Historical information

One of the oldest houses in Eltham, the cottage was built around 1861 by pioneer builder George Stebbing whose family lived in it until the 1900s. It’s plain and simple style reflects the functional design of the house.
George Stebbing was responsible for the construction of some of Eltham's principal township buildings, including the Uniting (former Methodist) church, St. Margaret's Anglican church (1861) and Shillinglaw Cottage (1879). The house is historically and aesthetically significant because it is a rare surviving example of the modest homes constructed for and by artisans within the early Eltham township and is a significant feature of the streetscape
In the 1960s Albert Downing owned this property

Significance

The Margaret Ball (Pre 1960s Houses) Collection was a personal project initiated to mark the year 2000 and arose as a result of the disappearance of many pre-1960s parts of Eltham due to development. Approximately 200 pre-1960s style houses that were left in Eltham between Main Road and east to Bible Street, between Cecil Street to the north and south to Dalton Street were photographed in late 1999. Not all of the houses could be photographed; some because the garden or trees blocked the view of the house, others because of rubbish or cars were in the way, some because people were working on the house or in the gardens at the time.

Physical description

Colour photographic print