Ordsall, renamed Southesk in the 20th century was built for John Halfey in or before 1865. The house was rebuilt in the 1870s to designs by architect Michael Hennessy. In 1882 the house was redecorated by the firm of Culls Hill & Co., who hired the artists 'Mr Vandenbrandt' and 'Signor Rizzi" to paint the ceilings of the ballroom and the drawingroom. The artistic triumph was described in detail in The Argus, 30 October, 1882. In 1947, Southesk was purchased by the Kew City Council. For 23 years it was used as a meeting place for community groups. The house was then demolished in 1970 to make way for a new Town Hall.This is the earliest known photograph of Ordsall / South Esk, a significant mansion in Kew, built for John Halfey and now demolishedMembers of the Kew Congregational Church in front of one of the verandas of Southesk, circa 1900.congregational church - kew (vic), south esk - south esk - ordsall - kew (vic)

One of a group of slides taken by members of the Society of built heritage in Kew in 1979-80. The selection of subject matter reflects the priorities of the period. The colour of some slides has degraded.The slides represent a snapshot in time of built architecture in Kew, much of which has changed in the forty-plus period since they were created. 35mm colour transparency (slide) taken from a photograph of a section of the ballroom ceiling of South Esk (Ordsall). The photo was developed in 1980. There is a high degree of colour distortion in the transparency.victorian architecture, victorian interior decoration, south esk -- cotham road -- kew (vic.), ordsall, murals

One of a group of slides taken by members of the Society of built heritage in Kew in 1979-80. The selection of subject matter reflects the priorities of the period. The colour of some slides has degraded.The slides represent a snapshot in time of built architecture in Kew, much of which has changed in the forty-plus period since they were created. 35mm colour transparency (slide) taken from a photograph of the facade of South Esk (Ordsall). The photo was developed in 1980. There is a high degree of colour distortion in the transparency.victorian architecture, south esk -- cotham road -- kew (vic.), ordsall

One of a group of slides taken by members of the Society of built heritage in Kew in 1979-80. The selection of subject matter reflects the priorities of the period. The colour of some slides has degraded.The slides represent a snapshot in time of built architecture in Kew, much of which has changed in the forty-plus period since they were created. 35mm colour transparency (slide) taken from a photograph of the portico of South Esk (Ordsall). The photo was developed in 1980. There is a high degree of colour distortion in the transparency.victorian architecture, south esk -- cotham road -- kew (vic.), ordsall

One of a group of slides taken by members of the Society of built heritage in Kew in 1979-80. The selection of subject matter reflects the priorities of the period. The colour of some slides has degraded.The slides represent a snapshot in time of built architecture in Kew, much of which has changed in the forty-plus period since they were created. 35mm colour transparency (slide) taken from a photograph of a section of the mural in the Drawing Room of South Esk (Ordsall). The photo was developed in 1980. There is a high degree of colour distortion in the transparency.victorian architecture, south esk -- cotham road -- kew (vic.), ordsall, murals, victorian interior decoration

One of a group of slides taken by members of the Society of built heritage in Kew in 1979-80. The selection of subject matter reflects the priorities of the period. The colour of some slides has degraded.The slides represent a snapshot in time of built architecture in Kew, much of which has changed in the forty-plus period since they were created. 35mm colour transparency (slide) taken from a photograph of a section of the mural in the ballroom of South Esk (Ordsall). The photo was developed in 1980. There is a high degree of colour distortion in the transparency.victorian architecture, south esk -- cotham road -- kew (vic.), ordsall, murals, victorian interior decoration

One of a group of slides taken by members of the Society of built heritage in Kew in 1979-80. The selection of subject matter reflects the priorities of the period. The colour of some slides has degraded.The slides represent a snapshot in time of built architecture in Kew, much of which has changed in the forty-plus period since they were created. 35mm colour transparency (slide) taken from a photograph of South Esk (Ordsall). The photo was developed in 1980. There is a degree of colour distortion in the transparency.victorian architecture, south esk -- cotham road -- kew (vic.), ordsall

One of a group of slides taken by members of the Society of built heritage in Kew in 1979-80. The selection of subject matter reflects the priorities of the period. The colour of some slides has degraded.The slides represent a snapshot in time of built architecture in Kew, much of which has changed in the forty-plus period since they were created. 35mm colour transparency (slide) taken from a photograph of South Esk (Ordsall). The photo was developed in 1980. There is a degree of colour distortion in the transparency.victorian architecture, south esk -- cotham road -- kew (vic.), ordsall

One of a group of slides taken by members of the Society of built heritage in Kew in 1979-80. The selection of subject matter reflects the priorities of the period. The colour of some slides has degraded.The slides represent a snapshot in time of built architecture in Kew, much of which has changed in the forty-plus period since they were created. 35mm colour transparency (slide) taken from a photograph of South Esk (Ordsall). The photo was developed in 1980. There is a small amount of colour distortion in the transparency.victorian architecture, south esk -- cotham road -- kew (vic.), ordsall

One of a group of slides taken by members of the Society of built heritage in Kew. The selection of subject matter reflects the priorities of the period. The colour of some slides has degraded.The slides represent a snapshot in time of built architecture in Kew, much of which has changed in the forty-plus period since they were created. 35mm colour transparency (slide) taken from a photograph of a section of the drawing room ceiling of South Esk (Ordsall) [demolished 1970]. The photo was developed in 1980. There is a high degree of colour distortion in the transparency.victorian architecture, south esk -- cotham road -- kew (vic.), ordsall, interior decoration - nineteenth century

One of a group of slides taken by members of the Society of built heritage in Kew. The selection of subject matter reflects the priorities of the period. The colour of some slides has degraded.The slides represent a snapshot in time of built architecture in Kew, much of which has changed in the forty-plus period since they were created. 35mm colour transparency (slide) taken from a photograph of a section of the ballroom ceiling of South Esk (Ordsall) [demolished 1970]. The photo was developed in 1980. There is a high degree of colour distortion in the transparency.victorian architecture, south esk -- cotham road -- kew (vic.), ordsall, interior decoration - nineteenth century

One of a group of slides taken by members of the Society of built heritage in Kew. The selection of subject matter reflects the priorities of the period. The colour of some slides has degraded.The slides represent a snapshot in time of built architecture in Kew, much of which has changed in the forty-plus period since they were created. 35mm colour transparency (slide) taken from a photograph of a section of the ballroom ceiling of South Esk (Ordsall) [demolished 1970]. The photo was developed in 1980. There is a high degree of colour distortion in the transparency.victorian architecture, south esk -- cotham road -- kew (vic.), ordsall, interior decoration - nineteenth century