Historical information

Sanderson P (1988): '73 Walpole Street (Kew), 'Otira'. Built 1887. Original use - Residence. Architect - Crouch. Henry Berry, a noted philanthropist and salt merchant of Melbourne, was the original owner of this two-storey, boom-period house. Berry occupied the residence until his death in 1923 while in February the following year, the property was auctioned. Subsequently purchased by the Methodist Church for use as a training college for missionaries, a number of additions and alterations were made at that stage including a memorial chapel that was built on the property in 1957.' Otira is now a private residence.

Physical description

Original colour positive photograph (polaroid) of 'Otira', 73 Walpole Street, Kew, taken in 1978 by students in Form 3R at Trinity Grammar School as part of a project. The view in the photograph is of the front of the house, minus the first floor verandah that had been removed some decades before and preceding the reinstatement of the verandah sometime after 1988. Prue Sanderson, in the City of Kew Urban Conservation Study, Vol.2 (1988) stated that: 'The house originally had a fine cast iron verandah to two facades, however despite its removal, it remains as a most preposessing structure, The small cast iron perch is not original. Overall the design is in Italianate styling and the walls are clad in render, with extremely fine incised medallions in the render at both levels. The treatment of the tripartite windows with rounded upper corners is also atypical and is repeated in the joinery of the front entrance.'

Inscriptions & markings

"Photo one / Trinity Grammar Project 1978 / Form 3R / "Otira" Walpole St"