Stanley Hall, Clayfield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stanley Hall |
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Stanley Hall, 2012
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| Location | 25 Enderley Road, Clayfield, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Built | 1885–c. 1890 |
| Architect | George Henry Male Addison |
| Architectural style(s) | Italianate |
| Official name: Stanley Hall, St Rita's Convent School | |
| Type | state heritage |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600183 |
| Significant period | 1880s–1920s (residence) 1920s– (school) |
| Significant components | tower – observation/lookout, strong room |
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Stanley Hall is a historic building in Clayfield, Brisbane, Australia. It was first built in 1885 and then made much bigger around 1890. The famous architect George Henry Male Addison designed the changes. Today, Stanley Hall is part of St Rita's College. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 21, 1992, because of its special history and design.
Contents
A Look Back: Stanley Hall's Story
Stanley Hall started as a single-story brick house. It was built around 1885-1886 for John William Forth. He was a very successful produce dealer in Brisbane.
Later, in 1890, the house was changed a lot. It became a two-story building with many new parts. These changes were made for the next owner, Herbert Hunter. He was a "pastoralist," which means he owned large farms for raising sheep or cattle in Western Queensland.
Early Owners and Changes
The land where Stanley Hall stands was first bought by James Sutherland in 1858. He bought it hoping its value would go up. Later, parts of the land were sold to other important people. These included William Alcock Tully and Charles Lumley Hill, who were also pastoralists and politicians.
In January 1885, John William Forth bought over 12 acres of this land. He then built the first version of Stanley Hall there. John Forth and his wife Selina had lived in Brisbane for nearly 30 years. John was a successful businessman. He was also a local council member for the East Ward in 1882 and 1883. The Forth family, with their 10 children, moved into Stanley Hall around 1885-1886.
Sadly, the Forths did not live there for long. Their 20-year-old daughter, Clara, passed away at the house in 1886. Soon after, John Forth died in an accident in December 1886.
After John's death, his wife Selina moved back to their old home. They rented Stanley Hall to John Wilson, a sharebroker. In August 1888, Herbert Hunter bought the property.
Herbert Hunter's Grand Vision
Herbert Hunter came to Australia from Scotland in 1863. He worked hard and became a very successful grazier (someone who raises livestock). He owned huge sheep and cattle stations.
Hunter bought Stanley Hall in 1888 to be his town house. He was also very interested in horse racing. He likely chose Stanley Hall because it was close to the Eagle Farm Racecourse.
In 1889, Hunter decided to make Stanley Hall much grander. He asked the famous Brisbane architect GHM Addison to design big changes. The house was almost completely rebuilt between 1889 and 1890. An upper story and a tall tower were added. This tower allowed for amazing views of the racecourse and even Moreton Bay. Hunter also built a timber coach house and stables. A large fruit garden was planted on the property too.
Later Owners and School Life
In 1910, Hunter sold Stanley Hall to Edward Goddard Blume. Blume was another very wealthy pastoralist. He owned many sheep stations in Queensland and New South Wales. Like Hunter, he loved horse racing and won several major races.
Edward Blume was well-known in Brisbane society. In July 1920, he even hosted the Prince of Wales (who later became King Edward VIII) at Stanley Hall.
In the early 1920s, Blume sold off most of the land around the house. In 1926, the house itself, with 4.5 acres of land, was sold to the Presentation Sisters. This religious group already ran a convent and primary school nearby. They bought Stanley Hall for £22,000.
The Sisters turned Stanley Hall into a boarding school and high school for girls in September 1926. Over the years, the school grew. Some parts of the original house were changed or removed to make way for new school buildings. For example, the kitchen wing was taken down in 1968. The coach house and stables are also no longer there.
In 2009, Stanley Hall was changed again. It now serves as an administration center for St Rita's College. It also has a special room that tells the story of the Sisters and the College.
What Stanley Hall Looks Like
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Stanley Hall is a large, two-story building made of stone or brick covered in plaster. It sits on a hill called Clayfield Heights. It is at the center of St Rita's College. From the building, you can see beautiful gardens and wide views to the north and east.
The building looks complex because it was built in different stages. The ground floor (from 1885-1886) faces north-east. The upper floor (added in 1890) faces east-west. This creates different main fronts for the building.
Outside Features
The eastern side of the building is not perfectly even. It has a single-story section and a two-story section. There is also a tall tower that rises three stories high. The northern side is more balanced, with two-story sections on either side of a verandah (porch) that is now enclosed.
A timber verandah goes around the building on the north, east, and part of the west sides. The roof is made of corrugated iron. The tower has a special roof shape called a "crested mansard roof."
Stanley Hall still has many of its beautiful decorations. The first-floor windows on the northern side have columns called pilasters next to them. They also have decorative borders called cornices and a low wall called a parapet above them. The two-story section on the eastern side has a small lookout room called a belvedere. It has arched openings with small railings and a decorative parapet.
The tower has rectangular windows on the first floor. Above them are arched windows with fancy "Dutch gables." These gables have decorative designs. The tower's base on the ground floor forms the main entrance. It has arched openings with special wedge-shaped stones called keystones.
The verandah has wooden ceilings and delicate lattice designs. It also has cast iron railings. It is held up by pairs of wooden posts. On the northern side, there are older, strong timber posts with arched cast iron decorations. These are likely from the first building in 1885-1886.
Inside Features
Inside, Stanley Hall has grand rooms in the projecting sections. More simple rooms and service areas connect them. There are central hallways on each floor. The building has many finely made details.
The main entrance has beautiful stained glass around the door, showing hibiscus flowers. The entrance hall leads to an impressive cedar staircase. It has richly carved wooden railings and posts. The hallways on the ground floor have cedar wood panels up to a certain height. The doors are also made of cedar.
The old dining room has a fireplace with a richly carved wooden mantelpiece. It also has a beautiful hand-painted tiled hearth. The drawing room has a series of arches with cast iron columns. These columns have flower designs on top. The drawing room fireplace also has richly carved decorations.
The "Prince of Wales" room, behind the drawing room, has a marble mantelpiece. It has tall wooden doors that open onto the verandah. Among the service rooms on the ground floor, there is a strong room. This room has a very large cast iron safe inside.
The first floor has bedrooms and an old bathroom. From these rooms, you can get a great view of Eagle Farm. Stanley Hall still has many of its original metal fittings, like push plates and locks. These are more decorative in the main living areas and simpler in the service areas.
Gardens and Grounds
The grounds around Stanley Hall to the north-east have many old trees. These include camphor laurels, jacarandas, figs, and palms. There are also several types of pine trees. These trees mark the edges of the property, line the driveway, and are spread throughout the gardens.
Why Stanley Hall is Important
Stanley Hall was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on October 21, 1992. This means it is considered a very important historical place.
Showing Queensland's History
Stanley Hall is a great example of a grand house from the late 1880s and early 1890s in Brisbane. It was owned by two important Queensland pastoralists for over 35 years. As their fancy town home, it shows how much Queensland's economy used to rely on the pastoral (farming and livestock) industry.
A Special Type of Place
Stanley Hall is a well-preserved example of a large, fancy home from that time. It shows the main features of such buildings.
Beautiful Design
Stanley Hall has a beautiful and interesting look from the outside. Its design shows the different times it was built and what its owners wanted. It also has many finely made details inside. It is a great example of the work of the architect GHM Addison.
Connected to Important People
Since 1926, Stanley Hall has been used by the Catholic Church for girls' high school education in Queensland. This shows its connection to an important group in Queensland's history.
