Garnock

The land on which this house now stands was originally part of a larger block purchased in 1895 by Mary Ann Willcocks, wife of railway contractor George Charles Willcocks. The highly successful Willcocks made his fortune in the late nineteenth century securing numerous government contracts including that for the construction of the Cleveland Railway line.  The land purchased by Willcocks was quickly subdivided and four identical, two-storey brick houses, believed to have been designed by Brisbane architect Claude William Chambers, were built adjacent to each other along Moreton Street. Chambers had one of the largest architectural practices in Brisbane in the early twentieth century and designed well-known local buildings including Raymont Lodge (c.1904-05), the Winchcombe Carson Woolstores at Newstead (1910-11) and the RS Exton and Co Building on Ann Street (circa 1907). He was also one of the foundation members of the Queensland Institute of Architects. 

Known as ‘Willcocks’ Houses,’ the four properties were built as a rental investment for the couple and attracted professional middle class tenants. According to Watson and McKay, the houses were built in 1895, however 38 Moreton Street was not occupied until at least 1897. The first tenant was Benjamin Levy who named the house ‘Garnock,’ possibly after Garnock in North Ayrshire, Scotland. The other three houses in Moreton Streeet, also named by their first tenants, were ‘Kent’ at no. 28 ‘Devon’ at no. 32 and ‘Doon’ at no. 44. In 1903, Wilhelm Carl and Ida Heindorff moved in and renamed the house ‘Westphalia’. Wilhelm was one half of the Heindorff Bros. who owned a phonograph store at 171 Queen Street, also known as Heindorff House. After renting the house for more than 15 years, Ida Heindorff purchased it in 1919. 

In 1952 the house was converted into two flats and may have remained this way until 1981. In the early 1980s the house underwent quite extensive renovations; the rear of the house was extended past the back stairs, which were enclosed, and a deck added on to the back of the house. Repairs and conservation work undertaken on the house in 2006 were in accordance with its original design and the house continues to make a strong contribution to the streetscape. ‘Willcocks’ Houses’ have long been a well-known and popular feature of the area and add to the unique character of New Farm.

Indications are the house originally presented the rear under house as a work area, likely for use as place for domestic chores including clothes washing, was altered to present as a developed under house area, in c1982. This would have occurred around the same time the as extensions to the rear of the house, including the addition of a back deck, were done. 

While there is still evidence of the place having been divided into flats the upper level retains much of its original layout. The four bedroom house has timber and cork floors upstairs and terracotta tiles downstairs, two marble fireplaces in the main bedroom and family room and a brick fireplace in the dining room. The present kitchen is not original. Much of the plaster work is still existent.

1. Brisbane City Council Properties on the Web

2. Brisbane City Council, 1946 aerial photographs.

3. Brisbane City Council, Sewerage Maps, Detail Plan No 168, 18 June 1925

4. Brisbane City Council, Surveyor’s Notebook, Moreton St, 12 Dec 1924

5. Musgrave, Elizabeth and Kaylee Wilson, New Farm and Teneriffe Hill Heritage and Character Study, Brisbane City Council Heritage Unit, Oct 1995 

6. Certificates of Title, Department of Environment and Resource Management

7. Queensland Post Office Directories, 1897-99; 1901; 1921-22

8. John Oxley Library, photographic collection, Image No. 141763

9. Picture Queensland, Queensland State Library, see Image No 141763, Houses in Moreton Street, New Farm, c1904

10. Bennett, H, ‘New Farm from quality street to mixed assortment’, Brisbane Houses, Gardens, Suburbs and Congregations, Papers No 22 Brisbane History Group, 2010 pg 151-175

11. Benjamin, G. & G. Grant, Reflections on New Farm, New Farm & Districts Historical Society Inc, New Farm, 2008

12. Watson, Donald & Judith McKay 1994, Queensland Architects of the 19th Century, University of Queensland Press, St. Lucia

13. Sumner, Ray, More Historic Homes of Brisbane, Brisbane: National Trust of Queensland, 1982

14. Jenkins, E, ‘Historic Showcase of Stombucco work’, Sunday Mail, 31 January, 1999

15. New Farm and District Historical Society, NF & DHS Newsletter, Nov 2001

16. National Trust of Queensland 1982 More Historic Homes of Brisbane, National Trust of Queensland, Brisbane