Plumb's Chambers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Plumb's Chambers |
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Plumb's Chambers, 24 Fitzroy Street, being renovated, 2015
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| Location | 82 & 84 Fitzroy Street, Warwick, Southern Downs Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1840s - 1860s (mid-19th century) |
| Built | 1860s - c. 1910 |
| Official name: Plumb's Chambers, Medical Hall | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 3 November 1997 |
| Reference no. | 601725 |
| Significant period | 1860s-c. 1910 (fabric) 1860s-1880s (historical) |
| Significant components | service wing, out building/s, residential accommodation - house/quarters above shop/s, garage, shop/s, toilet block/earth closet/water closet |
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Plumb's Chambers is a special heritage-listed site in Warwick, Queensland. It used to be two buildings at 82 and 84 Fitzroy Street. People once thought No. 82 was Queensland's oldest shop, but it was taken down in 2014. Luckily, No. 84 started being restored in 2015. These buildings were constructed between the 1860s and about 1910. The site is also known as Medical Hall and was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 1997 because of its historical importance.
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A Look Back: The History of Plumb's Chambers
Plumb's Chambers was originally made up of two different buildings. One was a large, two-storey stone building with smaller sections at the back. It was built in 1874-75 for David Clarke, a chemist and seed seller from Warwick. This building had shops on the ground floor and homes upstairs. The second building was smaller, made of brick and wood, with brick additions at the back. Photos suggest parts of this second building might be even older than the stone one.
The Stone Building: No. 84 Fitzroy Street
The stone building was built for David Clarke, who was a chemist and druggist. He moved to Warwick in 1867 and quickly became very important to the area. He helped farmers by bringing in new seeds and fruit trees that would grow well in the region. He also helped start the Eastern Downs Horticultural and Agricultural Association, which was a big success. People said he did a lot to help farming in the colony.
In 1867, David Clarke opened his first shop. It grew so much that by 1869, he opened a special section called the Medical Hall. His business kept expanding, and in 1874, he decided to build a brand new, bigger stone building on Fitzroy Street. This new building was finished around early 1875.
When it was completed, Clarke's stone building had homes on the top floor and at least two shops on the ground floor. His own Medical Hall was there, and for a while, a grocery store also operated from the building. This building was very impressive and stood out in Warwick, showing how much the town was growing at that time.
Later, David Clarke's son, Charles, took over the Medical Hall. The building was rented out to different people over the years, including a doctor and a store owner. In 1910, James Wilson bought the stone building. He added the balcony you see today and made other changes to the building.
The Brick and Timber Building: No. 82 Fitzroy Street
The brick and timber building might be older than the stone one. Photos from around 1872 show several structures on this site. In 1876, Charles Joseph Isambert, a wine and spirit merchant, bought this property.
Photos from around 1899 show two buildings on this site: the brick and timber building we are talking about, and a smaller wooden shop next to it. Records show that Isambert ran a business from one of these buildings. The other was rented to blacksmiths. It seems Isambert's business was in the brick and timber building.
Isambert moved his boot warehouse to Fitzroy Street in 1878, right next to Mr. Clarke's chemist shop. This was likely the brick and timber building. He later changed his business to a drapery store (selling cloth and clothing). After Isambert passed away, the property was passed down to his family.
Plumb's Chambers: Both Buildings Together
The two buildings were owned separately until James Wilson bought both of them in 1909-1910. In 1914, James Plumb, a bootmaker from Warwick, and his family bought both properties. After this, the buildings became known as Plumb's Chambers. James Plumb lived and worked there until he passed away in 1933. His wife continued to live there until 1948.
By 2013, the buildings were in poor condition. There were plans to demolish the brick and timber building (No. 82) to make space for a shopping centre expansion. On October 27, 2014, No. 82 was indeed demolished. However, in March 2015, a big restoration project began for the remaining Plumb's Chambers building (No. 84).
What Plumb's Chambers Looks Like
Plumb's Chambers is now mainly the two-storey stone building on the south side of Fitzroy Street. It faces Leslie Park, a short walk from Warwick's main street.
The main building is made of carefully cut sandstone blocks. It has a sloped roof made of corrugated iron. On the front, facing the street, there's a two-storey wooden verandah that hangs over the footpath. The ground floor has three different entrances and windows for shops. The upper floor has four sets of glass doors that open onto the verandah.
You can see metal plates on all sides of the stone building. These help to keep the upper floor stable. At the back, there are smaller stone and wooden sections that were added later.
Next to the stone building, across a narrow path, was the brick and timber building (No. 82, now demolished). It had a brick lower level and a narrow wooden upper level facing the street. It also had a two-storey verandah, similar to the stone building's but smaller. The ground floor was divided into two shops. At the back of this property, there were smaller buildings like a toilet and a garage.
Why Plumb's Chambers is Important
Plumb's Chambers was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register in 1997 for several reasons:
- Shows Queensland's History: The buildings help us understand how Warwick changed from a small settlement to an important town in the 1860s and 1870s. The stone building, in particular, shows the town's first building boom. Both buildings also show how common it was to build with stone and brick in Warwick back then.
- A Rare Example: The 1874-75 stone building is a great example of a large, two-storey stone building that had shops downstairs and a home upstairs. Not many buildings like this, especially made of stone and with a Georgian style, still exist in Queensland. It gives us a rare look at how a successful business family lived and worked in a growing town in the 1870s.
- Helps Us Learn More: Both buildings can teach us more about how buildings were designed and built using stone and brick in the mid-1800s in Queensland.
- Beautiful to Look At: Both buildings played an important part in how Fitzroy Street looked. Their roof styles helped make the street look unified and attractive.
- Connected to Important People: The 1874-75 building is important because of its strong connection to David Clarke. He was the Warwick chemist and seed seller who did so much to help farming grow in the Warwick area in the 1860s and 1870s.
