Murray Street 68-76
| Place type: | Building |
|---|---|
| Address: | 68-76 Murray Street |
| Town or Locality: | Gawler |
DESCRIPTION:
This mid-Victorian parapeted shopfront is located on a corner allotment, a portion of which was constructed c.1870s (74-76). The southern shops to 68-72 Murray Street were built later, some time before 1932, and the existing parapet extended to unify the frontage. The shops are constructed of overpainted brick to the façade and parapet, and random rubble sandstone with a tuck-pointed finish, and red brick dressings to the side wall. The parapet also includes corbelled and shaped-brick detail to capping. The series of hipped rooves are clad with corrugated metal with skillion additions to the rear. The original timber-framed shopfront to 74-76 is intact with timber-framed doors, detailed timber stall boards and cast-iron columns. Shops from 68-72 include non-original aluminium shopfronts. A non-original return awning extends along the run of shops and is supported by timber posts with cast iron corner brackets.
STATEMENT OF HERITAGE VALUE:
Possibly constructed by 1860, the group of shops is associated with the flourishing mid-nineteenth century commercial development of Gawler as a service town which was based on the burgeoning agricultural, mining and industrial development of Gawler and northern areas of South Australia. It demonstrates an early row of retail buildings of simple mid-Victorian design without embellishment, constructed of local stone.
BRIEF HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
The Gawler township was planned by Light, Finnis & Co and laid out by William Jacob in 1839; the Deposited Plan No. 138 of 1863 confirms this plan. Murray Street was established as per Light’s plan and was set out as a continuation of the main road from Adelaide, across the South Para River, Murray Street became the main commercial centre and focus of Gawler township. The original allocation of Allotment 16 of the subdivision of Section 24 was to John Reid, proprietor of the Gawler Special Survey.
The date of construction of this row of shops is unknown, but the existence of multiple shops on this site is recorded in rate books from as early as 1858. From that date the block included at least five shops, with the southernmost one slightly wider and of a different form and a row of four shop tenancies, each described as ‘shop and house’ owned by Patrick Kelly, who also owned the series of shops on the opposite Tod Street corner. Patrick Kelly was married to Jane Sadler, daughter of Edward Sadler, blacksmith and Miss Collins. In order to prevent his wife from filing for a judicial separation, in 1871, Kelly agreed to settle the series of shops in Murray St upon his wife, in trust for life, which would provide her with a weekly income. A plan of the block prepared in 1886 indicates various tenants including E H Coombe, Confectioner, occupying the southernmost shop adjacent to the new National Bank.
The shops appeared largely unchanged until the original shopfronts were variously altered or removed and at some point, the original timber-framed verandah was replaced with a cantilevered canopy. The open carpark area to the rear of the shops was originally the site of the residential components, since demolished.
Please <click here> to view photos of 68-76 Murray Street.
Acknowledgments
This report has been prepared by the following people:
• Nancy Cromar (Flightpath Architects)
• Deborah Morgan (Flightpath Architects)
• Kate Paterson (Flightpath Architects)
• Douglas Alexander (Flightpath Architects)
The study team would like to acknowledge the assistance of the following people:
• David Petruzzella (Strategic Planner; Town of Gawler)
• Jacinta Weiss (Cultural Heritage Centre Coordinator; Town of Gawler)
• Jane Strange (Senior Development and Strategic Policy Officer; Town of Gawler)
Gawler History Team Inc. thanks:
Flightpath Architects, Ryan Viney and the Town of Gawler for allowing us access to this important document of Gawler History.
www.flightpatharchitects.com.au
.
References
- Duval ‘Plan of Part Gawler Town’ n.d.
- LTO Certificate of Title CT 1265/125
- Gawler Rate Assessment Books East Ward
- [[‘Gawlertown plus details of original ownership of Gawler lots’ [Edited from LTO GRO 138/1863]]]
- Pierce ‘Plan of Gawler South Australia
- surveyed and drawn by T Pierce’ 1886
- Bechervaise & Associates in association with McDougall & Vines Murray Street Main Street Study p.76-77.
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