Coolock House, on the corner of View and Valentine Streets in Bendigo has a rich history marked by notable ownership and varied uses. Acquired in 1908 by George Victor Lansell, son of Bendigo's famous "Quartz King" George Lansell, as a home for himself and his bride, Edith Florence Gwendoline (Gwen) Frew. The couple named the house "Denderah" after a village and temple in Egypt they visited on their honeymoon. After Sir George's death in January 1959, the property was auctioned and renamed "Coolock House." It Served as a convent for the Sisters of Mercy and as a venue for meetings. The original "Coolock House" name is also associated with a Sisters of Mercy house outside Dublin. Currently, Coolock House is used as classrooms for Catholic College students in Bendigo. The building retains elegant historical features such as hand-carved mahogany fireplaces, leadlight and stained glass windows, wrought ironwork, and a sweeping mahogany staircase. A notable anecdote is that Lady Lansell would watch guests arrive from a small bay window at the top of the staircase. Coolock House remains a significant heritage building, blending its storied past with ongoing educational use. 1959 AUCTION The auction catalog (24 pages) and sale notice for the estate of the late Sir George Lansell, held at his residence "Denderah" in Bendigo on April 7th and 8th, 1959. The auction was conducted by Sandhurst and Northern District Trustees Limited and Agency Company Executors, as executors of George Victor Lansell's will. The property and its contents were offered for sale over two days, with viewing available the day before. The freehold property was specifically offered at 3 p.m. on April 7th. Highest bidder for each lot is the purchaser; disputes resolved by the auctioneer.25% deposit required immediately after winning a lot; full payment and removal by April 10th. The catalog lists hundreds of lots, including: Fine furniture (antique satinwood, mahogany, walnut, oak, Chippendale, French Buhl, etc.) Artworks (oil paintings, watercolors, prints, miniatures) Decorative items (marble sculptures, ormolu, cloisonné, porcelain, silverware)Household goods (rugs, curtains, carpets, kitchenware, linen, glassware) Collectibles (books, musical instruments, clocks, sporting goods, firearms) Garden and outdoor items (garden seats, pot plants, tools)Staff quarters and utility items (beds, wardrobes, kitchen equipment) Several pieces by renowned makers (Waring and Gillow, London) Unique items such as an exhibition French ornamental bedroom suite made for the Paris Exposition of 1880, and items from the "Fortuna" collection A wide range of silver and crystal tableware, antique carpets, and rare collectiblesStructure and Organization The catalog is organized by room and area (Drawing Room, Dining Room, Study, Bedrooms, Hall, Yard, Kitchen, Staff Quarters, etc.), with each lot described in detail.Coolock House - A brief History and Auction This item contains the following document: 11217.59a A black and white brochure of Coolock House in 1991 with a brief history and a sketch of the house 11217.59b The auction catalog (24 pages) and sale notice for the estate of the late Sir George Lansell, held at his residence "Denderah" in Bendigo on April 7th and 8th, 1959. The auction was conducted by Sandhurst and Northern District Trustees Limited and Agency Company Executors, as executors of George Victor Lansell's willnon-fictionbendigo, fortuna, george lansell, coolck house, denderah, denderah auction, george victor lansell, edith lansell, edith frew, catholic college, sisters of mercy

Sir George Victor Lansell (1883-1959), businessman, politician and philanthropist, was born on 3 October 1883 in London, elder son of George Lansell, the Bendigo 'Quartz King', and his second wife Harriet Edith, née Bassford. George was educated at St Andrew's College, Bendigo, and Melbourne Church of England Grammar School. On 20 January 1910 at All Saints Pro-Cathedral, Bendigo, he married a skiing champion, Edith Florence Gwendoline Frew; they had three daughters. As a young man Lansell excelled in revolver shooting, boxing and swimming but his militia interests endured longest. First commissioned in the 8th Australian Infantry Regiment in 1904, he was a captain in 1909. In May 1916 he was commissioned captain in Bendigo's 38th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force. Entering the front line in France on 1 December he was wounded two days later and invalided back to Australia next March for discharge in August. After the war he rose in 1923 to major commanding the 38th Battalion, Australian Military Forces. Lieutenant-Colonel in 1927, he retired as honorary colonel in 1942 after having organized the north-west Victorian group of the Volunteer Defence Corps early in World War II. Lansell's major contribution was his service to returned soldiers. He was president of the Bendigo sub-branch of the Returned Sailors' and Soldiers' Imperial League of Australia for nearly thirty years. His work extended beyond grand gesture and he is remembered affectionately for his personal generosity to ex-servicemen and their dependants. Lansell was director of the powerful Sandhurst Trustees' Co., the Bendigo Mutual Permanent Land & Building Society and many other local companies. In 1926 he brought to Bendigo the overseas-based Hanro Knitting Mills (Hanro comes from the Swiss firm Handschin and Ronus which made high quality underwear and knitwear at Liestal, Switzerland) and the Australian Swiss Watch Co. Early in his business career he acquired the Bendigo Independent and amalgamated it with the Bendigo Advertiser in 1918. He had interests in the Riverine Herald, the Rochester Irrigator, the Stock and Station Journal and Central Victorian Broadcasters Ltd, and was a delegate to Empire press conferences in Canada (1920), England (1923) and Australia (1925).Lever arch folder containing Hanro black and white promotional photographs. 53 studio photographs of women's knitwear and lingerie 20.5cm x 25.2cm. 1 studio photograph of men's knitwear 19cm x 23.5cm. 2 x photo's 19cm x 23.3cm Photographer Reg Brock. 27 black and white photo's 15cm x 21cm of men's knitwear, womenswear and lingerie, were donated by Ann Peters.Reg Brock Studios Bendigo. Labels or stamps on back of photographs.business, retail, hanro promotional photographs, george victor lansell, bendigo hanro, ralph birrell collections