127 WELLINGTON STREET

 127 Wellington Street has never drawn my attention before, although I must have driven past it thousands of times. It was only when I walked by, for the first time, that I noticed some rather attractive “doodaderry” (as pictured) and decided to find out more.

This little building, which today houses an interior design business, has been on the heritage register of the national estate since 1978. According to the Heritage Database Site, it was constructed in the 1840s as a house, and had a shopfront added at a later date, along with various other modifications.

The first reference I could find in the newspapers (via TROVE) was 1894, when James Thomas, of this address was accused of stealing some chooks and a couple of stringy bark posts from his neighbour. The same year an advertisement was place seeking “a young lady to teach sewing,”but the nineteenth century otherwise remains a bit of a mystery. It is not surprising, as street numbers were not usually given until around 1892.

The property has a number of mentions in twentieth century newspapers, the saddest being a report about little Francis McCullagh who died in 1927 when the woodpile he was playing on, collapsed.

I don't know when the shop was added to the main building, but it existed in 1928 when the premises what known as “ The Leading Butchery.” In 1903, someone from this address advertised for the return of a lost sheep and lamb, so probably it was a butchery then too.

In 1930, two youths responsible for a series of robberies in Launceston, were recaptured at this location, the home of Elizabeth Jordan, after they had escaped from the lock-up. The youth's crime spree is recounted in The Mercury of 25 October The two young men claimed that they were encouraged in their endeavours by Elizabeth.

The building underwent a change of usage when 1937 Walter Gillam opened a home for old men at 127 Wellington Street.

In 1976, the building became the Commercial Traveller's Club. The club closed in 1988.(For more information about the Commercial Traveller's Association see http://www.qvmag.tas.gov.au/upfiles/qvmag/imglib/collections/CHS56%20Commercial%20Travellers'%20Association%20of%20Tasmania%20(CTA).pdf ).

127 Welllington Street has since been occupied by an electrical repair shop, and as mentioned at the beginning, an interior designer.

There are clearly many missing details in this account. A peek in Post Office Directories, phone books and so on would no doubt fill in many of the gaps. I haven't done this as....well.... to be honest, I'm not really that interested (I will no doubt soon find out that I've missed some truly earth-shattering historic event which occurred on the premises because I didn't bother to find out more!). Hopefully the information I have included gives some insight into how a single building can have many uses over time and illustrates that each of Launceston's “less grand” older city buildings can provide an insight into the story of small business that is often overlooked, but which is a vital part of the commercial history of Launceston.

217B INVERMAY ROAD, THE STAR THEATRE

THE STAR THEATRE, INVERMAY ROAD

And yes.....I do requests.......When I asked Marvin (my husband, and not his real name) which building he thought I should look at next, he nominated the Star Theatre without hesitation. This lovely building is in a highly visible spot on a major road, and yet is easy to simply drive past without fully appreciating its beauty.

According to a report in The Examiner , when the theatre opened in Invermay on October 05^th 1937, hundreds gathered outside to admire the neon lighting. It was also truly impressive inside. (Take a look at the description in The Examiner of 01 October 1937 via TROVE!) There were 250 velvet upholstered lounge chairs in “the circle” and 650 rubber cushioned seats in the stalls, and the lighting was provided by amber globes.

The Star was Launceston's first suburban theatre. Guy Crick (from Sydney) was the architect (“in association with Mr A Harold Masters of Launceston”), but the building work was undertaken by local firm J and T Gunn. The design is “a mixture of interwar functionalist and art deco style”...and if you want to know what that means, consult the building's description on the Australian Heritage database

(http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;place_id=100071

Alderman Hollingsworth undertook the ceremonial opening, saying that “the management had assured him that a very careful watch would be kept, and that nothing harmful to the youth of the district would be screened.” We are left to ponder what would have been deemed “harmful” but evidently the opening films Roberta (with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers) and The Plot Thickens were judged to be acceptable.

The theatre had a revolving star, which was turned on at 7 o'clock each night, and people would dress in their Sunday best, and book regular seats. The demise of the theatre was attributed to competition from television and the drive-in. (Examiner 27^th July 1999)

The theatre closed on July 26^th 1969. The last movie shown was The Green Berets. The building was purchased by the St Vincent de Paul Society in 1971, and is still occupied by them today.

CORNER OF WELLINGTON STREET AND YORK STREET

CORNER OF WELLINGTON AND YORK STREET

A visitor to Launceston asked whether or not the Jailhouse Grill was ever a jail. “Oh no”, I replied, then “well.......I don't think so......actually I'll find out!”

