Tag Archives: Bourke Street

Mar 12 2012

24-05-1876: Academy of Music, Bourke Street Melbourne, Victoria.

The Victorian Arcade and Academy of Music (The Bijou Theatre) was designed by Reed & Barnes.  The foundation stone was laid by the Governor of Victoria, Sir George Ferguson Bowen, on Tuesday 23rd May 1876 in Bourke Street Melbourne and opened in the same year. It was destroyed by a fire on the 22nd of April 1889.

The Australasian Sketcher with Pen and Pencil, Melbourne, Saturday 10th June 1876.

 “… Mr. Aarons, in his determination to make the effect as handsome as possible, has instructed Messrs. Ferguson and Urie to fill in the screen between the landing of the dress circle door and the arcade with stained glass. This screen is divided by columns, mouldings, and other appropriate architectural devices, into a large central and several other window openings. The central opening is to be filled in with a copy, in stained glass, of Wenterholter’s [sic] portrait of Her Majesty the Queen, of which, fortunately there is a full-size copy in our Houses of Parliament …”.

Weekly Times, Melbourne, Vic, Saturday 22nd July 1876, page 11.

“THE NEW ARCADE AND ACADEMY OF MUSIC”
“…One of the most striking features of the whole design, however, will be an immense stained glass screen forming the end view from the arcade. This screen, divided into nine panels, has for the centre a colossal figure of Her Majesty the Queen, 11ft high, and done in the most exquisite manner by Messrs. Ferguson and Urie, of this city. Eight smaller panels – four on each side – will show allegorical pictures of music and the drama, while eight large circles will be filled with life-size busts of the most eminent musical and dramatic composers and authors – all done in stained glass…”

A new Bijou Theatre was designed by George Johnson but was demolished in the early 1900’s. The Commonwealth Bank (219-225 Bourke street) now stands on the site.

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External links:

♦ Web site: Australian Variety Theatre Archive

♦ Biography: George Lewis, first lessee of the Bijou Theatre.

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Mar 7 2012

24-10-1873: The Turkish Baths, Bourke Street, Melbourne, Victoria.

A building occupied by the Levy Brothers in Bourke street Melbourne was converted to Turkish baths by a Mr. S. J. Hosie.

The Argus, Melbourne, Friday 24th October 1873, page 5.

“… The stained glass windows are from the works of Messrs. Ferguson and Urie and the paintings on glass were done by Mr. Moore…”

Thomas Hosie’s Turkish Bathing Palace and Bar was opened by Governor Sir George Bowen on the 23rd of October 1873. The baths were located at Bourke Street East and no longer exists. Nothing is know what happened to the stained glass windows.

HOSIES Turkish Bathing Palace 01

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Feb 14 2012

06-01-1865: The warehouse of Mr. Howie, Linen Draper of Bourke Street East, Melbourne.

The Argus, Melbourne, 6th January 1864, page 5

“As an instance of the progress of an art not practiced in Melbourne a few years since, it may be mentioned that Messrs, Urie and Co., of Curzon street, have recently completed and fitted up a very handsome window of ornamental glass at the back of the warehouse of Mr. Howie, linendraper[sic], & c., of Bourke-street east. In the centre are shown, in separate panels, the arms of Australia and England, and a very well executed border of stained glass, showing in beautiful colours the Gothic rose and leaves. As a simple work of art it is highly creditable to the progress of this city in civilizing influences”.

Robert Howie, Draper, 25 Bourke St East, Melbourne, and Barkly St Carlton[1].

In 1861 he was in partnership with Thomas Young Anderson, trading at 13 Bourke street east as ‘Anderson & Howie’, but dissolved the partnership circa late August 1861.

In August 1863 he was trading at 25 Bourke-street east as a draper and throughout 1864 to 1870 he continually advertises for Drapers assistants, salesmen and women, and dress makers. The case of McFarlane v. Howie in March 1865 gives the impression that he probably didn’t have a good reputation as an employer.

In April 1866 his wife, Julia died aged 20.

In July 1868 he was fined £5 for displaying his goods for sale outside of his premises and in August 1870 was declared bankrupt and advertisements for the sale of his entire stock-in-trade were published in September 1870.

By 1878 it appears that he had converted to being an Iron Monger from the same Bourke-street premises and possibly formed a partnership with Francis Swan as “Howie & Swan” as carters which was dissolved after the death of Swan in June 1881.

Robert Howie later re-married another widower named Mary who died aged 69 on the 1st Feb 1902 at “Howie Terrace” 283 City Road, South Melbourne. She was buried at the Melbourne General Cemetery on the 3rd Feb 1902. His step daughter is mentioned as Mrs. W. Morris and his son as Robert E. Howie a merchant of Hindley-street, Adelaide.

Robert Howie died 15th Oct 1910, aged 78 at his residence “Howie Terrace”, City Road, South Melbourne. His entire estate was valued at £18,629 and was bequeathed to his daughter Janet Minnie Howie and his brother Robert Edward Howie of Adelaide, with other smaller legacies to be paid to numerous other relatives.

Foot Notes:

[1] Post Office Directory 1866, page 81.