The Mansions

The "Mansions", George Street, Brisbane.

I've been admiring this utterly splendid building for some while now. According to a somewhat aged plaque, it was built in about 1890 for 3 Queensland parliamentarians, and originally consisted of 6 three storey terrace houses built to a design of the architect G.H.M Addison. The first woman doctor in Queensland, Dr. Lillian V. Cooper, took up residence here in 1892.

It was later used as a school and as a boarding house, before being acquired by the Queensland Government in 1954 for public service use. From 1982 - 1985 it was renovated by the Queensland state works department for commercial use. (And, the plaque says, is maintained by that department, but the plaque is looking somewhat the worse for wear, so whether the building is still in public ownership, is unclear to me.) (I have now found a link to the heritage register which is more detailed and helpful than the plaque.)

Chasing the architect G.H.M.Addison. When I read the plaque, I envisaged the building being built from a plan of some British based architect, but it appears that whatever his origins, Addison was a local. More websites: EPA heritage register for Astrolat, a house, also apparently designed by Addison. And the Hotel Terminus, and the Bulimba ferry house. (There is such a big gap in time between the building of some of these buildings, that exactly who did the the design may not be clear.)

And on another topic. I hadn't anticipated the loss of status in becoming a student once more. The office staff get very short if asked a question: I either should know the answer, should be able to access the website, or should know the right person to ask the question of. All this, with no induction training and a non-functional email system. (It's now 3 weeks that I have been here, and how many calls for help about this one thing alone.)