McWhinneys Brick Cottage facts for kids
Quick facts for kids McWhinneys Brick Cottage |
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2015
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| Location | 47-55 Birley Street, Spring Hill, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1840s - 1860s (mid-19th century) |
| Built | 1860s |
| Built for | Thomas McWhinney |
| Official name: McWhinneys Brick Cottage | |
| Type | state heritage (archaeological, built) |
| Designated | 23 February 2001 |
| Reference no. | 602248 |
| Significant period | 1860s (fabric, historical) 1900 (fabric) |
| Significant components | pathway/walkway, residential accommodation - main house, yard |
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McWhinneys Brick Cottage is a special old house located in Spring Hill, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was built way back in the 1860s for a man named Thomas McWhinney. Today, it's protected as a heritage site, meaning it's an important part of Queensland's history. The cottage was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 2001.
A Look Back in Time
Building the Cottage
This brick cottage at 59 Birley Street in Spring Hill was probably built in the mid-1860s. It was made for Thomas McWhinney, who worked as a plasterer.
Spring Hill's Early Days
The area around Spring Hill was officially mapped out in 1856. Soon after, the land was divided into smaller blocks for homes. Spring Hill became one of Brisbane's first "dormitory suburbs." This means people lived there and traveled to work in the city.
Middle-class families often chose the higher parts of the land. Working-class families lived in the lower areas, like Hanly's Hollow. Many brick-makers worked in nearby York's Hollow during the 1850s and 1860s.
Buying the Land
The land where the cottage stands was part of a larger piece bought by Patrick Byrne in 1860. He paid £216 for it. Byrne quickly divided this land into 10 smaller blocks. These blocks were arranged around a new street called Birley Street.
Most of these smaller blocks were sold between 1861 and 1865. By 1871, there were 12 houses on Birley Street. They were all lived in by 58 people. Many of these homes were rented out. They were often home to working-class people like shoemakers, carpenters, and sailors.
Thomas McWhinney's Home
In 1865, Thomas McWhinney bought one of these blocks for £63. This is where the brick cottage now stands. We don't know if a house was already there, but the price suggests it was an empty block.
In 1866, McWhinney took out a loan of £25. This was probably to help pay for building the brick cottage. He was living there by 1872. Records from 1874 also show him living on Birley Street.
Thomas McWhinney's Work
Thomas McWhinney and his family came to Brisbane in the early 1860s. Thomas was a plasterer. He worked for a company owned by James Campbell for 26 years. He was a foreman, supervising plastering and designing decorations. He worked on many important buildings for Campbell.
How the Cottage Was Built
The cottage at 59 Birley Street was built using a special brick pattern. It's called "Flemish bond brick-on-edge," sometimes known as "rat-trap" bond. This was a quicker and cheaper way to build. It was often used for homes for working-class families.
The outside bricks were finished with a special white lining called "tuckpointing." The fireplace inside was plastered. This might be because Thomas McWhinney was a plasterer himself.
Later Owners
By 1883, the McWhinneys had moved to another area. Thomas likely rented out the brick cottage. In 1894, the land was transferred to Mary Ann McWhinney. Thomas McWhinney passed away in 1896.
In 1900, the land was sold to Richard Gailey, a famous Brisbane architect. He built four timber houses on these blocks to rent out. One of these timber houses is now connected to the brick cottage.
Over the years, the houses remained rental properties. Many widows lived in 59 Birley Street. In 1983, the Queensland Master Builders Association bought the properties. They have kept them as rental homes ever since.
What the Cottage Looks Like
The Two Buildings
McWhinneys Brick Cottage is on the west side of Birley Street. It actually has two main parts. There's a timber house from around 1900 at the front. This house is connected by an enclosed timber verandah to the older brick cottage at the back.
The Brick Cottage
The brick cottage from the 1860s is small and rectangular. It has two rooms. It has a pointed roof called a "gable roof" and close "eaves" (the part of the roof that hangs over the walls). It sits on stone foundations. The roof is made of "corrugated iron," but the original wooden "battens" (strips of wood) are still underneath.
The red bricks are laid in the "Flemish bond" pattern, which is "brick-on-edge" or "rat-trap" bond. This was a faster and cheaper building method. You can still see some white "tuckpointing" on the bricks near the roof. The front wall used to have two windows and a central door. A chimney with decorative brickwork rises from the roof.
Inside the Cottage
The cottage has two small rooms. The main entrance, which is now enclosed, leads into the southern room. This room is larger and has a "fireplace" and chimney. It was probably used as a kitchen, living room, and dining room. One window in this room still has its original "double-hung sash window."
The northern room is accessed from the southern room. It originally had two windows. One of these has been replaced with "louvres" (slanted slats).
Both rooms have their original "skirting boards" (wooden boards along the bottom of the walls). The inside walls and ceilings are covered in plaster. Much of this is old "lath and plaster" (a traditional way of plastering). Some parts of the ceiling have newer "plasterboard." The floorboards are made of pine.
The Verandah and Timber House
The front verandah of the brick cottage was likely changed around 1900. It was enclosed when the timber house was built. This enclosed verandah now connects the brick cottage to the timber house.
The timber house from around 1900 is built high off the ground. It has a "hipped" and "gabled" roof made of corrugated iron. Its walls are covered in "weatherboard" (overlapping wooden boards).
Inside the timber house, there's a central hallway. It has three rooms on one side and two on the other. The rooms have "tongue and groove" boards on the walls and ceilings. The house still has its original "joinery," like doors and window frames. Some windows are "sash windows" and some are "casement windows" (windows that open outwards). All the inside doors have "fanlights" (small windows above them).
What's in the Yard
The yard next to the cottage has some interesting things buried in it. People have found old horse shoes, bottles, coins, broken pottery, and handmade nails. There's also evidence of an old brick pathway that led to the cottage.
Why It's a Heritage Site
McWhinneys Brick Cottage was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 2001. This means it's considered very important to Queensland's history and culture.
Showing Queensland's History
The cottage helps us understand how Queensland developed. It shows how Spring Hill grew as one of Brisbane's first suburbs in the mid-1800s. It also shows how homes were built back then, especially using brick and stone instead of just timber.
A Rare Find
This brick cottage is a rare example of its kind and age in Brisbane. It's special because of its "brick-on-edge" construction. Many of its original features are still intact. It gives us a good idea of what life was like for working-class families in the mid-1800s.
Learning from the Past
The ground around the cottage holds clues about the past. Digging there could help us learn more about how people lived in the 1860s and beyond.
A Special Example
The brick cottage is a rare and important example of old homes in Brisbane. Its unique brickwork and well-preserved features make it stand out. It teaches us about the living conditions of working-class people long ago.
Beautiful and Important
The cottage also has "aesthetic value." This means it's considered beautiful because of its materials, shape, size, and how it fits into its surroundings.
