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  • Phasellus convallis tincidunt enim.

St Leonards,(demolished) off Church Square in St Leonards Avenue

Tower - Detail of St Leonard's House, St. Kilda, Vic.
SLV image Colin Caldwell , H84.276/2/19A

 

 


 


14 Saint Leonards Avenue
St Kilda,Victoria
Australia 3182

Now demolished the is now the site of the prestigious Nonda Katsalidis flats.

  • Date Built: 1870
  • Demolished: after 1975
  • First European Land Owner:

    1857  St Kilda Planning Scheme Crown Allotments Allotment 10 D Ogilvie https://stkildahistory.org.au/our-collection/resources/m27

    1873 Vardy Maps West Ward Allotments 20 and 21 owned by J Matheson https://stkildahistory.org.au/our-collection/resources/vardy-plans
  • Architects:

    Johnson & Johnson (Source Greaves) or Smith & Johnson ? (Source MMDB)
  • Owners and occupiers:

    Notes from WH Greaves Town Clerk City of St Kilda : Built around 1870 for John Matheson (Manager Bank of Victoria) Subsequently the house of Dr G Cummings (former Mayor of St Kilda) and is now converted into flats owned by the Cummings Family.Cliff Cummings says (8.2/67)  Architects were Johnson & Johnson(?) it was built at the same time and with the same architects wo created a 'ballroom' at Como' South Yarra.

    See also Vol 1 pg 36 Coopers - refers to Matheson as one of the St Kilda General Committee. Pg 107/8 refers to him as a Territorial Magistrate in 1863. 

    On Municipal rolls as far back as 1863 as John Matheson Banker House Church Square. 

    He is referred to in 75 Anniversary Souvenir of Alma Road Pres (sic) Church on pg 9.

    Image 1812 

    Pamplet provided by Cliff Cummins 'St Leonards an Ideal City Home' SKHS Collection 

    Spending much of the 20C as a high class boarding house it advertised itself in the early years of the 20C as an; Up to date established that stands pre-eminent for a number of reasons, every one of which is sufficiently important to make it worthy of the patronage of visitors to Melbourne . (O'Hagan)
  • Description:

  • Builder:

    Umknown
  • History:

    John Matheson; Frederick Armytage; Cummings; Clifford Cummings.

    This very large mansion originally had its entry from Church Square. It was laid our lengthwise on the block with a large tower in its centre. The SLV collection includes photographic records of its interior taken by renowned photographer Athol Shmith. Other images were taken in the 60's by Colin Caldwell of the exterior with his trademark quirky angles..

    It spent a large part of the 20C as a classy boarding house run by the Cummings. 
  • Sources:

    SKHS: WH Greaves Town Clerk City os St Kilda  

    SKHS : Cliff Cummings Owner

    State Library Victoria  6 Images taken by Athol Shmith

    Seamus O'Hanlon 'Together Apart Boarding house, hostel and flat life in pre-war Melbourne' 2002
  • Compiled by: { Compiled by: Sally Moore and Helen Halliday
  • Last updated: 2021-09-08