Addresses
Type of place
Terrace house
Period
Victorian 1860-1890
Style
Georgian
This is an image of the local heritage place known as Residence 'Watson Terrace'
Watson Terrace
Addresses
Type of place
Terrace house
Period
Victorian 1860-1890
Style
Georgian
These three attached residences were constructed circa 1887 for builder and contractor Thomas Watson. Named ‘Watson Terrace,’ the residences were a speculative investment for Watson who took advantage of the 1880s economic and building boom. During its first few years, the property appears to have had primarily short-term tenants while it attracted longer-term tenants in the 1890s during the economic downturn. Watson sold the building in 1891 after becoming insolvent and the building has since changed hands a number of times.
Lot plan
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
Roof: Corrugated iron;Walls: Timber
Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (B) Rarity; (D) RepresentativeInteractive mapping
Lot plan
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
Roof: Corrugated iron;Walls: Timber
Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (B) Rarity; (D) RepresentativeInteractive mapping
History
Thomas Watson, a builder and contractor, who lived nearby in Edmonstone Street, had Watson Terrace erected as an investment property by 1887. He had acquired the site in 1884 and took a Bill of Mortgage to Lewis Thomas of Bundamba for the sum of £4,600 in early 1887. He took a further mortgage of 900 in 1889. Watson was following a trend of speculative interest in South Brisbane brought about by the economic boom of that time. The Terrace appears to have had mostly short-term tenants in its early years. It achieved a higher rate of occupancy during the early 1890s.
In 1891 Watson became insolvent, no doubt a victim of the severe economic depression which racked the colony. The property was transferred to Lewis Thomas in 1891. Thomas retained the building until 1910 when he sold it to George Randall junior. On Randall’s death in 1924 the Union Trustee Co. of Australia Ltd acquired the property, selling it in 1954 to Louis Erwin d’Arx. It has since passed through a number of hands, and was recently renovated.
Description
This building features a repetitious elevation along the Browning Street frontage with small timber verandahs to the fronts of the dwelling units situated close to the Browning Street ground level. The repetition is brought together under one large hipped roof with its ridge line running north-south, and extending over the front verandah areas. The roof is not perforated by vents or dormer windows, and its largeness and simplicity demonstrates the building’s basic design composition for low cost housing. A porphyry wall forms part of the foundations along the Besant street frontage.
The rear of the building is prominent in the approach to Browning Street from Besant Street, and retains a repetitive format similar to the Browning Street elevation.
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)