Sunday, February 1, 2015

Portable Iron Houses

I am making tracks into my list of new places in 2015.
I had heard of these but they were not really on my radar then saw the opening )1st Sunday of the Month) in Weekend Notes.
The Patterson House
The three houses at 399 Coventry South Melbourne give an insight into life in Emerald Hill, now South Melbourne, during the gold rush years. These buildings are examples of early property development are some of the few prefabricated iron buildings remaining in the world. 
The portable cottages were commissioned by Governor Latrobe to provide accommodation in a city bursting at its seams from the influx of those seeking to find gold. Made of a mixture of iron and wood they were the original "Flat packs" In 1855 South Melbourne, comprised nearly 100 portable buildings, of which 399, Patterson House, still stands on its original site, in what was called Tin Pan Alley by the older residents. Abercrombie House and Bellhouse House were moved to the current sites from North Melbourne and Fitzroy respectively.
Theey are just galvanised corrugated iron but some had lining boards made from packing cases, as well as windows 
The Box hedge at the front is 100yrs old and came from John and Sunday Reid's house Heide 
It was only as I was leaving that I saw a discreet sign asking us to refrain from taking photos!!

The back of Patterson House
An attic bedroom. Great in WInter but Summer!!
The stairs up
The Abercrombie house was moved from Arden St North Melbourne and was originally occupied by Andrew Abercrombie and was last occupied in 1976
At some time the house was divided into two areas. There are layers and layers of wall paper and the state of disrepair reminds me of the Tenements we went to in New York.
back of Abercrombie House 
the state of some of the iron 
Not bad for its age!
The lining boards and wall paper
Front door

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