12 August 2021
The Langham, cnr Grey & Robe Streets, St Kilda, 1919, architect unknown – a curious melange of styles, Edwardian/ArtsAndCrafts with some added classical elements like the wreaths and abstracted cornices, the uncertainly reflecting the newness of flats to Melbourne, and architects. It would have looked more Edwardian originally with a domed Belvedere on the corner. They also squeezed in a lot on a small site, with 6 long flats, with odd doors up steep steps to the ground floor flats, and to the stair on the other side, and one set of flats only gets half a balcony. Great rear elevation of escape stairs. The shingles on the great wide balconies recently restored.
And loads of great woodwork inside, at least in flats 1&2, on the Grey Street side. The interior photos are flat 2 in 2014 – it had been lived in by two generations of the Wilson’s for 88 years, from 1922, St Kilda Station Deputy Station Master Henry Wilson, wife and daughter – he died 1948, wife Kathleen died 1972, then daughter Eileen lived there alone till her death in 2010. 😮 Eileen worked for over 40 years at Myer, and was well known in the neighbourhood. Info and photos of the Wilson’s from Chris Orr and Paul Clifton, long time residents.
Storey of Melbourne 