Carroll's Corner

From the 1860s the population of the Valley grew, having over 1,300 residents by this time. Isolated from the city, the Valley was forced to develop commercial enterprises to meet the needs of the residents, though the commercial nature of the Valley was limited.  Most commercial activity in this period was centred between Ann, Brunswick and Wickham Streets.  The improvement of access from the city centre to the Valley due to the levelling of Duncan’s Hill between the two areas in the 1870s assisted the growth of this part of Brisbane

In the last two decades of the nineteenth century the population of the Valley boomed, and with this the commercial nature of the Valley centre grew quickly, with relatively large scale construction in the area. As this occurred, those living within the centre began to move to more suburban areas such as New Farm and Bowen Hills. By the turn of the century the Valley heart was commercially dominated and the buildings were of a more substantial nature.

The success of the Valley commercial area at the turn of the century saw large traders such as T.C. Beirne, James McWhirters and W.J. Overell turn their draperies into large department stores encourage shoppers to the Valley. Efficient public transport systems such as electric trams and trains to and through the Valley contributed to the commercial success of the area.

In 1897 James Carroll, a Brisbane produce merchant, purchased two lots within the Valley.  The lots gave him 6.31 perches on the corner of Brunswick and Windmell (now McLachlan Street), and 14.5 perches with a frontage to Brunswick Street. A row of small shops and businesses were operating from the Brunswick Street address at this time and included two fruiterers, a newsagent, and a boot-maker. 

James Carroll continued to be landlord of the various shops and businesses on this section of Brunswick Street throughout the first twenty years of the twentieth century. The shops continued to accommodate small businesses such as confectionary shops, grocers, bakeries, smallgoods, boot-makers and a ‘fancy goods’ store. 

The 1920s was a decade of growth throughout Fortitude Valley, with its success as a commercial and industrial hub. In this decade the cutting on Duncan’s Hill for Ann Street was widened, opening the Valley even further to the rest of Brisbane. This allowed a larger volume of traffic, both motor vehicle and tram, into the Valley shopping centre. 

In June 1925, a tender from builder, J. Canniffe, for the construction of a brick premises in Fortitude Valley was accepted by architects, Cavanagh and Cavanagh. Two months later plans for this new building were approved. The building would cost ₤4000. 

The architectural firm, Cavanagh and Cavanagh, initially established themselves as successful architects in Perth. From 1919 they were commissioned primarily by the Catholic Church to design several churches, convents, schools and presbyteries. The two brothers, Michael and James Charles were also responsible for the design of many important buildings in and around Perth including the Perth No.1 Fire Station.  In 1920 the firm established an office in Queen Street, Brisbane.  From this office they designed many commercial, residential and ecclesiastic structures in Brisbane and Queensland. Amongst their achievements were the Hibernian Hall in Roma, and the renovations to St. Mary’s Church, South Brisbane. Their residential designs utilised the popular ‘Bungalow’ and ‘Mediterranean’ styles.    

The new rendered brick building displayed the name “Carroll’s Corner” on the corner façade. The design incorporated four ground floor shops and one first floor residence. The first businesses to lease the new premises were an auctioneer, a milliner, and a dressmaker, with two nurses leasing the upstairs apartment, one of which was Miss Carroll, perhaps the daughter of James Carroll.    

An auction was held to sell Carroll’s corner in 1930, but the property was passed in at £7,000.

As well as playing an important role in the retail history of this part of Brunswick Street, Carroll’s Corner’s contribution to the aesthetics of the area cannot be under stated. As a large rendered brick building, with high front curved façade on the corner, decorative dated plaque displaying the year ‘1925’, decorative plaster detailing above the six double and four single timber sash windows on the first floor, and intact original exterior tiling on the ground floor shops, the building holds a prominent position in the streetscape and has since 1925.

1. Historic Titles, Department of Natural Resources and Water

2. Queensland Post Office Directories

3. Watson, Donald and Judith McKay. A Directory of Queensland Architects to 1940. (St. Lucia: U of Q Press, 1984)

4. Detail Fire Survey: City of Brisbane, 1951, Mahlstedt’s: Consulting Fire Engineers and Surveyors, Melbourne

5. Metropolitan Water and Sewage Survey Maps, 1914

6. North Brisbane Electoral Rolls, 1898 and 1900