Original post 20 December 2020

This ex-#VictorianMansion is right next to me in #DalgetyStreetStKilda. With the slope it ends up looking a bit sunken, but you get an unusual side entrance bridge to the upper floor, where there’s also a great little conservatory. Probably built in the boom late 1880s/early 1890s (update built c1875, and called Asgard).

1893 it was called Maringa, the home of Mrs J Francis MacMullen, who sold up in 1894 to a Mrs Sinclair. In 1905 it became a private hospital (I think more of a hospice, with many death notices), and by the 1920s, it was a private hotel with 44 rooms. By the 70s it was more of a boarding house – there’s a HUGE 3 storey red brick wing out the back. In maybe the early 90s the rear wing was sold to St Kilda Housing as a rooming house (currently being renovated) and the front was restored and turned into about 6 flats.

Possibly the lower level Victorian details also date from then, they don’t look quite right. The palms are bit too tropical, but there’s some nice roses too. Upstairs front is home to artist Ashley Sinnott @artbytheduke, who does images on light boxes, all glowing at night.

Update : I was right about the extra detail, here’s a pic from c1970, showing that the fence is new too, the verandah recreated, and the name was removed.

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