Addresses
Type of place
Drinking fountain
Period
Federation 1890-1914
This is an image of the local heritage place known as Drinking fountain
Drinking fountain
Addresses
Type of place
Drinking fountain
Period
Federation 1890-1914
This cast iron drinking pillar was manufactured by Harvey Sargeant & Co. at its Brisbane foundry. This company was founded in 1880 but went into insolvency in 1892. Evidently cast in the late nineteenth century, the fountain was not in its current location when the Mater hospital was under construction in the early decades of the twentieth century. Although its exact history is not currently known, it remains an important part of the city's engineering heritage.
Geolocation
-27.486826 153.028853
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
Structure: Cast ironPeople/associations
Harvey Sargeant & Co. (Association)Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (B) Rarity; (D) Representative; (E) Aesthetic; (H) Historical associationInteractive mapping
Geolocation
-27.486826 153.028853
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
Structure: Cast ironPeople/associations
Harvey Sargeant & Co. (Association)Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (B) Rarity; (D) Representative; (E) Aesthetic; (H) Historical associationInteractive mapping
History
The Mater Hospital’s private and public sections were constructed between 1908-11. This drinking fountain cannot be seen in the John Oxley Library photograph of the construction of the Mater Hospital Annerley Road main entrance stairs.
This cast-iron drinking fountain (also known as a drinking pillar) is similar in design as the drinking fountains located at Newstead Park, Newstead and Hardgrave Park, Petrie Terrace. They all feature two small hemispherical drinking cups for dogs, attached to the base of the pillar of the drinking fountain. The drinking fountain may have been originally located at a City horse-drawn cab stand as the structure also features a third hemispherical drinking cup located further up the pillar for horses to use.
A base plate on the Annerley Road drinking fountain identifies its manufacturer as Harvey Sargeant & Co. Formed in 1880, the company’s foundry was located in Alice Street, the City. Harvey Sargeant & Co went into insolvency in 1892, but a new company was formed to continue operating their Alice Street foundry. This drinking fountain must have been cast at the foundry before 1893.
The lion’s head sculpture affixed to the pillar above the third hemispherical drinking cup is indicative of the Victorian era. This specific design feature can be found only one other Brisbane drinking fountain, located in Newstead Park.
Description
This nineteenth century drinking fountain is incomplete. It is missing its cast iron, finial-style cap.
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:
Citation prepared by — Brisbane City Council (page revised September 2020)