Place:
106 Raleigh Street, Westmeadows
Place No.- 193
Type: House
Location: 106 Raleigh Street, Westmeadows.
Critical Date(s): c1900
Historic Theme(s): Building settlement, towns and cities: Making settlements to serve rural
Australia
Previous Heritage Registration(s): None
Recommended Level of Significance: Local
Statement of Significance:
Of local significance as a generally original and relatively elaborate later Victorian
weatherboard house, representative of the more affluent resident of old Broadmeadows, and for
its association with the local families including that of the Reverend Richard H. Rodda, a
Melbourne solicitor preacher of the parish and the two butchers David Carghill and Thomas
Underwood who between them served the village with fresh meat for more than 70 years, with
this building providing their home and possibly also the butchers shop for part of that time. In
this respect, the two frontages may reflect the former use as a combined shop and residence.
The house is also significant for its contribution to the ‘Old Broadmeadows’
(Westmeadows) township, which is a now uncommon example of an early rural village, notable
for the high percentage of nineteenth century civic and ecclesiastical sites which have survived.
Description:
Sited on the corner of Wills Street, this unusual timber house has differing main
elevations to each street. Weatherboard and block front timber house with corrugated iron roof,
return verandah turned verandah posts and timber sash windows. The high position, and
combination of paneled door and large double hung timber sash windows projects an air of
prosperity. The interior is believed to be relatively intact.
History:
The land (CA 10/4) occupied by this house was purchased for £8 by Richard Lovelock
of Melbourne at town lot sales of 1850 (RGO SN 28510). It was converted to Torrens in 1892
for Herbert Foley Rodda who may have been the first owner of the house. By 1867, Lovelock
had also become the owner of Lot 9/3 Parish of Maribyrnong but sold both to John R. Lofven
two years later. Between 1886-1891 Lofven made a number of transactions (1886-91) with the
Bank of Australasia before an unregistered conveyance to Rodda in 1892 (ibid). The Rodda
family appears to have been very devout, with the Rev. Richard H. Rodda being the Church of
England incumbent at Broadmeadows in the 1890s, with the Rev. Edwin Rodda at Benalla and
Rev. Benjamin Rodda at Daylesford (WD 1891-2).
Given the proximity of the church of England reserve at Broadmeadows (diagonally
opposite and opposite) ownership of this lot by the family is not surprising. Herbert Rodda was
the son of Richard Henry and Louisa (nee Foley), being born at eltham in 1865 (BDM). Richard
H. Rodda was a Melbourne solicitor who was active as a trustee in the early part of this century
(died 1930) and it may have been in this capacity that the land was converted to Torrens (see 70
Raleigh). Despite this history of the site, the first known rates were paid by local butcher, David
Carghill who in c1925 held what was described as a shop and dwelling on ½ acre, Lot 10
Section 4 of Broadmeadows township; then the annual value was £30. Nothing had changed
since 1917-18 when the valuation was raised from £20. Before that again, the land changed in
c1893-4, reducing from 3½ acres and a valuation of £25. The chain of rate entries however
extends past the Rodda title of c1892 to the first rate entry for Cargill in c1889-90.
The thomas Underwood (butcher) family held the property from the 1920s into the 1940s.
The above is confusing but it appears that the house there today may well have been a shop and
residence which explains its two opposing main elevations. It is also possible that considerable
changes were made in c1917-18, resulting in the present building form.
The Cargill family had been in Broadmeadows since the 1870s when, as Cargill & butler,
their slaughter yards had caused a nuisance and Council requested they move them further from
the centre of town (Lemon: 65). David Cargill (Snr?) owned a considerable area of land in the
1860s (Lemon: 80). David Jnr. Was born at Essendon in 1868 to David and Mary (nee
Maloney) (BDM).
Condition & Integrity:
In good condition and original.
Context / Comparative Analysis:
One of a few surviving turn of the century homes in old Broadmeadows relating to the
commercial activities of the small ;shopping precinct nearby.
References:
Lemon – Westmeadows.
RGO CA 10/4 Broadmeadows Town R. Lovelock.
Rate Book.
Birth Certificates, Herbert Rodda, David Carghill.
Recommendations:
Recommended for inclusion in the Heritage Overlay of the Hume Planning Scheme.