Category Archives: Uncategorized

You can be forgiven if you do not know where Marion Street is. It is a small street off Fitzroy Street running mostly parallel to Gertrude Street. Between Marion Street and Gertrude Street is Marion Lane, which gives its name to one of the restaurants on Gertrude Street. Marion Street now consists of a fewContinue reading “Marion Street, Fitzroy”

This building has had a fascinating history. This building was once the Carlton Club Hotel, but later in 1978-1988 it was Mama Seka’s Key Club and also in the same building Squizzy’s, a place for lesbians in 1981-1983. The Carlton Club Hotel (1853) “The Carlton Club began operating in 1853 on the south side ofContinue reading “18-22 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy (Carlton Club Hotel)”

Clearly a rebuild, 37 Gertrude is at the end of this row and has been leased out to a number of different places, but one notable one was Shrew Feminist and Lesbian Books from 1983 to the 1990s.

Delbridge Street, is named for Edward Delbridge, councillor for eleven years from 1864 and Mayor in 1866. Edward built a number of notable terraces in Moor, John and Kerr Streets in Fitzroy. He lived around this area and attended the Wesley Methodist Church in King William Street. His business was the Delbridge Stone Works onContinue reading “Delbridge Street, Fitzroy North”

The Stone Yard was operated by Delbridge & Thomas. “Some of the stone for the Victorian Parliament House came from the Delbridge Stone Works.” (Fitzroy History Society Newsletter, June 2017, FHS-Newsletter-June-2017.pdf) Edward Delbridge Edward Delbridge was a Wesleyan Methodist. “He left England in 1852, aged seventeen and came to Victoria looking for gold. Like others,Continue reading “Charles / Young Street, Fitzroy (Delbridge Stone Yard)”

It is highly likely that Woodhead St, Fitzroy North is named for Benjamin given his prominence in the area (Fitzroy, Melbourne’s First Suburb). There is more information on Benjamin Woodhead, in the post about his home in Cecil Street.

The following has been extracted from the Fitzroy History Society – May 2023, written by Jennifer McKeagney. (References Charles Ritter, Scotch Thistle (Terminus Hotel) and Egremont Hotel). The site has been subsequently subdivided into three separate houses as can be seen in the three separate arched entrances on Queens Parade.

“Before 1850, what became Queens Parade was a track (probably first created by Indigenous people) that linked Melbourne to areas to the east and north. The road was surveyed by Robert Hoddle and reserved as a three chain wide boulevard in 1853. The land adjacent to the northern most section of Queens Parade (south ofContinue reading “Queens Parade, Fitzroy North”

As yet I haven’t looked back prior to 1920. The numbers along Napier St changed, so the 106 prior to this may not be the same as today. In 1920, Patrick Hegarty was living in the house (Sands & MacDougall 1920), but by 1925 the recorded resident was Johnston Pty Ltd, who are recorded inContinue reading “106 Napier Street, Fitzroy”

This building was originally established as the United Friendly Societies Dispensary by a number of prominent people operating in Fitzroy in the 1880s. It was built in 1884 and thanks to the Russian Cultural Society has recently been refurbished to restore the facade. I haven’t conducted a lot of research on this, other than itContinue reading “118 Greeves St, Fitzroy (Dispensary)”