Addresses
Type of place
House
Period
Interwar 1919-1939
Style
California Bungalow
This is an image of the local heritage place known as 19th Century Residence
Greenock
Addresses
Type of place
House
Period
Interwar 1919-1939
Style
California Bungalow
‘Greenock’ was built for returned soldier and sugar boiler James Crombie and his wife Helen. The Crombies resided in Bulimba Street from the mid-1910s, acquiring this land in 1920 before they had the residence constructed circa 1926. Family members resided in the house until 1972. The striking California Bungalow house is an ornate design paid for with a War Service Homes mortgage.
Lot plan
L164_RP12589
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
Roof: Tile;Walls: Masonry - Stucco
People/associations
War Service Homes (Architect)Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (E) AestheticInteractive mapping
Lot plan
L164_RP12589
Key dates
Local Heritage Place Since —
Date of Citation —
Construction
Roof: Tile;Walls: Masonry - Stucco
People/associations
War Service Homes (Architect)Criterion for listing
(A) Historical; (E) AestheticInteractive mapping
History
This house was built for James and Helen Crombie, who acquired the Bulimba Street land in 1920. James and Helen are known to have lived in the street from as early as 1916, though it is unclear at what address.
In October 1926 Crombie, an ex-AIF soldier, took out a mortgage with the War Service Home Commissioner. Such loans were for the construction of a house usually to the applicants plan but designed by the Commission’s architects, though applicants could submit their own designs for approval by the Commission.
The designs in vogue with the Commission in the 1920s have been described as ‘… a compendium of bungalow styles from the early 1920s: California Bungalows, Craftsman Bungalows, Colonial Bungalows, Indian Bungalows executed in roughcast stucco or dark brickwork.’ The original house appears to have been a bungalow style, and has been designed to appear as though constructed of stuccoed brick while in fact it is timber-framed and with a stuccoed cladding. It has the name ‘Greenock’ embossed on its external wall, Crombie’s place of birth in Scotland.
The Crombies raised their children in ‘Greenock’ and resided there for the rest of their lives. Crombie died in 1939 and after his wife Helen’s death in 1953, the property passed to their daughter Susan. The property was transferred to the Public Curator in 1972 and subsequently passed through a number of owners.
Statement of significance
This is a place of local heritage significance and meets one or more of the local heritage criteria under the Heritage Register Planning Scheme Policy of the Brisbane City Plan 2000. It is significant:
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 June 2022)