John Stone’s Timber Yard, filled the block bounded by Young, Napier, Condell and Charles streets until their demolition in 1968. The Timber yard covered the area where the right of way is and the Acacia Fitzroy Creche, and prior to the Atherton Gardens development, Young St continued south.
The site is quite clearly visible in this photo above taken in the 1880s. John Stone, lived a block away at 40 Webb Street. In 1912 there was a large fire at the Condell Street premises which threatened the Fitzroy Town Hall, but I have not yet researched the details.
On a Fitzroy History Society Walk in 2017, the following was reported “FHS member Peter Williams reported that Wallace Stone, timber merchant and son of John, had a house constructed in Ivanhoe by builder John W Brown in 1913 with the woodwork coming from the joinery works. Named Clarivue, it was described as one of the grandest houses in Heidelberg. It later became the Ivanhoe RSL but unbelievably, the RSL burnt down on Friday 21 April (2017), the day before our walk. There is also a link between John Stone’s works and Provan’s Timber and Hardware. David Provan commenced work at Stone’s premises, becoming their joinery foreman before setting up the business of Mulready, Provan and Clark in 1903 with two other work mates. The business still operates today nearby in Clifton Hill” (FHS-Newsletter-June-2017.pdf)
