Addresses
Type of place
House, Care facility
Period
Federation 1890-1914
Style
Free Classical
This is an image of the local heritage place known as Residence 'Denila' (former)
This is an image of the local heritage place known as Residence 'Denila' (former)2
Denile
Addresses
Type of place
House, Care facility
Period
Federation 1890-1914
Style
Free Classical
‘Denile’ was designed by Atkinson and McLay and built in 1913 as the residence of the Isles family, co-founders of land agency Isles Love and Company. The house was situated in a prestigious area of Bowen Hills, home to a number of elegant residences including ‘Cintra House’ and ‘Miegunyah’. The residence was renamed Jordan House and used as an office for the Mt Isa Mines Company from the late 1930 to the early 1940s. Passing from the Isles family’s ownership in 1946, it was acquired by the Queensland Subnormal Children’s Welfare Association (now the Endeavour Foundation) in 1959. The site and house, renamed ‘Schonell House’, was used by the foundation until 2006. This brick house with a classical portico is an example of a substantial late federation style dwelling erected within the Bowen Hills area which has been adapted for other uses.
Lot plan
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
Roof: Tile;Walls: Face brick
People/associations
H.W. Atkinson and Chas. McLay (Architect);W. Beattie (Builder)
Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (E) Aesthetic; (G) Social; (H) Historical associationInteractive mapping
Lot plan
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
Roof: Tile;Walls: Face brick
People/associations
H.W. Atkinson and Chas. McLay (Architect);W. Beattie (Builder)
Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (E) Aesthetic; (G) Social; (H) Historical associationInteractive mapping
History
By 1914, Jordan Terrace was occupied by around a dozen homes. A prestigious address since the mid to late nineteenth century, this part of Bowen Hills with its fine views of the river and to the north was home to some of Brisbane’s most elite families, including the Perrys and the Cowlishaws. Elegant residences to survive from this period include ‘Cintra House’ (built during the 1860s) and ‘Miegunyah’ constructed for William Perry in 1885. In 1876 William Perry, a wealthy Brisbane merchant, purchased much of the land on both sides of Jordan Terrace. The street was named for Robert Alfred Jordan, the manager of Hunter’s boot factory, who purchased land on the southern side of the street in 1876 and resided in the street during the 1880s.
The land on either side of Jordan Terrace was resubdivided from 1912, several years after Perry’s death in 1891. Several allotments on the northern side of the street were purchased by Francis Alexander Jackson Isles in August 1912. This land was mortgaged the following year for £2,000. In July 1913, Isles had plans for a new brick residence in Jordan Terrace approved. Prominent architectural firm Atkinson and McLay had designed the residence, and W. Beattie was to build it. Although Francis Alexander Jackson Isles held the title to the land, a John Isles is first listed in postal records as living at this address in 1915-1916. Detail Plans from 1927 show the house was named ‘Denile’.
After the death of Francis Isles in 1931, the house and land remained in the Isles family until 1946 when the property was sold. It was transferred in 1948 to the Brisbane City Council and again in 1950 to the Director of War Service Homes. Finally, the house and land were purchased for £14,000 by the Queensland Subnormal Children’s Welfare Association, (renamed the Endeavour Foundation in 1982) in 1959. The Queensland Subnormal Children’s Welfare Association had previously purchased the adjoining property on the eastern side of ‘Denile’ and opened the Bowen House Centre after demolishing the existing house – ‘Murwari’.
The Queensland Subnormal Children’s Welfare Association initially used ‘Denile’, known at the time as ‘Jordan House’, as accommodation for the parents of children from country areas whose children were being psychologically assessed at the Centre. The house was renamed ‘Schonell House’ in honour of Sir Fred Schonell who was instrumental in establishing the Association in the early 1950s. Internal additions were added to the building to enable it to be used as offices. These additions have since been removed and the rear verandah enclosed in glass.
The house was used by the Endeavour Foundation as a venue for meetings and head office until 2006.
Description
‘Denile’ is a large brick federation style house with a hipped terracotta tiled roof and finials at the ends of the ridges. A classical portico projects from the front of the house with a gable roof. The gable end has a moulded bargeboard with a circle in the centre of the pediment. The thick entablature is supported by a group of three Tuscan columns to both sides and singular columns against the brick wall of the house. The front porch is decoratively floored with ceramic tiles. Large timber framed casement windows with thick, heavy looking lintels over are seen within the elevations of the house.
The front yard of the property is substantially landscaped. Along the front of the house a paved driveway runs allowing for drop off right in front of the front porch.
A brick pier fence runs along the street alignment.
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:
References
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Brisbane City Council Water Supply and Sewerage Detail Plans
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Brisbane City Archives, Brisbane City Council Building Registers 1914-1920
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Department of Natural Resources, Queensland. Certificates of Title and other records
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Environmental Protection Agency
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Information supplied by the Endeavour Foundation and website (http://www.endeavour.com.au/page/our-endeavour/who-we-are/history/, accessed May 2011)
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JOL Estate Map Collection and photographic collection
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Surveyor-General’s Office. McKellar’s Official Map of Brisbane and Suburbs. Brisbane, 1895
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Queensland Post Office Directories
Citation prepared by — Brisbane City Council (page revised September 2020)