My first instincts were right – the Grill's own website helpfully provided the information that in was built as a pub, The Prince of Wales, in the mid 1800s, from bricks made locally by convicts, and had subsequently operated as such albeit under other names – The Richmond Hotel, Barnaby's Hotel and the Ball and Chain Grill. (www.jailhousegrill.com.au/about.htm).

Its a little confusing tracking the building via early newspapers as there was a second “Prince of Wales” at Evandale, and its not always clear to which establishment articles refer. There also seems to have been another hotel called the Dolphin, located on the corner of Wellington and York Streets during the 1840s. It is also worth mentioning that the building formerly known as the Courthouse Hotel, also in Wellington Street, did have a police lock-up attached....but that's a story for another week.

It seems that John Hinshaw in September 1843 transferred his licence from The Kangaroo Inn to the Prince of Wales. When the licence was reviewed in 1847, the premises was found to be clean and respectable, and there had been no convictions, however....the committee heard that the police constable had found the landlord seemingly drunk when the inspection took place. Hinshaw explained that he was simply responding to a joke, (sadly we'll never know the details) and the licence was duly granted. (Examiner 04 September 1847).

The hotel was still known as the Prince of Wales in 1940, (when a pint of Kentdale lager “straight from Melbourne” could be had for 1/1 a bottle), and I despite spending an evening on-line and emptying my bookshelves (well...not quite..but still....) I haven't found any information about how the building was used after that time. Perhaps someone could help provide extra details?

114-116 CAMERON STREET - STRUAN AND SUPREME COURT BUILDING

114-116 CAMERON STREET - STRUAN AND SUPREME COURT BUILDING

Struan was built by James Robertson in 1870, at a cost of around six thousand pounds. It incorporated many “features” worthy of comment at the time including hot water, piped up from the kitchen stove to the upstairs bedrooms. The architect was Peter Mills, and the builder E. Ford.

Aspects of Robertson's life reads like a story from a Victorian Boy's Own Annual with tragedy (a brother who drowned in the South Esk), adventure (a memorable encounter with a dangerous bushranger), mercantile success (as evidenced by the bricks and mortar of Struan), and more! According to his obituary, published in The Cornwall Chronicle of 03 April 1874 (which can be read on Trove), he resisted much encouragement to enter formal politics, but was still greatly involved in community pursuits. He was, for instance, among many other things, captain and paymaster of the Voluntary Artillary Corps. According to Beverley Heathcote in her book A Walk Through Launceston's History, John Robertson was “well-known....for driving around the town in his open carriage flanked by his two dalmatian dogs.”

When Robertson died in 1874, central Launceston paused – most of the city's civic leaders attended the funeral, and shops were closed along the route between Struan and the Scotch Cemetery, which was located in High Street. Mrs. Robertson died in 1891.

In 1891, Struan was used as a residence for the Governor during the Tasmanian Exhibition. Bennell Brothers did the necessary refurbishment. At that time The Examiner (14 October) stated that the grounds contained “two of the finest magnolia trees in Tasmania.” I suspect they are no longer there, but I will look next time I'm passing! Dr. Pike, (who died in 1912), followed by Sister Massey had the house after this time, the latter operating it as a hospital until August 1919.

In 1920, Struan was purchased for 7,000 pounds by Dr. Arthur E. Panting from Zeehan who re opened it as a private hospital, which it remained until 1927. At that time there was a proposal to us it as a maternity hospital, but sufficient funds could not be raised and it was decided, in 1928, to consider making it the site of the new Supreme Court instead. At that time the house was located on over an acre of land. Work began on 01 July 1929. S.R. Featherstone was the contractor. The law offices of the new courthouse were located in Struen House. At the time of its official opening, the new building works had cost 9,000 pounds, with plans for additional development.

In 1929 Struan played a unique role after the disastrous floods of that year. The Examiner of May 03 reported: “It is almost unbelievable that during the couple of weeks Struan central sewing depot (in charge of the Australian -Women's National League) has been in existence over 1200 garments

have been issued for the relief of those who suffered through the flood. The official record kept by the secretary of the league shows that to date 776 new garments have been cut out and distributed to work parties, while 600 second-hand garments have been remade.”

It goes without saying that there are many stories from the Supreme court from after 1930 that could be told.

There are a lot of photos available on-line, of Struan in past times One example can be found at: http://catalogue.statelibrary.tas.gov.au/item/?id=PH30-1-5027#urls.

I was tempted to remove the phone box from the photo but it occurred to me that in twenty years or so (probably less) this will, in itself be “of historic interest!” Be aware that it is the back of Struan that “fronts” Cameron Street. Not surprisingly the house was built with an outlook to the river.