Adelaide Lister House
Built 1928 for Peeks Ltd, tailors, with rooms for doctors & dentists on upper floors, architect F Kenneth Milne, named Lister House for Joseph Lister, pioneer of antiseptic surgery. Building purchased by Commonwealth Oil Refineries Ltd 1946, renamed Tobin House 2002 and now used as UniSA student accommodation. Peeks Ltd began as Peeks Bros in 1916; their premises moved from Grenfell St to Pulteney St before erecting this building in North Terrace.
“Tenders are Invited by the undersigned for the Supply and Erection of an Up-to-date Passenger Elevator, to be installed in Lister House, North terrace, for Messrs. Peeks, Limited.” [Register 16 Oct 1928 advert]
“Lister House which is being erected . . . under the supervision of Milne, Evans, & Russell, architects, is almost ready for occupation. . . The steel window frames in Lister House have been made locally by Perry's, Ltd., to the architects' design. Instantaneous electric, hot water heaters are provided in all offices. . . The building has been especially designed for the use of doctors and dentists. Two rooms on the first floor; with ceilings wholly of prismatic glass, and' extensive side windows, will make excellent operating rooms. . . External detail is perpendicular, Gothic, finished in white cement, and the plasterers have displayed much skill, in running the long unbroken vertical lines which are a feature o£ the design.” [Register News-Pictorial 16 May 1929]
“South Australian material and labor were used wherever possible in the construction .of Lister House, the seven-story building recently completed for Peeks Limited. . . There is a telephone connection in every room, and hot and cold water are laid on to every suite. . . Lister House is the first building in Adelaide -to be fitted with a Kernerator. This installation received favorable comment from officers of the Central Board of Health. On each floor a panel in the wall, can be opened and surgical dressings and rubbish of all descriptions placed in a small bin. When the panel is closed the contents of the bin fall into a furnace, where immediate destruction is effected. . . On each floor there is a slot for the reception of letters, which are gathered thrice daily by postal officials. . . Peeks Limited and Peeks Investments Limited will use the ground floor and half of the first floor. A fast electric lift is installed.” [News 12 Jul 1929]
“Peeks, Ltd. Tailors, Costumiers, Mantle Specialists. Late of 22 Pulteney Street. Now at Lister House Opp. Public Library, North Terrace, Adelaide.” [News 18 Jul 1929 advert]
“M. S. Joyner, B.D.S. (Adel.), Dental Surgeon wishes to announce his Removal to Lister House.” [Register News-Pictorial 21 Aug 1929 advert]
“Dressmaking — Fully experienced hand. Used to first-class work. — Room 210, Lister House,” [Advertiser 3 May 1930 advert]
“L. J. Churches, Character Analyst and Vocational Adviser, wishes to inform the public of Adelaide and district that he is opening a branch of the Vocational Guidance Institute at Lister House.” [Advertiser 22 May 1930 advert]
“Commonwealth Oil Refineries, Ltd, has purchased Lister House, Peek's, Ltd. property in North terrace. . . Price is understood to be in the vicinity of £40.000.” [Advertiser 23 Oct 1946]
“Orders granting possession of rooms occupied by two tenants of Lister House, North terrace, to the Commonwealth Oil Refineries Ltd., were made by Mr. W. V. Ray, S.M., today. He refused to make orders in actions against six other tenants. The company, which purchased the building in January, claimed possession of two and a half floors of the building. . . the magistrate said he was satisfied the company would suffer no financial hardship whatever, and had shown no hardship worth considering if the orders were refused. Regarding the rooms occupied by professional men, he said: ’Notwithstanding that North terrace is being gradually invaded by commercial houses, I think it can still be said that North terrace is the Harley street of Adelaide. It would be a serious loss of prestige and status to remove their surgeries to other parts of the city’.” [News 20 Jun 1947]
PEEK BROTHERS, TAILORS
“Tailoress, Coat and Costume Hand; also Trousers and Vest Hands.— Peek Bros., 102, Grenfell-st.” [Advertiser 26 May 1916 advert]
“Peek Bros. (Queen's Hall Buildings), 102, Grenfell-street, Adelaide. Suits Tailored by our own specialists, from £4 4/-. Costumes. Yes, handled under direct supervision, on our premises. From £5 5/-. . . Ladies' Ready-made Costumes, Raincoats, Underwear, Dress Material, Drapery. Gents’ Ready-made Suits, Overcoats, Underwear, and Juvenile Clothing.” [Advertiser 21 Jul 1916 advert]
“Mr. J. Henley Peek, chairman of the tailoring business of Peeks Ltd., died suddenly at his Seacliff home yesterday, aged 64. He was one of the founders about 1916 of Peek Bros., which later was formed into Peeks Ltd. The company built Lister House, North terrace, Adelaide. Mr. Peek was formerly chairman of the Order Tailors' Association. In 1925-26 he was president of the SA Baptist Union. Mr. Peek is survived by a widow and two daughters, Mrs. C. H. Pearson, of Gawler, and Mrs. R. H. Taylor, of Seacliff.” [Advertiser 18 Sep 1951]
Adelaide Lister House
Built 1928 for Peeks Ltd, tailors, with rooms for doctors & dentists on upper floors, architect F Kenneth Milne, named Lister House for Joseph Lister, pioneer of antiseptic surgery. Building purchased by Commonwealth Oil Refineries Ltd 1946, renamed Tobin House 2002 and now used as UniSA student accommodation. Peeks Ltd began as Peeks Bros in 1916; their premises moved from Grenfell St to Pulteney St before erecting this building in North Terrace.
