Hellesvere facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hellesvere |
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Hellesvere, 2009
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| Location | 436 Upper Roma Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s–1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | c. 1877 |
| Built for | Francis Curnow |
| Official name: Hellesvere, Eton | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600280 |
| Significant period | 1870s (fabric, historical) |
| Significant components | trees/plantings, attic, basement / sub-floor, residential accommodation – main house |
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Hellesvere is a historic house in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was built around 1877. This old timber house is special because it shows what homes were like in inner-city Brisbane a long time ago. It's also known as Eton. Hellesvere is officially listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, which means it's protected because of its historical importance.
Contents
A Glimpse into the Past: Hellesvere's Story
Building a Home for a Railway Man
Hellesvere is a timber cottage on Upper Roma Street. It was built in about 1877 for Francis Curnow. He became Queensland's third Railway Commissioner. This was a very important job for the state's railways.
The land where Hellesvere stands was once part of a bigger piece of land. This larger block was bought by James Gibbon in 1852. In 1875, some of Gibbon's land was taken to build the Brisbane Terminal Railway Station. This station is now known as Roma Street railway station. The remaining land was then divided up and sold.
Francis Curnow, who worked for the railway, bought one of these smaller pieces of land in August 1877. Hellesvere was built on this land soon after. Curnow came to Queensland in 1860 from Cornwall, Britain. By 1866, he worked in Ipswich as a railway storekeeper. This job was needed because the Ipswich-Grandchester railway line had just opened.
In January 1877, Curnow was promoted to Chief Clerk. This was the second-highest job in the Railway Commissioner's Office. The railway offices were located near the Brisbane Terminal Station. Hellesvere was built close to his workplace.
Francis Curnow's Important Role
In January 1884, Curnow became the Acting Commissioner for Railways. Then, in March 1885, he was promoted again. He became the Commissioner for Railways. He was the third person to hold this important position.
During his time as Commissioner, a new law was introduced in 1888. This law created a Board of three Commissioners. Their job was to make decisions about the railways. This was done to reduce political influence. Because of this new Board, Francis Curnow retired from the railways in 1889. He received a pension. Soon after, he became the Chairman of the Metropolitan Transit Commission. He held this job until just before he passed away in 1901. He died at Hellesvere and was buried at Toowong Cemetery.
Changes Over Time
Old photos of Hellesvere show that the outside of the house has not changed much. Some simple timber railings were removed from the front and back verandahs. A room was added to the western end of the back verandah. An old tree in the front yard, seen in early photos, is still there today.
The name "Hellesvere" for Curnow's house first appeared in a directory in 1885-1886. The Curnow family owned the house until 1909. After that, it was sold many times. It was even used as a boarding house and as flats. In the 1930s, an owner named Mrs. Curtis called it Eton and ran it as a boarding house.
Today, Upper Roma Street has very few small old homes like Hellesvere left. Many have been replaced by larger buildings. This makes Hellesvere a rare and important reminder of what this inner-city street used to look like. In 2015, Hellesvere was operating as Eton Hostels.
What Hellesvere Looks Like
Hellesvere is a single-storey timber house. It has an attic and a partial basement. It sits on Upper Roma Street and looks out over a railway cutting towards Red Hill. The house now takes up most of its block of land. There is a narrow driveway on the eastern side and a small parking area to the south. Many old plants and trees still grow around the building.
Building Materials and Features
The house is mostly made of timber. It is covered with special timber boards called chamferboards. It sits on a brick foundation and basement. Verandahs run along the front (north) and back (south) sides of the house.
The roof of Hellesvere is shaped like a pyramid and is made of corrugated iron. It has dormer windows on the front and back. These windows stick out from the roof. A brick chimney stack with three flues is also on the western side of the roof.
The main entrance faces Roma Street. It has a central doorway with vertical sash windows on either side. The verandah awning is supported by pairs of timber columns. These columns have decorative fretwork brackets. A triangular pediment with more fretwork highlights the entrance.
Windows on the east and west sides of the building have corrugated iron hoods. These hoods provide shade. The lower part of the western side of the building has two entrances. One is a pair of French doors, and the other is a single door added more recently.
Inside the House
Inside, the rooms are arranged off a central hallway. Towards the back of the hall, a timber door leads to a timber staircase. This staircase goes up to the attic. The attic has two rooms, separated by a half-glazed door. The ceiling in the attic follows the slope of the roof. The dormer windows stick out through this ceiling.
Most of the inside walls are made of timber boards. The outside walls and the attic ceiling are also covered with timber boards. A door at the end of the hallway leads to the back verandah.
The lower floor, or basement, can be reached by a timber staircase from the back verandah. At the bottom of these stairs, there is timber decking. From here, two doors lead into the lower floor. Even though the lower floor has been changed a lot inside, you can still see an old brick oven recess. This is now in what is used as a boardroom.
Why Hellesvere is Special
Hellesvere is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register. This means it is recognized as an important historical place. It was added to the register on 21 October 1992.
A Link to Queensland's Past
Hellesvere helps us understand Queensland's history. Francis Curnow, an important railway employee, built it near his workplace. It is one of the very few 19th-century buildings left near Roma Street. It shows that this area used to be a residential street with homes.
A Rare Example of Old Brisbane Homes
Hellesvere is a rare example of an 1870s Queensland house in the inner city. It even has a rare basement kitchen that is still there. Houses like this were once common in the city but are now very rare.
Showing Key Features of Old Houses
The building is a good example of an 1870s Queensland house. It shows the main features of homes from that time.
Beautiful and Unique Design
Hellesvere has a special beauty. It is a well-designed timber house. Its steeply pitched pyramidal roof makes it stand out on Upper Roma Street. It is a landmark building.
Connected to an Important Person
Hellesvere is important because it was the home of Francis Curnow. He was the third Railway Commissioner of Queensland. He worked during a time when the railway was growing fast. This growth was a major part of Queensland's early development.
