Eildon Mansion
Encyclopedia
Eildon Mansion is one of the largest renaissance style houses in Melbourne, built in 1877 in Grey St
. St Kilda
, in Melbourne
which is on the Victorian Heritage Register
.
The house, originally designed by John Gill
was built in 1850 as Barham House for Richard Twentyman Esqr, a local councillor.
The mansion was built on large grounds and Victorian gardens with bay views.
It was later altered and extended with two symmetrical wings to become Eildon mansion.
Eildon Mansion was commissioned in 1871 by a wealthy pastoralist, John Lang Currie
(1818–1898) and designed by Joseph Reed
of the leading Melbourne architectural firm of Reed & Barnes (who also designed the nearby Church of the Sacred Heart and many other prominent Melbourne buildings - such as the Royal Exhibition Building). The house was built by John Currie, one of Victoria's largest landowners, for his retirement, in what was then Melbourne's most popular seaside suburb.
The mansion was completed in 1877.
After John Currie's wife's (Louise) death, the mansion passed into other hands and as the prestige of St Kilda declined it was sold. In 1930, it was converted into a guesthouse. In the early 2000s it became a backpackers' hostel. Despite the property being used as a guest house and then used for backpackers, much of the grand interior of the building has survived, including sandstone, marble and timber mantelpieces, ceiling roses, bay windows and large basement quarters for servants and a cellar. John Currie died on March 11, 1898. His tomb can be found at the St.Kilda Cemetery.
He left an estate of 479,000 pounds to his wife Louise and his 5 sons and 3 daughters.
The house was built to view Port Phillip
, and had extensive grounds in the back part of the building. After Louise Currie's death, these were sold off, and apartment blocks built on them, blocking off access to the back view of the house. The original stables can be seen beside the house on the right. There have been many questions about which was the front side and which was the back side of Eildon Mansion. After many years of research, it was found that the front yard has always been the front. Original maps from 1855, show Eildon mansion's front entrance was always from Grey Street. Indicating why the stables were situated close by Grey Street entrance on the right side of the property.
There were 2 entrances to Eildon Mansion, one is still used by Eildon Mansion, the other is used by the next door property (to the left) -
they took ownership of this part of Eildon's property back in the late 1940s.
It was thought John Currie liked elaborate gardens on his properties, to entertain . Nearly all his properties had similar formats, small front yards and grand backyards. Eildon Mansion was no exception. At Eildon Mansion, he liked to take visitors for walks to the beach and then a lazy stroll back through his wonderful garden back to Eildon. This was also to admire the beautiful arches and pillars of the building. John Currie's daughter Henrietta, had her marriage celebrations at the wonderful ballroom at Eildon Mansion. John Currie also leased the Osborne house in Geelong (now owned by the council), and owned Lara House and Gala house which are both in Camperdown in Victoria. All wonderful houses too. The Lara property was a very important property for John Currie, as this is where his success a pastoralist was really established. Note: John Currie had many trips back to Scotland (where he was borned) and was involved in two shipwrecks.
Eildon Mansion was owned by Mr. Ferit Ymer from 1951 (He leased the property in 1950) until it was sold to the Alliance Francaise in 2006.
Mr. Ferit Ymer and his wife Qerime Ymer, raised their 6 children at Eildon Mansion, while they ran Eildon Mansion as a boarding house.
The Ymer family ran the boarding house successfully during the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. The accommodation was mainly for single or couple business people or new immigrants that arrived to Melbourne. In the later years the accommodation business declined, as did the quality of the building.
Two of the owner's sons, Enver and Danny, undertook extensive restorations in 2004. They converted the business into a backpackers accommodation.
In 2006 the house was bought for a reported $4 million by the Alliance française
. The Ymer family have been the longest residents to stay at Eildon Mansion -56 years.
Qerime Ymer died in 2004. Mr Ferit Ymer died recently on the 27/7/2010 at Bairnsdale
The Alliance Francaise now use Eildon Mansion as its new Melbourne headquarters.
The Alliance Francaise have also undertaken extensive renovations since purchasing Eildon. From 2006 until 2007, well over 1.5 million dollars was spent renovating Eildon Mansion.
They have restored many additional areas of the property; opened all the partitions (these were placed to create more rooms in the 1930s); set up the mansion for their workshops; French classes, their libraries and a theatre room where the main kitchen used to be.
They have re opened the magnificent ballroom, which is now used for functions & gallery exhibitions.
Eildon Mansion has become a sign of what has happened to St.Kilda over the years. Once a very classy seaside prestige suburb, it became very run down and in some places, derelict,
to now a very cosmopolitan suburb, where hundreds of people go to live, see and enjoy.
Grey Street, Melbourne
There are 14 Grey Streets in metropolitan Melbourne, but by far the best-known is Grey Street in St Kilda, once a grand residential street but now with a reputation as a centre of prostitution....
. St Kilda
St Kilda, Victoria
St Kilda is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km south from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Port Phillip...
, in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
which is on the Victorian Heritage Register
Victorian Heritage Register
The Victorian Heritage Register lists places of cultural heritage significance to the State of Victoria, Australia. It has statutory weight under the Heritage Act 1995 which establishes Heritage Victoria as the permit authority...
.
The house, originally designed by John Gill
John Gill
John Gill may refer to:John Gill, reverend at Church of the Savior, a UCC church in Knoxville, TN* John Gill , English Baptist minister and Calvinist theologian...
was built in 1850 as Barham House for Richard Twentyman Esqr, a local councillor.
The mansion was built on large grounds and Victorian gardens with bay views.
