Portable Iron Houses
Address:
399 Coventry St (near Montague St)
Suburb:
South Melbourne
Postcode:
3205
Phone:
03 9645 7517
Opening Hours:
1 - 4 pm on First Sunday of each month or by appointment.
Details:
Portable Iron Houses
On the slopes of “Emerald Hill”, a “canvas town” of tents and other temporary buildings set in an orderly street pattern grew into the present suburb of South Melbourne. By 1855, nearly one hundred portable buildings including cottages, two-storey houses, shops, stores and a coach house were erected in the vicinity of Coventry Street. Number 399 still stands on its original site close to the road followed by thousands of gold-diggers making their way to Melbourne and the gold fields beyond.
PATTERSON HOUSE
Five six-roomed houses, each valued at 60 pounds, were erected in Coventry Street in 1853 / 54. In 1855, fourteen of a smaller size valued at 30 pounds each appeared in Patterson Place.
Robert Patterson established this little colony of portable houses and his stenciled initials “R.P.” and shipping numbers were revealed on the walls after they were stripped of wallpapers, showing that the wooden crates were used as partition walls. The windows are generally cast iron casement and in one case the frame has a lower panel of corrugated iron, so that the whole opens as a French window.
The occupants of these houses included civil servants, builders, an auctioneer and also John Danks, the well known ironmonger. He and his brother Samuel lived with their families in Patterson Lane.
ABERCROMBIE HOUSE
Moved from 59 Arden Street, North Melbourne, this house is believed to have been manufactured by Moorewood & Rogers of London. It was first occupied by Andrew Abercrombie and was last lived in in 1976. At some time the house must have been divided – look for connecting doors between the rooms which have been papered over later. There are about 6 to 8 different layers of wallpaper over a lining of newspaper or canvas.
A brick outline on the paving shows where the kitchen was placed. Because of the fire hazard, kitchens were usually added outside.
BELLHOUSE HOUSE
Dismantled and removed from its original site at 42 Moor Street, Fitzroy, this building is believed to be the only remaining example of the work of Edward T Bellhouse of Manchester, England, anywhere in the world. In 1851 he displayed his portable houses at the Great Exhibition. According to one description they were provided with boarded floors, ceilings and walls, wallpaper, carpets, furniture and a water closet! It is not known whether this cottage had all these accessories and its ceiling had a lath and plaster finish.
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