“Tenders are Invited by the undersigned for the Supply and Erection of an Up-to-date Passenger Elevator, to be installed in Lister House, North terrace, for Messrs. Peeks, Limited.” [Register 16 Oct 1928 advert]
“Lister House which is being erected . . . under the supervision of Milne, Evans, & Russell, architects, is almost ready for occupation. . . The steel window frames in Lister House have been made locally by Perry's, Ltd., to the architects' design. Instantaneous electric, hot water heaters are provided in all offices. . . The building has been especially designed for the use of doctors and dentists. Two rooms on the first floor; with ceilings wholly of prismatic glass, and' extensive side windows, will make excellent operating rooms. . . External detail is perpendicular, Gothic, finished in white cement, and the plasterers have displayed much skill, in running the long unbroken vertical lines which are a feature o£ the design.” [Register News-Pictorial 16 May 1929]
“South Australian material and labor were used wherever possible in the construction .of Lister House, the seven-story building recently completed for Peeks Limited. . . There is a telephone connection in every room, and hot and cold water are laid on to every suite. . . Lister House is the first building in Adelaide -to be fitted with a Kernerator. This installation received favorable comment from officers of the Central Board of Health. On each floor a panel in the wall, can be opened and surgical dressings and rubbish of all descriptions placed in a small bin. When the panel is closed the contents of the bin fall into a furnace, where immediate destruction is effected. . . On each floor there is a slot for the reception of letters, which are gathered thrice daily by postal officials. . . Peeks Limited and Peeks Investments Limited will use the ground floor and half of the first floor. A fast electric lift is installed.” [News 12 Jul 1929]
“Peeks, Ltd. Tailors, Costumiers, Mantle Specialists. Late of 22 Pulteney Street. Now at Lister House Opp. Public Library, North Terrace, Adelaide.” [News 18 Jul 1929 advert]
“M. S. Joyner, B.D.S. (Adel.), Dental Surgeon wishes to announce his Removal to Lister House.” [Register News-Pictorial 21 Aug 1929 advert]
“Dressmaking — Fully experienced hand. Used to first-class work. — Room 210, Lister House,” [Advertiser 3 May 1930 advert]
“L. J. Churches, Character Analyst and Vocational Adviser, wishes to inform the public of Adelaide and district that he is opening a branch of the Vocational Guidance Institute at Lister House.” [Advertiser 22 May 1930 advert]
“Commonwealth Oil Refineries, Ltd, has purchased Lister House, Peek's, Ltd. property in North terrace. . . Price is understood to be in the vicinity of £40.000.” [Advertiser 23 Oct 1946]
“Orders granting possession of rooms occupied by two tenants of Lister House, North terrace, to the Commonwealth Oil Refineries Ltd., were made by Mr. W. V. Ray, S.M., today. He refused to make orders in actions against six other tenants. The company, which purchased the building in January, claimed possession of two and a half floors of the building. . . the magistrate said he was satisfied the company would suffer no financial hardship whatever, and had shown no hardship worth considering if the orders were refused. Regarding the rooms occupied by professional men, he said: ’Notwithstanding that North terrace is being gradually invaded by commercial houses, I think it can still be said that North terrace is the Harley street of Adelaide. It would be a serious loss of prestige and status to remove their surgeries to other parts of the city’.” [News 20 Jun 1947]
PEEK BROTHERS, TAILORS
“Tailoress, Coat and Costume Hand; also Trousers and Vest Hands.— Peek Bros., 102, Grenfell-st.” [Advertiser 26 May 1916 advert]
“Peek Bros. (Queen's Hall Buildings), 102, Grenfell-street, Adelaide. Suits Tailored by our own specialists, from £4 4/-. Costumes. Yes, handled under direct supervision, on our premises. From £5 5/-. . . Ladies' Ready-made Costumes, Raincoats, Underwear, Dress Material, Drapery. Gents’ Ready-made Suits, Overcoats, Underwear, and Juvenile Clothing.” [Advertiser 21 Jul 1916 advert]
“Mr. J. Henley Peek, chairman of the tailoring business of Peeks Ltd., died suddenly at his Seacliff home yesterday, aged 64. He was one of the founders about 1916 of Peek Bros., which later was formed into Peeks Ltd. The company built Lister House, North terrace, Adelaide. Mr. Peek was formerly chairman of the Order Tailors' Association. In 1925-26 he was president of the SA Baptist Union. Mr. Peek is survived by a widow and two daughters, Mrs. C. H. Pearson, of Gawler, and Mrs. R. H. Taylor, of Seacliff.” [Advertiser 18 Sep 1951]