H.Bayard Residence (former)

Mildred purchased the three corner blocks, comprising 48 perches, opposite Yeronga Park in August 1924.

The house was designed by Chambers & Ford, which became one of the largest architectural practices in Brisbane. Claude William Chambers was responsible for designing many of Brisbane’s public buildings prior to joining the partnership. These included Commercial Traveller’s Association in Elizabeth Street (1906) and Perry House on the corner of Albert and Elizabeth Streets (1910-1913). By the 1920s Chambers had moved to Sydney and Eric Marshall Ford was managing the Brisbane office and running the partnership from 1920 to 1951.

Henry Bayard managed the Bayard Ipswich store until his death in 1953. George Arthur Bayard, Henry’s father, became one of the successful merchants of Queen Street, after settling in Brisbane in the late 1880s. George established a flourishing drapery enterprise in Melbourne Street, South Brisbane in 1883. His entrepreneurial flair later resulted in the opening of more stores in Nambour, Wynnum and Ipswich. The more prestigious Queen Street store opened in 1939 after the purchase of Hartleys Building. At this time the firm’s Melbourne Street premises was closed. 

The Bayards were a well-known Yeronga family, where they enjoyed the prestige and social life afforded by a successful Queensland-wide business. 

The Bayard company suffered during and after World War Two, finally going into voluntary liquidation in February 1981, having traded for 99 years, but falling victim to changing shopping patterns and drive-in shopping centres. The slow demise of the Bayard business coincided with the deaths of the two Bayard men. Henry Bayard (69) and his brother Reginald Bayard (65) both died in 1953. Henry Bayard’s son George died in 1983 at the age of 53 and was one of the last remaining family members to hold equity in the Bayard Stores.

Mildred Bayard continued to live at 71 Park Road, taking in a series of live-in companions and household help. Altogether, she lived in the house for about 66 years, moving in as a young bride and residing there until her death in 1991.

The house is a multi-gabled timber structure with weatherboard cladding and marseille tiles roof. The dwelling, with its visually prominent roof, projecting gables and asymmetric frontage, is a good and original example of the fashionable bungalow style of the Interwar years. 

The thick pebble-dash pillars to sill level on the porch and weatherboard balusters, are typical elements from the Californian Bungalow.

Entry to the house is via a porch, later enclosed, like the front verandah. A bay window projects at the front into the verandah while another bay window is on the side elevation.

The timber fence, with a raised top rail and palings and an entry feature complements the style of the house.

According to a 1996 report on the Bayard House for the Applied History Centre, much of the interior of the house is in its original form and reflects fashionable Interwar detailing. According to this report, between the living and dining rooms is a wooden room divider featuring an arch and pedestal base on either side and decorated with a tulip motif. The buff-coloured brick fireplace is fan-shaped and has a timber mantelpiece. The walls of the living and dining rooms have vertical stained timber straps at intervals which frame wallpapered panels.

1. Department of Natural Resources, Queensland Certificates of title and other records.

2. Brisbane City Council Water Supply & Sewerage Detail Plans

3. Blythe, Andrew comp. Bayards House: Cultural Heritage Report, Applied History Centre, University of Queensland, 1996

4. Apperly, Richard, Robert Irving and Peter Reynolds. A Pictorial Guide to Identifying Australian Architecture: Styles and Terms from 1788 to the Present. North Ryde: Angus & Robertson, 1989

5. Applied History Centre, Bayard Archive, miscellaneous material, 1996

6. Applied History Centre, Character Study of Killarney Estate: Yeronga, Applied History Centre, Department of History, University of Queensland, 1996

7. Architectural and Building Journal of Queensland, 1925, Bayard Archive, number R184 containing newspaper clippings and photographs, John Oxley Library

8. Stephens District Character and Heritage Study. Heritage Unit, Brisbane City Council, 1995

9. Brisbane Courier, 1924-75

10. Queensland Post Office Directories, 1924-26

11. Chambers and Ford, architectural drawings, Fryar Library, University of Queensland