Original post 21 May 2020
Photos 9 February 2020
Imagine living in a house entirely made of thick corrugated and cast iron ? And trying to sleep in the attic in summer ?? That’s what lots of Melburnians did in the 1850s, and it was a step up from living in tents and badly built shacks which Melb was littered with as the #goldrush took hold and thousands poored in. A whole lot of houses were imported pre-made, many in cast iron from foundries in the UK, as well as timber ones, and some made in Singapore. This one in Coventry Street South Melb was one of many identical houses imported by local speculator James Patterson, including 6 more in the lane behind (all now gone), in 1853. This one was saved by the @nationaltrustvic in the mid 60s, and it’s been a museum ever since.
