Caders

Built on land that was originally part of the Albion Station Estate, this late nineteenth century brick duplex was likely built by Robert Watson, a Lutwyche builder, as a speculative investment intended to benefit from Stoneleigh Street’s proximity to the newly opened Albion Railway Station. The rail line allowed convenient and inexpensive access to the city and Albion became an attractive locale to construct modest working class dwellings for purchase or to let. As such, this duplex provides evidence of the historical pattern of working-class housing development in Albion in the late nineteenth century. It also reflects the importance of local brickworks during the late nineteenth century which led the construction of a number of brick residences in suburbs such as Albion, Wooloowin and Lutwyche. Proximity to the two local brickworks at Albion enabled local builders to economically choose brick over the usual timber construction.