Would you believe this was someone’s house ? #SirGeorgeVerdon, local manager of the #ESandAbank in the 1880s clearly believed in living above the shop, but in a very grand manner. So above the Gothic Bank chamber windows, the first floor #VenetianGothic #tracery was the balcony outside the dining room, while the #colonnade above was the billiard room; the front door is still there on this side, on the uphill end, presume it’s the original, complete with #doorknob ! His 7 bedroom house (at least 2 for servants) became the home of the women only #LyceumClub in the 1930s till the 50s, preserving much of the interior, though I’ve only been in once, can’t recall too clearly, but it was very grand, like a mansion really, but no garden.

Oh look, the ANZ bank have a very detailed website about their 1880s Gothic Bank on Collins Street, in fact mostly about then bank manager George Verdon’s house upstairs, designed by William Wardell apparently with plenty of input from Verdon- now called the Verdon Chambers, not generally open, but all fully restored in the 90s … check out the stencils, the gold leafing, the carved timber dining room, the spacious hall, the lights and even the knobs.

https://shareholder.anz.com/our-company/profile/verdon-chambers?page=0%2C0

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