Historical information

The Kew Historical Society's map collection includes a substantial number of real estate subdivision plans, mainly of Kew but also of surrounding suburbs in Melbourne. Most of the subdivision plans date from the 1920s and 1930s when the districts old homes and local farmland were being split up to accommodate residential growth in the postwar period. These early plans were assembled by a local firm, Jas R Mather & McMillan, which had an office in Cotham Road. Many of the plans, and sometimes photos, were annotated by the agents.

Significance

Subdivision plans are historically important documents used as evidence for the growth of suburbs in Australia. They frequently provide information about when the land was sold as well as evidence relating to surveyors and real estate and financial agents. The numerous subdivision plans in the Kew Historical Society's collection represent working documents, ranging from the initial sketches made in planning a subdivision to printed plans on which auctioneers or agents listed the prices for which individual lots were sold. In a number of cases, the reverse of a subdivision plan in the collection includes a photograph of a house that was also for sale by the agent. These photographs provide significant heritage information relating house design and decoration, fencing and household gardens.The photograph may also be aesthetically significant depending on the importance of the photographic atelier.

Physical description

An elevated, modest weatherboard house, photographed towards the end of the construction phase. The lower section of the weatherboards are exposed and stained. The upper section is rendered with rough-cast. The tiled roof has a single gable that extends over the centrally placed front porch. On the porch, the door and single sidelight are filled with coloured leadlight whereas the casement windows in the front rooms contain plain glass. The leadlight and the wrought iron of the verandah are the only decorative elements of the utilitarian design. The location of the house, which was advertised for sale, has not to date been identified. The real estate photograph is mounted on the reverse of a subdivision plan for the Harvest Home Estate, Kew East.

Inscriptions & markings

Photographer's stamp, lower right on mount: "A. Aberline, Glenferrie"