V.—No. 3 GREAT GEORGE STREET (Demolished).
General Description and Date of Structure.
Inasmuch as the plot on which No. 4 was afterwards built was described
in November, 1755 (see p. 21) as bounded on the west by Delahay Street,
it is evident that No. 3 had at that time not been built. The house first appears
in the ratebooks in the year 1762.
A description of the premises is contained in a deed of 30th May, 1765, (fn. 1)
whereby Archibald Edmonston and others sold to John Seagrave, assignee
of Arabella and Jane Cox, the 17th house from King Street on the south side
of Great George Street. The premises are said to measure 25 feet 10 inches
in front and rear, 59 feet on the east side and 55 feet 9 inches on the west
side. They had been comprised in a lease, dated 16th April, 1760, for a
term of 99 years from Lady Day, 1754, and were in the occupation of
Richard Hoare. It may be taken therefore that the house was, at any rate
partially, built by April, 1760. It was demolished in 1910, and the site
is now occupied by the building of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
The exterior of these premises was treated like that of No. 2,
the main cornice and the respective floor levels being carried through.
The entrance had a wood pedimented doorcase
(Plate 22).
The front room on the ground floor had a segmental alcove (Plate 21), with fluted wood columns
and pilasters, which formed a sideboard recess and
also helped to mask the small service door to the
rear room. The wall surface in the centre of the
alcove had an oval plaster plaque which contained
a well-modelled female figure (Plate 22), while
over the mantelpiece was another plaster plaque
(about 30 inches in diameter) illustrating the
escape of æneas from Troy. æneas was represented carrying his father Anchises, while his
little son Ascanius held on to his loin girths, and
his wife Creusa followed at a distance (Plate 23).
Figure 5:
Ground floor plan
The doorcase to the front room was decorated with pilasters, which supported a moulded
cornice and fluted frieze enriched with figures in
composition, while the mouldings of the general
joinery to the whole of the ground and first floors
were carved.
Historical Notes.
According to the ratebooks the occupants of this house up to 1840 were (fn. 2) :—
|
| 1762–67 | Richard Hoare. |
| 1768–82 | Chas. Morgan. |
| 1784–1820 | John Hosier. |
| 1821–28 | William Rickford. |
| 1829–32 | Dr. Mackinnon. |
| 1833– | John Pemberton Plumptree. |
In the Council's Collection are:—
General exterior of premises (photograph).
(fn. 3) Entrance doorway (photograph).
(fn. 3) General view of alcove to front room on ground floor (photograph).
(fn. 3) Detail of plaster plaques to front room on ground floor (photograph).
Detail of door head to front room on ground floor (photograph).
Ground and first-floor plans (measured drawing).