It was later altered and extended with two symmetrical wings to become Eildon mansion.
Eildon Mansion was commissioned in 1871 by a wealthy pastoralist, John Lang Currie
John Lang Currie
John Lang Currie , Australian pastoralist, was born in Selkirkshire, Scotland, and migrated to the Port Phillip district John Lang Currie (17 November 1818 – 11 March 1898), Australian pastoralist, was born in Selkirkshire, Scotland, and migrated to the Port Phillip district John Lang Currie (17...
(1818–1898) and designed by Joseph Reed
Joseph Reed (architect)
Joseph Reed , a Cornishman by birth, was probably the most influential Victorian era architect in Melbourne, Australia. He established a practice, Reed and Barnes in Melbourne in 1852. The practice now known as Bates Smart is one of the oldest continually operating in the world.Reed's buildings...
of the leading Melbourne architectural firm of Reed & Barnes (who also designed the nearby Church of the Sacred Heart and many other prominent Melbourne buildings - such as the Royal Exhibition Building). The house was built by John Currie, one of Victoria's largest landowners, for his retirement, in what was then Melbourne's most popular seaside suburb.
The mansion was completed in 1877.
After John Currie's wife's (Louise) death, the mansion passed into other hands and as the prestige of St Kilda declined it was sold. In 1930, it was converted into a guesthouse. In the early 2000s it became a backpackers' hostel. Despite the property being used as a guest house and then used for backpackers, much of the grand interior of the building has survived, including sandstone, marble and timber mantelpieces, ceiling roses, bay windows and large basement quarters for servants and a cellar. John Currie died on March 11, 1898. His tomb can be found at the St.Kilda Cemetery.
He left an estate of 479,000 pounds to his wife Louise and his 5 sons and 3 daughters.
The house was built to view Port Phillip
Port Phillip
Port Phillip Port Phillip Port Phillip (also commonly referred to as Port Phillip Bay or (locally) just The Bay, is a large bay in southern Victoria, Australia; it is the location of Melbourne. Geographically, the bay covers and the shore stretches roughly . Although it is extremely shallow for...
, and had extensive grounds in the back part of the building. After Louise Currie's death, these were sold off, and apartment blocks built on them, blocking off access to the back view of the house. The original stables can be seen beside the house on the right. There have been many questions about which was the front side and which was the back side of Eildon Mansion. After many years of research, it was found that the front yard has always been the front. Original maps from 1855, show Eildon mansion's front entrance was always from Grey Street. Indicating why the stables were situated close by Grey Street entrance on the right side of the property.
There were 2 entrances to Eildon Mansion, one is still used by Eildon Mansion, the other is used by the next door property (to the left) -
they took ownership of this part of Eildon's property back in the late 1940s.
It was thought John Currie liked elaborate gardens on his properties, to entertain . Nearly all his properties had similar formats, small front yards and grand backyards. Eildon Mansion was no exception. At Eildon Mansion, he liked to take visitors for walks to the beach and then a lazy stroll back through his wonderful garden back to Eildon. This was also to admire the beautiful arches and pillars of the building. John Currie's daughter Henrietta, had her marriage celebrations at the wonderful ballroom at Eildon Mansion. John Currie also leased the Osborne house in Geelong (now owned by the council), and owned Lara House and Gala house which are both in Camperdown in Victoria. All wonderful houses too. The Lara property was a very important property for John Currie, as this is where his success a pastoralist was really established. Note: John Currie had many trips back to Scotland (where he was borned) and was involved in two shipwrecks.
Eildon Mansion was owned by Mr. Ferit Ymer from 1951 (He leased the property in 1950) until it was sold to the Alliance Francaise in 2006.
Mr. Ferit Ymer and his wife Qerime Ymer, raised their 6 children at Eildon Mansion, while they ran Eildon Mansion as a boarding house.
The Ymer family ran the boarding house successfully during the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. The accommodation was mainly for single or couple business people or new immigrants that arrived to Melbourne. In the later years the accommodation business declined, as did the quality of the building.
Two of the owner's sons, Enver and Danny, undertook extensive restorations in 2004. They converted the business into a backpackers accommodation.
In 2006 the house was bought for a reported $4 million by the Alliance française
Alliance française
The Alliance française , or AF, is an international organisation that aims to promote French language and culture around the world. created in Paris on 21 July 1883, its primary concern is teaching French as a second language and is headquartered in Paris -History:The Alliance was created in Paris...
. The Ymer family have been the longest residents to stay at Eildon Mansion -56 years.
Qerime Ymer died in 2004. Mr Ferit Ymer died recently on the 27/7/2010 at Bairnsdale
The Alliance Francaise now use Eildon Mansion as its new Melbourne headquarters.
The Alliance Francaise have also undertaken extensive renovations since purchasing Eildon. From 2006 until 2007, well over 1.5 million dollars was spent renovating Eildon Mansion.
They have restored many additional areas of the property; opened all the partitions (these were placed to create more rooms in the 1930s); set up the mansion for their workshops; French classes, their libraries and a theatre room where the main kitchen used to be.
They have re opened the magnificent ballroom, which is now used for functions & gallery exhibitions.
Eildon Mansion has become a sign of what has happened to St.Kilda over the years. Once a very classy seaside prestige suburb, it became very run down and in some places, derelict,
to now a very cosmopolitan suburb, where hundreds of people go to live, see and enjoy.
External links
- Whiting and Co real estate agent's announcement of the sale, featuring photos of the building
- Alliance francaise Website showing photos of the interiors of Eildon Mansion
- Eildon Mansion Guesthouse