Addresses

At 32 Moreton Street, New farm, Queensland 4005

Type of place

House

Period

Federation 1890-1914

Style

Composite

Devon

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This is an image of the local heritage place known as Residence 'Devon'

Devon

Devon Download Citation (pdf, 149.67 KB)

Addresses

At 32 Moreton Street, New farm, Queensland 4005

Type of place

House

Period

Federation 1890-1914

Style

Composite

This two-storey dwelling was designed by renowned Brisbane architect Claude William Chambers and built in c1895 for George Charles Willcocks, a successful railway contractor. It was one of four identical houses built adjacent to each other on Moreton Street as rental investment properties to attract middle class tenants. Known as “Willcocks’ Houses”, they exemplified Brisbane’s late nineteenth century speculative housing development.The first tenant was G.C.D. Forster, partner of McLennan & Co, machinery, hardware, iron and metal merchants. The house was originally called ‘Devon’. The property was owned by Willcocks’ wife from 1895 to 1919, and subsequently transferred to William and Edith Mary Nicolson. This masonry dwelling reflects the flamboyant style of the period, which includes a composite of Victorian Filigree and Victorian Italianate styles.

Also known as

Willcocks' Houses

Lot plan

L3_RP8672

Key dates

Local Heritage Place Since —

Date of Citation —

Construction

Roof: Corrugated iron;
 Walls: Masonry - Render

People/associations

Claude William Chambers (Architect);
 George Charles Willcocks (Association)

Criterion for listing

(A) Historical; (E) Aesthetic; (H) Historical association

Interactive mapping

City Plan Interactive Mapping

Also known as

Willcocks' Houses

Lot plan

L3_RP8672

Key dates

Local Heritage Place Since —

Date of Citation —

Construction

Roof: Corrugated iron;
 Walls: Masonry - Render

People/associations

Claude William Chambers (Architect);
 George Charles Willcocks (Association)

Criterion for listing

(A) Historical; (E) Aesthetic; (H) Historical association

Interactive mapping

City Plan Interactive Mapping

Statement of significance

Relevant assessment criteria

This is a place of local heritage significance and meets one or more of the local heritage criteria under the Heritage planning scheme policy of the Brisbane City Plan 2014. It is significant because:

Historical

Criterion A

The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of the city's or local area’s history

as a fine example of a late nineteenth century purpose-built rental investment to attract professional middle-class tenants that was constructed when New Farm was experiencing significant residential development with the subdivision of large estates.

Aesthetic

Criterion E

The place is important because of its aesthetic significance

as one of four identical, asymmetrical, 1890s two-storey masonry houses which individually and collectively form a highly-cohesive visual group.

Historical association

Criterion H

The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organization of importance in the city’s or local area’s history

as one of a group of four houses designed by renowned Brisbane architect Claude William Chambers.

Supporting images

This is an image of the residence 'Devon', c.1904, viewed from near the corner of Moreton & Hazel streets, New Farm, looking south

Photographer unknown,
‘Houses in Moreton Street, New Farm, ca. 1904’,
John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland

'Devon' is the second property from the left of the image.

References

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

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

  8. Picture Queensland, Queensland State Library, see Image No 86414, Devon, the home of the Purkiss family at 32 Moreton Street, New Farm, 1991; see also Image No 141763, Houses in Moreton Street, New Farm, c1904

  9. 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

  10. Ivan McDonald Architects, ‘Devon: 32 Moreton Street, New Farm, External Colour Scheme’, 2009

  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. Summer, Ray, More Historic Homes of Brisbane, National Trust of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 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. Queenslander, advertisement, 5 June 1897

  17. Brisbane Courier, 12 July 1901

Citation prepared by — Brisbane City Council (page revised June 2022)

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Federation 1890-1914
Composite
House
At 32 Moreton Street, New farm, Queensland 4005
At 32 Moreton Street, New farm, Queensland 4005 L3_RP8672
Historical, Aesthetic, Historical association