Beth-Eden is a heritage-listed villa at 85 Bank Road, Graceville, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Richard Gailey and built from 1888 to 1910s. It is also known as Rakeevan and Verney. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

History

Beth-Eden is a two-storeyed rendered brick house with a weatherboard stables/coach-house, overlooking the

Brisbane River The Brisbane River is the longest river in South East Queensland, Australia, and flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay on the Coral Sea. John Oxley, the first European to explore the river, named it after the Go ...

. Originally called "Verney", Beth-Eden was erected in 1888 for newspaper proprietor Charles Hardie Buzacott. The architect was Richard Gailey, who in 1884 had designed the Courier Building for Buzacott. In 1895, John Ferguson ( Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly), a

Rockhampton Rockhampton is a city in the Rockhampton Region of Central Queensland, Australia. The population of Rockhampton in June 2021 was 79,967, Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018. making it the fourth-largest city in the state outside of the ...

parliamentarian and a major shareholder in the Mount Morgan Mine company, purchased the property, which became the home of his daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. A H Chambers. Mr. Chambers was the manager of the

Union Bank of Australia The Union Bank of Australia was an Australian bank in operation from 1837 to 1951. It was established in London in October 1837 with a subscribed capital of £500,000. The foundation of the bank had followed a visit to England by Van Diemen's Land ...

and changed the name of the house to "Rakeevan", after his family home in Ireland. In 1903, Ferguson's other daughter and her husband,

Joshua Thomas Bell Joshua Thomas Bell (13 March 1863 – 10 March 1911) was an Australian barrister and politician. Bell was the son of Sir Joshua Peter Bell, and his wife Margaret Miller, née Dorsey and was born in Ipswich, Queensland. Bell was educated at ...

MLA, took up residence. Bell, from

Jimbour Station Jimbour is a heritage-listed homestead on one of the earliest stations established on the Darling Downs, Queensland, Australia, It is important in demonstrating the pattern of early European exploration and pastoral settlement in Queensland, ...

, held various portfolios and also served as speaker of the Legislative Assembly. In November 1919, the Fergusons loaned Rakeevan for 3 years to the Australian Red Cross to use as a convalescent home for soldiers returned from World War I. The Ferguson daughters established extensive tropical gardens in the grounds and in 1921 Rakeevan hosted the inaugural Sherwood Shire Agricultural, Horticultural and Industrial Society Show. Most of the gardens have been destroyed by subsequent development. Rakeevan was lent by Mrs. Bell as a military convalescent home during and after the First World War, following which it stood empty until purchased in the late 1920s by Gulf pastoralist

James Stanislaus Kirby James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...

. Politician Dr

Felix Dittmer Felix Cyril Sigismund Dittmer (27 June 1904 – 29 August 1977)

was the next owner, and in 1957 he sold the property to the

Glad Tidings Tabernacle Glad Tidings Tabernacle is a church located at 2207 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard between West 130th and 131st Street in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. It has served New York City since 1907 with a focus on different ...

. The property was renamed Beth-Eden and officially opened as a retirement home in 1958. The house was modified and associated accommodation and service buildings were constructed. It can now accommodate 61 residents in both one and two-bedroom units. The only remaining original outbuilding is the stables/coach-house to the southwest of the house.

Description

Beth-Eden is a two-storeyed rendered brick house with a weatherboard stables/coach-house overlooking the

Chelmer Reach The Brisbane River is the longest river in South East Queensland, Australia, and flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay on the Coral Sea. John Oxley, the first European to explore the river, named it after the Gov ...

of the Brisbane River. It is surrounded by single-storeyed brick buildings associated with the nursing home. The corrugated iron hipped roof has projecting gables, two of which surmount bay windows on the northern and western elevations. The bays intercept the double height verandahs which feature on all four elevations. The roof has decorative render to the

chimney A chimney is an architectural ventilation structure made of masonry, clay or metal that isolates hot toxic exhaust gases or smoke produced by a boiler, stove, furnace, incinerator, or fireplace from human living areas. Chimneys are typic ...

stacks,

eaves The eaves are the edges of the roof which overhang the face of a wall and, normally, project beyond the side of a building. The eaves form an overhang to throw water clear of the walls and may be highly decorated as part of an architectural styl ...

and gables. The verandahs have decorative cast iron balustrading and

column A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member. ...

s, with brackets and valance on the lower verandah. The northern and eastern verandahs are roofed by a corrugated iron skillion awning, and sections of western and southern verandahs have been enclosed. The eastern verandah has been partially glazed, and a service building connects to the main building via a walkway. The building has classical mouldings and a pedimented arched

portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cult ...

over the main entrance. The entrance contains black and white marble tiles and decorative sandblasted glass door surrounds and fanlight, on which is written "VERNEY". The entrance hall contains a carved timber staircase with a large sandblasted glass window at the landing level. Decorative plaster mouldings feature around archways and light fittings. Ground floor public rooms, originally drawing and dining rooms, have marble fireplaces and timber panelling with folding timber doors between. Both floors have been altered with the first floor being used for accommodation and the ground floor for servicing. The building has double hung sash windows, fanlights above internal doors and an elevator has been installed in the entrance hall. The original stables/coach-house is located to the southwest of the main building and now serves as a garage. This weatherboard building has a corrugated iron gabled roof with decorative timber bargeboards and a central hay loft. The building has single skin vertically jointed internal walls and large openings have been cut into the northern facade.

Heritage listing

Beth-Eden was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992 having satisfied the following criteria. The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history. Beth-Eden demonstrates an uncommon aspect of Queensland's cultural heritage, containing a now rare late 19th century timber stables/coach-house. Beth-Eden is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a substantial, ornate, two-storeyed, 1880s masonry house, overlooking the Brisbane River. Beth-Eden is important in exhibiting a range of aesthetic characteristics valued by the community, in particular the quality of the interior design, materials and craftsmanship. Beth-Eden has a special association with prominent 19th century newspaper proprietor C H Buzacott and with important Brisbane architect Richard Gailey, being an example of his domestic work. The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage. Beth-Eden demonstrates an uncommon aspect of Queensland's cultural heritage, containing a now rare late 19th century timber stables/coach-house. The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places. Beth-Eden is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a substantial, ornate, two-storeyed, 1880s masonry house, overlooking the Brisbane River. The place is important because of its aesthetic significance. Beth-Eden is important in exhibiting a range of aesthetic characteristics valued by the community, in particular the quality of the interior design, materials and craftsmanship. The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history. Beth-Eden has a special association with prominent 19th century newspaper proprietor C H Buzacott and with important Brisbane architect Richard Gailey, being an example of his domestic work.

References

Attribution

External links