176 Vulture Street, South Brisbane

Urry was following a trend of speculative investment in South Brisbane that burgeoned in the boom years of the 1880s. He let out the row of dwellings to a variety of tenants, most of whom were transient, staying for no longer than twelve months before moving on. The residents were predominantly manual workers. Many were labourers, painters, carpenters and maritime workers, however there was also a minority of white collar workers, mainly salesmen and insurance agents.

At the time that these houses were constructed Urry lived close by in Tribune Street and it is likely that he built them himself. Urry died in June 1903 and the trustees of his property commissioned the Queen Street auctioneer G.H. Blocksidge to sell the estate. On Saturday 4 June 1904 the houses were opened for inspection and George Randall, a wealthy entrepreneur of South Brisbane purchased the four subdivisions containing the two detached houses, three attached dwellings and shop for £675. An estate map advertising the properties prior to their sale shows that each detached house contained seven rooms and the attached terrace house comprised two dwellings of three and one dwelling of four rooms.

The nature of residents after Randall bought the dwellings followed the same pattern as before. Randall retained his rental investment for 65 years until 1969 when the property was sold. No. 176 remains in use as a rental property, while 178 appears to be currently owner occupied.

At the rear the cottages have two storeys with the lower level being set below Vulture Street. The two houses mirror one another at the rear with a verandah set below the main roof at one side on the upper level and stairs to the ground and a lean-to shed also to one side on the lower level. A brick chimney rises to one side of each dwelling.

1. Titles Office Records

2. Post Office Directories.

3. JOL Estate Map collection