. 5073, fol. 417.
Newtown Tram Estate subdivision plan, 30 March 1912, Alfred Deakin Library, Deakin University, 333.337099452 Gre/Pos.

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

House