Colonial Mutual Chambers

Colonial Mutual Chambers
Colonial Mutual Chambers
	Former Colonial Mutual Chambers (upper facade), 2008
Location	62 Queen Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Coordinates	27°28′13″S153°01′26″E / 27.4704°S 153.0238°E
Design period	1870s–1890s (late 19th century)
Built	1883
Built for	Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society
Architect	Richard Gailey
Architectural style(s)	Gothic
Queensland Heritage Register
Official name	62 Queen Street, Colonial Mutual Chambers, Sussans Building
Type	state heritage (built)
Designated	21 August 1992
Reference no.	600160
Significant period	1883 (fabric); 1883–1906 (historical)
Builders	W McPark
	Location of Colonial Mutual Chambers in Queensland Colonial Mutual Chambers (Australia)

Last updated November 08, 2023

Colonial Mutual Chambers is a heritage-listed office building at 62 Queen Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Richard Gailey and built in 1883 by W McPark. It is also known as Sussans Building. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 August 1992.^[1]

History

Colonial Mutual Chambers is the narrow building with tower and flag, on the left of the Brisbane Town Hall, circa 1895 Colonial-Mutual-Chambers-and-Brisbane-Town-Hall-circa-1895.jpg — Colonial Mutual Chambers is the narrow building with tower and flag, on the left of the Brisbane Town Hall, circa 1895

This building was erected in 1883 for the Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society who had acquired the site two years previously for £ 3,140.^[1]

The allotment was part of a larger site that previously contained buildings which were erected during the period Moreton Bay was a penal settlement. A government decision to demolish several convict era buildings, and to dispose of the crown land, gave impetus to the commercial redevelopment of the western side of Queen Street.^[1]

The building was designed by Richard Gailey and the contractor was W McPark. Gailey was responsible for the design of many of the commercial buildings in Brisbane during the 1880s that were characterized by Classical idioms and details, however in this building, he employed Gothic motifs. Sir Thomas McIlwraith, an early director of the company, laid the foundation stone in September 1883.^[1]

The Society occupied most of the building, which became known as the Colonial Mutual Chambers, and leased out the remaining floorspace. In 1906 Colonial Mutual moved its headquarters, but retained ownership of the building and continued to lease the premises. It was purchased in 1936 by the Carnegie family, dealers in quality musical instruments, and remained in the family until 1972. Since the 1960s the building has been used for offices on the upper levels and retail outlets on the ground floor.^[1]

A spire with flag pole and the lower sections of the flanking turrets have been removed. The skyline has been further altered by the removal of the attic rooms and the line of chimneys that rose above the wall adjoining the old Town Hall.^[1]

Description

Colonial Mutual Chambers is a three-story rendered brick building with basement.^[1]

The facade is dominated by an oriel window supported by corbelling enriched with floral decoration. In the center of the window running horizontally at second floor level is a band decorated with six different badges. Above this, mullions bisected by transoms divide the window into twenty-four lights. The head of each light is embellished with Gothic style tracery, composed of ogee curves. On both upper levels the windows extend from the floor to the ceiling. Decorated turrets flank the oriel window. The parapet is castellated and in the center is a badge bearing the crest of the Society.^[1]

On each side of the oriel window are niches with ogee curved heads similar to the tracery. At both ends, the facade culminates in a turret. The turrets are decorated with tracery, bands of floral ornamentation and are surmounted with a finial. The turrets originally extended from the street level, but the lower sections have been removed. The parapet is castellated and in the center is a badge bearing the crest of the Society.^[1]

The rear facade facing Burnett Lane is rendered brickwork lined to suggest stonework. There are four window openings, with sandstone sills, on each level. The window openings have Tudor arched heads which are emphasized by a continuous hood mould. One the rear facade one rectangular cast iron pipe and two nineteenth century rainwater heads survive.^[1]

Internally the building has had a mezzanine inserted above the ground floor level. An ornate pressed metal ceiling survives on the level above.^[1]

Heritage listing

Colonial Mutual Chambers was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 August 1992 having satisfied the following criteria.^[1]

The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history.

Colonial Mutual Chambers is important in demonstrating the evolution and pattern of Queensland history, in particularly as evidence of the commercial redevelopment of Queen Street in the 1880s which took place as a result of the disposal of buildings erected during the penal era.^[1]

The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places.

Colonial Mutual Chambers is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of an 1880s commercial building and the eclectic stylistic range of the work of architect Richard Gailey.^[1]

The place is important because of its aesthetic significance.

