Recommendation of the Executive Director and Assessment of Cultural Heritage Significance Under Part 3, Division 3 of the Heritage Act 2017
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Recommendation of the Executive Director and assessment of cultural heritage significance under Part 3, Division 3 of the Heritage Act 2017 Name Former Factory, Office and Residence of TW Sherrin Location 32‐34 Wellington Street, Collingwood, Yarra City Hermes Number 201721 Heritage Overlay Number NA Former Factory Office and Residence of TW Sherrin, 32‐34 Wellington Street, Collingwood (November 2018) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RECOMMENDATION TO THE HERITAGE COUNCIL: That the place NOT be included in the Victorian Heritage Register under Section 37(1)(b) of the Heritage Act 2017. The Heritage Council may wish to consider exercising its powers under s.49(1)(c) of the Heritage Act 2017 to refer the recommendation to the relevant planning authority for inclusion of the site in the Heritage Overlay. ERIN WILLIAMS Acting Executive Director Recommendation Date: 10 January 2019 Advertising Period: 18 January 2019 – 18 March 2019 This recommendation report has been issued by the Executive Director, Heritage Victoria under s.37 of the Heritage Act 2017. It has not been considered or endorsed by the Heritage Council of Victoria. Name: Former Factory, Office and Residence of TW Sherrin Hermes Number: 201721 Page | 1 EXTENT OF NOMINATION Date that the nomination was accepted by the Executive Director 1 June 2018. Written extent of nomination The entire property at 32‐34 Wellington Street, Collingwood. Nomination extent diagram Area outlined in red. Name: Former Factory, Office and Residence of TW Sherrin Hermes Number: 201721 Page | 2 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RESPONSE SUMMARY It is the view of the Executive Director that this place should not be included in the Victorian Heritage Register for the reasons outlined in this report. The Heritage Council may wish to refer the recommendation and submissions to the relevant planning authority for consideration for an amendment to the planning scheme to include the place in the Heritage Overlay. ACCESS TO THE PLACE It is noted that internal access to the property was not permitted by the owner. Discussion of the interiors in this report has been informed by 2017 images available via www.realcommercial.com.au. See final pages of this report. BACKGROUND WHAT IS AT THE PLACE? The Former Factory, Office and Residence of TW Sherrin, 32‐34 Wellington Street, Collingwood is a small single‐storey brick industrial building of simple gabled‐roof form. The asymmetrical front façade of the building is in an unadorned Edwardian style with rendered curved parapet, contrasting vertical brick strips (overpainted), frameless openings, banks of windows and recessed horizontal brick panels. The simple interior of the building has exposed timber trusses and later partitioning and skylights. WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE PLACE? The Former Factory, Office and Residence of TW Sherrin, 32‐34 Wellington Street, Collingwood was used by TW Sherrin to produce leather sporting goods from 1894 until his death in 1912. Sherrin lived at the premises during this period. The business was continued by generations of the Sherrin family until closure of the factory in 1982. Sherrin first occupied an existing timber shop on the site, however this was rebuilt after fire destroyed the building in 1915. A second fire caused damage to the rebuilt factory building in 1928. The Sherrin brand became well‐known due to its association with Australian Rules Football from the late nineteenth century to the present day and large numbers of footballs were produced at the factory in Collingwood over a period of eighty years. The Sherrin football became the official ball of the Victorian Football League when it was formed in 1897 and the Australian Football League when it was formed in 1990. Despite the sale of the business to American‐owned company Spalding in 1969, Sherrin‐branded footballs were produced at the Collingwood factory until closure in 1982. After closure, the Collingwood property was sold by the Sherrin family and the building has since been used for a number of purposes, including as manufacturing premises and an art gallery. Name: Former Factory, Office and Residence of TW Sherrin Hermes Number: 201721 Page | 3 RECOMMENDATION REASONS REASONS FOR NOT RECOMMENDING INCLUSION IN THE VICTORIAN HERITAGE REGISTER [s.37 (1)(b)] Following is the Executive Director's assessment of the place against the tests set out in The Victorian Heritage Register Criteria and Thresholds Guidelines (2014). CRITERION A Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s cultural history. STEP 1: A BASIC TEST FOR SATISFYING CRITERION A The place/object has a CLEAR ASSOCIATION with an event, phase, period, process, function, movement, custom or way of life in Victoria’s cultural history. Plus The association of the place/object to the event, phase, etc IS EVIDENT in the physical fabric of the place/object and/or in documentary resources or oral history. Plus The EVENT, PHASE, etc is of HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE, having