Tavistock House - Melbourne

VHR Registration

August 8, 1990

Heritage Listing

Victorian Heritage Register

Statement of Significance

Last updated on - July 1, 1999

What is significant?

Tavistock House was built for John Tighe as a hotel circa 1850. The architect was Samuel Marlow. The hotel

was known as the Ship Inn. The building was extensively altered and extended during the nineteenth century. In

1906 it was renovated again, giving its present Edwardian Freestyle form with Art Nouveau detailing. The 1906

renovations were designed by Leonard Flanagan's office. Another architect, Robert Haddon, is thought to have

been consulted on the Art Nouveau decoration. Internally the pit sawn timber roof is evidence of the earliest

stage of construction whilst the pressed metal ceilings are evidence of the early twentieth century renovations.

How is it significant?

Tavistock House is of architectural and historical significance to the State of Victoria.

Why is it significant?

Tavistock House is historically significant as one of the State's earliest surviving hotel sites and retains in small

part, the earliest surviving hotel structure in the city. Although substantially altered in detail, Tavistock House is

still recognisable as a hotel, possessing the simple form and fenestration of hotels of the mid nineteenth century.

It is, in part, among a very small group of pre-gold rush buildings in the city.

Tavistock House is architecturally significant as an unusual but distinctive two-dimensional renovation in the

Edwardian Freestyle manner, and is particularly notable for its unusual Art Nouveau cement detailing on the

upper facade. The building is a successful blending of elements of early Australian colonial and later Edwardian

Freestyle architecture.

Construction dates

1850,

Architect/Designer

Flannagan,

Leonard,

Heritage Act Categories

Heritage place,

Other Names

SHIP INN,

Hermes Number

751

Property Number

History

History of Place:

The first publican on the site was John Moss in 1836. He was the original purchaser of allotment 3 block 2.

Moss possibly held a licence until 1839 when the hotel is referred to as William Lake's house and then Shaw's.

Between 1841-44 George Stanway becomes the licensee, then John Tighe took over the hotel, renaming it the

Donnybrook Inn. In May 1850 Tighe applied, as owner, to build a hotel in Flinders Lane, designed by Samuel

Marlow and built by James Browne. Tighe names the new hotel the Ship Inn. In 1866 Samuel Crickner reputedly

rebuilt the hotel and changed the name to Norfolk Hotel, although there are no building permit applications to

support rebuilding at this time. In 1888 the proprietor is J Hyams. In 1893 the name was changed again to

Tavistock Hotel by Mattie Somner. In 1906 manufacturing chemists Rocke, Tompsitt and Co. purchased the

property and engaged architect Leonard Flanigan to convert the building to shops and offices with a new stucco

finish over the nineteenth century structure. The contractor was F E Shillabeer. In 1914 the publican's licence

was surrendered and the Tavistock Hotel became Tavistock House.

Tavistock House was acquired as a recreation centre for the Royal Australian Navy in 1947

Done