Colonial Mutual Chambers is important in exhibiting aesthetic characteristics valued by the community in particular as an 1880s commercial building incorporating a gothic facade, and the building's contribution to the Queen Street streetscape, which comprises a group of 19th and early 20th century buildings and facades.^[1]

Related Research Articles

Brisbane Arcade is a heritage-listed shopping arcade at 160 Queen Street through to Adelaide Street in the Brisbane CBD, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Richard Gailey, Junior and built in 1923 to 1924 by J & E L Rees and Forsyth & Speering, making it Brisbane's oldest shopping arcade. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

Manor Apartment Hotel is a heritage-listed former office building and now apartment hotel at 289 Queen Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Hennessey, Hennessey & Co and built from 1930 to 1931 by Concrete Constructions (QLD) Limited. It is also known as Colonial Mutual Life Building and Newspaper House. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

169 Mary Street is a heritage-listed warehouse at 169 Mary Street, Brisbane CBD, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Richard Gailey and built from 1887 to 1888 by T Game. It is also known as Coal Board Building. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

The Trustees Chambers is a heritage-listed commercial building located at 43 Queen Street, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is currently used by the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group. It was designed by Addison & Corrie and built c. 1900 by Walter Taylor. It was also known as ANZ Bank. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

The Palings Building is a heritage-listed retail building located at 86 Queen Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Richard Gailey as one of a row of four identical buildings and built from 1885 to 1919 by Patten & Son. Two of the four buildings have since been demolished while a third survives but is incorporated into another building. The Palings building was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992; at that time, the building was used for the City International Duty Free store.

Hardy Brothers Building is a heritage-listed shop at 116 Queen Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Richard Gailey and built in 1881. It is also known as Love's Auction Mart. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

The Edwards and Chapman Building is a heritage-listed retail warehouse at 120 Queen Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Francis Drummond Greville Stanley and built from 1881 to 1882 by Henry Holmes. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

The Brisbane Synagogue is a heritage-listed synagogue at 98 Margaret Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Arthur Morry and built from 1885 to 1886 by Arthur Midson. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

Perry House is a heritage-listed office building at 167 Albert Street, Brisbane City, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Claude William Chambers and built from 1911 to 1923 by Thomas Keenan. It is also known as Royal Albert Apartments. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 27 October 1994.

Wickham Hotel is a heritage-listed hotel at 308 Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Originally trading as the Oriental, it was designed by Richard Gailey and built in 1885 by Cussack & O'Keefe. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

MacArthur Chambers is a heritage-listed former office building at 229 Queen Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Francis Richard Hall and built from 1931 to 1934 by George Alexander Stronach. It was also known as the AMP Building. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

The Phoenix Buildings are heritage-listed commercial buildings at 647 Stanley Street, Woolloongabba, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. They were designed by Richard Gailey and built from 1889 to 1890 by James Rix. They were added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 24 May 1995.

Empire Hotel is a heritage-listed hotel at 339 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Richard Gailey and built in 1888 by Smith and Ball. It was renovated in 1925 to a design by Richard Gailey, Junior. It was further renovated in 1937 to incorporate apartments designed by Hall and Phillips. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

Wickham House is a heritage-listed office building at 155–157 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Francis Richard Hall and built from 1923 to 1924 by F J Corbett. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 23 June 2000.

Old Mineral House is a heritage-listed warehouse at 2 Edward Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Richard Gailey and built from 1888 to 1890s by William Anthony. It is also known as Smellie & Co Warehouse and the Industrial High School. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

Hunters Buildings is a heritage-listed group of commercial buildings at 179–191 George Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The individual buildings are Treasury Chambers, St Francis House, and Symons Building. They were designed by Richard Gailey and built in 1886 by George Gazzard. They were added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

Watson Brothers Building is a heritage-listed warehouse at 129 Margaret Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Richard Gailey and built from 1887 to 1918. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 23 April 1999.

The Queensland Country Life Building facade is a heritage-listed facade of a former warehouse at 424–426 Queen Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Richard Gailey and built from 1888 to 1889 by George Gazzard. It is also known as Hill's Buildings. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

National Mutual Life Building is a heritage-listed office building at 299 Queen Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Gibbs, Finlay & Morsby in conjunction with Thomas Blair Moncrieff Wightman and was built in 1926 by J L Green & Sons. It is also known as Metway Chambers and Custom Credit House. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

National Australia Bank is a heritage-listed bank building at 308 Queen Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Francis Drummond Greville Stanley and built from 1881–1924 by Southall & Tracey. It is also known as Queensland National Bank. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "62 Queen Street (entry 600160)". Queensland Heritage Register . Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.

Attribution

This Wikipedia article incorporates text from "The Queensland heritage register" published by the State of Queensland under CC-BY 3.0 AU licence (accessed on 7 July 2014, archived on 8 October 2014). The geo-coordinates were computed from the "Queensland heritage register boundaries" published by the State of Queensland under CC-BY 3.0 AU licence (accessed on 5 September 2014, archived on 15 October 2014).

External links

Media related to Colonial Mutual Chambers at Wikimedia Commons

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[qhr-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "62 Queen Street (entry 600160)". Queensland Heritage Register . Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.

[1]