Old Mineral House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Old Mineral House |
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Old Mineral House, 2015
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| Location | 2 Edward Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s–1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1888–1890s |
| Architect | Richard Gailey |
| Architectural style(s) | Classicism |
| Official name: Old Mineral House, Smellie & Co Warehouse | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600092 |
| Significant period | 1888, 1890s (fabric) 1888–1930, 1945 (historical) |
| Builders | William Anthony |
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Old Mineral House is a special building in Brisbane City, Queensland, Australia. It's located at 2 Edward Street. This historic building was designed by Richard Gailey and built by William Anthony between 1888 and the 1890s.
It used to be a large warehouse for a company called Smellie & Co. Over the years, it has also been known as the Industrial High School. Today, it is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, which means it's an important part of Queensland's history and needs to be protected.
Contents
A Look Back at Old Mineral House
The Old Mineral House building was first built in 1888 for a company called Smellie & Co. They added more parts to it in the late 1890s.
Smellie & Co: From Foundry to Warehouse
Smellie & Co started in the 1860s. They had a factory in Alice Street that made metal products. They created things like cast iron parts for buildings. They also made equipment for steamships and trains.
In the 1880s, Smellie & Co changed their business. They started focusing on bringing in machinery, tools, and general hardware. Because of this change, they needed a bigger space to store all their goods.
They built a two-story warehouse around 1884, but it quickly became too small. So, in 1888, they built this new, much larger warehouse. The famous architect Richard Gailey designed it. William Anthony built it for about £6,987. This new warehouse held many different items, from tools to farm equipment.
The warehouse faced a challenge in 1893 when Brisbane experienced a big flood.
As the company grew, two more floors were added to the building in the late 1890s. This made the warehouse even bigger.
New Owners and New Names
In 1930, a clothing company called ACB Limited rented the building. Then, in 1935, the Department of Public Works started leasing it. The Queensland Government bought the building in 1945. Smellie & Co Pty Ltd closed down in 1946.
Since 1945, the Department of Public Works has used the building for many different things. This is why it has had different names like Naval House, the Industrial High School, and Mineral House.
The Industrial High School moved into the building in 1947. Before that, the school was at the Central Technical College. But it was very crowded there, so the new building gave them more space.
Today, in 2015, several businesses, including Cox Architecture, have offices in the building.
What Old Mineral House Looks Like
Old Mineral House is a five-story building. It's made of brick covered in a smooth finish. Inside, it has a strong structure of cast iron and timber. The floors are made of wood.
Outside the Building
The parts of the building that face Edward and Alice Streets have a special design. They look like they are divided into sections by vertical bands. These bands make the building look like it's made of large stone blocks.
On the ground floor, you can see wide, arched openings. Some of these have two windows, and others have one large opening. The main entrance is on the Edward Street side. It has a round arch with columns on either side.
The first and second floors have pairs of windows. These windows fit neatly into each section and have decorative frames.
Architectural Details
You can see a decorative band with a ledge above it. This marks the top of the original building. The upper two floors, which were added later, continue the same design. However, their windows are different. The fourth floor has three windows in each section: a wide one in the middle and two narrower ones on the sides. The fifth floor has arched windows.
Another ledge runs around the very top of the building. On the roof, above the central part of each street side, there are simple triangular shapes called pediments. The roofline steps up in the middle, standing tall above these pediments.
Inside the Building
Inside, most of the building's original structure is still there. On the lower floors, strong cast iron columns hold up timber beams. On the upper floors, both the columns and beams are made of timber. The stairs and lifts you see today were added more recently.
Currently, a restaurant called Walter's Steakhouse and Bar is located on the ground floor of Old Mineral House.
Why Old Mineral House is Important
Old Mineral House was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. This means it's considered a very important historical place in Queensland.
It's important for a few reasons:
- It shows how buildings from the late Victorian era (late 1800s) were designed. It's a great example of a warehouse from that time.
- Its design helps shape the look of both Alice and Edward Streets. It stands out on the corner.
- It's connected to Smellie & Co, a very important company in Queensland during the 1800s. They were big in importing goods, engineering, and making metal products.
See also
Other buildings connected to Smellie & Co:
- Smellie's Building, Edward Street
- Britannia Foundry, Alice Street
