Addresses
Type of place
Residence (singular)
Period
Victorian 1860-1890
Style
Filigree
This is an image of the local heritage place known as KM Smith
KM Smith
Addresses
Type of place
Residence (singular)
Period
Victorian 1860-1890
Style
Filigree
This Victorian Filigree building was constructed circa 1886 for the Wesleyan branch of the Methodist Church and provides evidence of their early presence and development in Brisbane. The building was used as a parsonage until the mid 1960s but has since served a variety of purposes including a childcare centre and as headquarters for the charity group Lifeline. After almost 100 years of use by the Methodist Church, the building was sold in 1979 to funeral directors KM Smith. It has since been restored and now serves the local community as a funeral parlour.
Lot plan
L5_RP910686
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
Roof: Corrugated iron;Walls: Masonry
Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (D) Representative; (E) AestheticInteractive mapping
Lot plan
L5_RP910686
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
Roof: Corrugated iron;Walls: Masonry
Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (D) Representative; (E) AestheticInteractive mapping
History
The Deed of grant was issued for this property to investor and architect James Cowlishaw in October 1875. Cowlishaw purchased at least 4 portions in the area and these were placed under the control of trustees in April 1878. Cowlishaw held a number of prominent positions in Brisbane society which included Directorships of the Telegraph Newspaper Company and of Queensland Trustees. The latter position may account for his placing the property under the control of trustees. From the mid 1880s the property was subdivided and offered for sale.
William Halse Rogers purchased one rood and twenty perches of the available land in November of 1885. The Reverend Rogers apparently purchased the land on behalf of the Home Mission Society. This society was established by the Wesleyans, a branch of Methodism in 1864 and its objectives were to further the Methodist faith in Queensland. Reverend Rogers served as Secretary to the Society during the period in which this dwelling was erected.
On the same date of the purchase of land Rogers took out a mortgage for the large sum of £500/-/-. The Post Office Directories (PODs) of 1885-86 and 1887 indicate that the building was most likely constructed in c.1886. The address was listed as “vacant land” in the 1885-86 entry the following year’s edition gave the address of the Reverend J. Adam as the “Wesleyan parsonage” respectively.
The home was constructed during the initial stages of this end of Brooke Street’s development, which occurred at the peak of the building boom of the 1880s. Throughout the period of ownership the building served the Methodist denomination for a number of purposes. It was disposed of by the Uniting Church of Australia in 1979.
The building was used as a parsonage for a number of years housing a number of different ministers at different times. The 1929 entry into the POD clearly lists the address as a Methodist Home Missionaries Training Institution. In 1964 an application was submitted to the Brisbane City Council to use “an existing parsonage building” for the charity “Lifeline”. The building was their headquarters and required conversion to offices. Further alterations occurred in May 1977 with the addition of a child care centre.
The property was sold to K.M. Smith Funeral Directors in 1979. K.M. Smith Funeral Directors had been established in Fortitude Valley in 1886. Prior to the sale it was rumoured that the building was to be demolished and it was partially stripped of interior fittings and fixtures by “scavengers”. A security fence was erected to prevent further loss.
An application was submitted to the Brisbane City Council for the building to be converted into a funeral parlour and flat in 1979. Total cost was estimated at $90,000.00. Since purchase K.M. Smith have restored the building and it now functions as a funeral parlour.
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:
References
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Rev R S C Dingle ed Annals of Achievement: A Review of Queensland Methodism 1847- 1947, Queensland Book Depot, Brisbane, 1947
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Brisbane City Council Building Cards
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Brisbane City Council Water Supply and Sewerage Detail Plans
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Certificates of Title.
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Queensland Women’s Historical Association, A look back in time: A history of Bowen Hills, Newstead and “The Creek”, QWHA, 1996
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Queensland Post Office Directories
Citation prepared by — Brisbane City Council (page revised June 2022)