made a strong or influential contribution to Victoria. Executive Director’s Response The Former Factory, Office and Residence of TW Sherrin was built to manufacture a range of sporting equipment, including footballs for Australian Rules Football. The place has a clear and long‐term association with the sporting industry in Victoria. Sherrin‐branded footballs were manufactured on the site for more than 80 years from 1894 to 1982 and were the official ball of the Victorian Football League from 1897 to 1989 and the Australian Football League from 1990 to the present. The association of the Former Factory, Office and Residence of TW Sherrin with the sporting industry in Victoria is no longer evident in the fabric of the place but is well documented. The sporting industry has made a strong historical, social and economic contribution to the State. The Former Factory, Office and Residence of TW Sherrin assists in illustrating the popularity of sport, in particular Australian Rules Football, from the late nineteenth century to the late twentieth century. Criterion A is likely to be satisfied. STEP 2: A BASIC TEST FOR DETERMINING STATE LEVEL SIGNIFICANCE FOR CRITERION A The place/object allows the clear association with the event, phase etc. of historical importance to be UNDERSTOOD BETTER THAN MOST OTHER PLACES OR OBJECTS IN VICTORIA WITH SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME ASSOCIATION. Executive Director’s Response A number of places with clear and long‐term associations with the sporting industry, and specifically Australian Rules Football, remain in Victoria and their history and function are clearly demonstrated in the fabric of each place as well as in documentary resources. These include: Melbourne Cricket Ground, East Melbourne (VHR H1928) Waverley Park, Mulgrave (VHR H1883) Victoria Park, Abbotsford (VHR H0075) Glenferrie Oval Grandstand, Hawthorn (VHR H0890) St Kilda Cricket Ground (VHR H2234) Fitzroy Cricket Club Grandstand (VHR H0751). Name: Former Factory, Office and Residence of TW Sherrin Hermes Number: 201721 Page | 4 The form and fabric of the Former Factory, Office and Residence of TW Sherrin does not clearly demonstrate the historical use of the place or its association with Australian Rules Football. It is acknowledged that the product manufactured here – the Sherrin football – has historic value; however, neither the manufacturing process nor the product can be read in the existing fabric of the place. The significance of the Sherrin football can be better understood through the collection of sporting memorabilia located at the National Sports Museum at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. On display are a large collection of Sherrin‐branded footballs dating from the early twentieth century to the twenty‐first century. Together these footballs provide a clear illustration of the association of TW Sherrin with Australian Rules Football and the sporting industry in Victoria. Criterion A is not likely to be satisfied at the State level. CRITERION B Possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Victoria’s cultural history. STEP 1: A BASIC TEST FOR SATISFYING CRITERION B The place/object has a clear ASSOCIATION with an event, phase, period, process, function, movement, custom or way of life of importance in Victoria’s cultural history. Plus The association of the place/object to the event, phase, etc IS EVIDENT in the physical fabric of the place/object and/or in resources or oral history. Plus The place/object is RARE OR UNCOMMON, being one of a small number of places/objects remaining that demonstrates the important event, phase etc. OR The place/object is RARE OR UNCOMMON, containing unusual features of note that were not widely replicated OR The existence of the class of place/object that demonstrates the important event, phase etc is ENDANGERED to the point of rarity due to threats and pressures on such places/objects. Executive Director’s Response Large numbers of places remain in Victoria to demonstrate the importance of the sporting industry in Victoria. These types of places include ovals, grandstands, tennis clubs, rowing facilities, bowling greens, racetracks and so on. These places are well represented in the Victorian Heritage Register and are not rare or uncommon. A number of these places have associations with Australian Rules Football. Criterion B is not likely to be satisfied. Name: Former Factory, Office and Residence of TW Sherrin Hermes Number: 201721 Page | 5 CRITERION C Potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Victoria’s cultural history. STEP 1: A BASIC TEST FOR SATISFYING CRITERION C The: visible physical fabric; &/or documentary evidence; &/or oral history, relating to the place/object indicates a likelihood that the place/object contains PHYSICAL EVIDENCE of historical interest that is NOT CURRENTLY VISIBLE OR UNDERSTOOD. Plus From what we know of the place/object, the physical evidence is likely to be of an INTEGRITY and/or CONDITION that it COULD YIELD INFORMATION through detailed investigation. Executive Director’s Response The Former Factory, Office and Residence of TW Sherrin is not likely to contain physical evidence of historical interest that is not currently visible or understood.