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Doggetts Cottage
Doggetts Cottage.jpg
Location 33 Arthur Street, Fortitude Valley, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Design period 1870s - 1890s (late 19th century)
Built c. 1880
Built for Harry Doggett
Official name: Doggetts Cottage
Type state heritage (built)
Designated 21 October 1992
Reference no. 600258
Significant period 1880s (fabric)
1880s-1920s (historical)
Significant components kitchen/kitchen house, stables, well, attic, residential accommodation - main house
Builders Harry Doggett
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Doggetts Cottage is a special old house in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Queensland. It was built around 1880 by a man named Harry Doggett. This house is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, which means it's an important historical place that needs to be protected.

Who Lived at Doggetts Cottage?

Harry Doggett, mayor of Brisbane 1913
Harry Doggett, mayor of Brisbane in 1913

Doggetts Cottage was built as a family home by Harry Doggett around 1880. Harry Doggett was a skilled bricklayer and builder. He was also very involved in his community.

He even became the mayor of the Town of Brisbane in 1913! This means he was the main leader of the city at that time. Even after Harry Doggett passed away in 1927, his family continued to live in the house for many years, until the 1970s.

For a short time, from 1983 to 1988, the house was used as offices. During this period, some changes were made. For example, a new kitchen and bathroom were added. The old stables were also made bigger. But now, Doggetts Cottage is once again a family home, just like it was when Harry Doggett built it.

What Does Doggetts Cottage Look Like?

Doggetts Cottage (2009) from North
Doggetts Cottage in 2009

Doggetts Cottage is a single-storey house, meaning it has only one main floor. It's built with strong bricks on foundations made of Brisbane tuff, a type of rock found in Brisbane. The house has four main rooms and a kitchen area.

The roof is steeply sloped and made of corrugated iron. There are covered porches, called verandahs, at the front and back of the house. These verandahs have square wooden posts and decorative railings. The brickwork on the outside of the house is very detailed and well-made.

Inside, the walls and ceilings are smooth. The house still has some of its original wooden features, like a beautiful fireplace mantelpiece made of cedar wood. There's also a modern staircase that leads up to an attic space in the roof.

Out in the backyard, you can still see the original wooden stables, which were used for horses. There are also two old wells in the yard. These features give us a peek into what a tradesman's home was like in the late 1800s.

Why is Doggetts Cottage Important?

Doggetts Cottage is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because it's a significant part of Queensland's history. Here are some reasons why it's so important:

  • A Glimpse into the Past: It shows us what homes built by skilled workers, like Harry Doggett, looked like in the late 1800s. It highlights their craftsmanship and pride in their work.
  • Quality and Craftsmanship: The house was built with high-quality materials and excellent workmanship. Its decorative details make it a charming example of a cottage from that time.
  • Rare Surviving Features: The stables, wells, and separate kitchen wing are still there. These features are rare to find together today and help us understand how people lived and worked back then.
  • Connection to a Key Person: It was the family home of Harry Doggett, who became the Mayor of Brisbane. There's even a street nearby named after him!

Doggetts Cottage helps us understand the history of Queensland and the lives of people who shaped its early days.

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