John Augustus Bernard Koch (1845-1928) was a

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

(

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

) architect who practiced between 1869 and 1913. He also became mayor of

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

near Melbourne.

Life and career

Koch was born in

Hamburg (male), (female) en, Hamburger(s), Hamburgian(s) , timezone1 = Central (CET) , utc_offset1 = +1 , timezone1_DST = Central (CEST) , utc_offset1_DST = +2 , postal ...

in August 1845 and migrated to Australia with his family in 1855. He was educated and trained as an architect in Melbourne and served his articles with F. M. White. He became White's assistant until 1873 when he started his own practice. In 1871 he married Anna Puttmann at the German Lutheran Trinity Church at Eastern Hill (East Melbourne) where they were active members of the congregation. They had a family of six sons and three daughters. In 1873 he was appointed as Architect to the

City of Melbourne The City of Melbourne is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, located in the central city area of Melbourne. In 2018, the city has an area of and had a population of 169,961. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018. The ci ...

and designed a number of market buildings. In 1887 he was appointed Architect for the

City of Richmond The City of Richmond was a local government area about east of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The city covered an area of , and existed from 1855 until 1994. History Richmond was incorporated as a municipality on 24 Ap ...

. He took an active interest in professional and community affairs. He was active in the R.V.I.A., served as a Councillor in the City of Richmond for eight years and served as

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

from 1882 to 1883. Koch ceased practice in 1913 and his fifth son, Bernard, carried on his practice. He died in

Hawthorn, Victoria Hawthorn is an inner suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, east of Melbourne's central business district, located within the City of Boroondara local government area. Hawthorn recorded a population of 22,322 at the 2021 census. Glenferrie ...

in August 1928. He is buried in

Boroondara Cemetery Boroondara General Cemetery, often referred to as Kew cemetery, is one of the oldest cemeteries in Victoria, Australia, created in the tradition of the Victorian garden cemetery. The cemetery, located in Kew, a suburb of Melbourne, is listed ...

. His best known buildings are the National Trust owned ''Labassa'' (originally called ''Ontario'') (1889-1890) in Manor Grove,

Caulfield North Caulfield North is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 11 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Glen Eira local government area. Caulfield North recorded a population of 16,903 at the ...

and the privately owned ''Friesia'' (1887) at 23 Isabella Grove, Hawthorn. Most of his work was in Hawthorn and Richmond.

Notable buildings

*Castlemaine Hospital 1869 (demolished) *Castlemaine Hospital Nurses’ Home, 2 Edward St, Castlemaine c.1870 *Hay Market, Horse, Cow and Pig markets and Corn Exchange, Cnr. Flemington Rd and Elizabeth St, Melbourne 1873 (demolished) *House, Residence for J.A.B. Koch, 38 Stanley St, Richmond 1873 *E.S.& A. Bank, Cnr. Church and Swan Streets, Richmond 1874 (demolished) *Richmond Temperance Hall, 316 Church St, Richmond 1874 *South Richmond Free Library, 417 Church St, Richmond 1880 (demolished) *23, 25, 27 Shakespeare Gve, Hawthorn 1884 *"Herald" Office, 30 Swanston St, Melbourne (demolished...now City Square) *Deutscher Verein (German Association) Club Rooms, 7 Alfred Place, Melbourne 1885 (recently Stokehouse Restaurant) *"The Spread Eagle Hotel", Corner of Bridge Rd & Coppin St, Richmond 1885 *Residence and Surgery for Dr. Druidin, 384 Church St, Richmond 1885 *"Friesia", Residence for the German Consul, 23 Isabella Grove, Hawthorn 1887 *Record Chambers, 479-481 Collins St, Melbourne 1887 (now part of Olderfleet Buildings redevelopment) *Richmond UFS Free Dispensary, 292 Church St, Richmond 1887 *"Borussia", German Consulate, 6 Shakespeare Gve, Hawthorn 1888 *45 Chrystobel Cres, Hawthorn 1888 *"Narellan", 3 Moule St, Brighton 1889 *"Howlands" or "Alexander's House", 37 Docker St, Richmond 1889 *"Ulimaroa", 630 St Kilda Rd, South Melbourne 1889 (now the home of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists) *"Ontario" (now Labassa), Residence for A.W. Robertson, Manor Gve, Caulfield North 1889-1890 *"Helenville", Residence for J.A.B. Koch, 377 Church St, Richmond 1889 *"Ancient Order of Foresters" Swan St, Richmond (demolished?) *Parsonage, Lutheran Church, 22a Parliament Place, East Melbourne, 1890 *"Minerva" (later "Tandarra"), Residence for J. C. Stanford, 68 (now 58) Vale St, East Melbourne 1891 *Trinity Lutheran Church and Manse, 51-53 Victoria St, Doncaster 1892 *

Richmond Fire Station The Richmond Fire Station, or Former Richmond Fire Station, at 131 Lord Street in Richmond, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia is a historic fire station which was built in 1893. It is a two-storey late Victorian red brick building. Whe ...

, 131 Lord St, Richmond 1893 *Bowen Memorial Operating Theatre, Melbourne Hospital 1896 *Maffra Beet Sugar Co. Factory, Maffra 1897 (demolished 1960) *Warehouse for Messrs. L. Stevenson & Son Ltd, Flinders Lane, Melbourne 1898 (Unbuilt competition winner) *"Mount Gambier", Villa residence for Mr. Rudolf Boehnke,(Brewer), 32 Barkers Rd (Cnr. Findon Ave) Hawthorn 1898 *"Fallon’s Prince Alfred Hotel", 619 Church St, Richmond 1899 *Nurses Quarters, Women's Hospital, Melbourne 1900 *German Arch, Collins St, Melbourne (To celebrate the opening of the Australian Parliament. Decorated by Peter Hansen.), May 1901 *"Rosscommon", Villa residence for F.W. Fallon (Publican), 55 Kinkora Rd, Hawthorn 1901 *"Urbrae" 171 Hoddle St, Richmond c. 1901 *"Tantallon", 79 Oxley Rd, Hawthorn (1894). Formerly 77 Oxley Rd. Villa built for Mrs Annie Cameron. *5-9 Yarra St, Hawthorn attrib. (undated) *48 Power St, Hawthorn (undated) (Koch family residence 1896-1899) *"St. James", 23 Isabella Gve, Hawthorn (Koch family residence) *361 Highett St, Richmond attrib. (undated)

References

* Forge,W., 'Koch, John Augustus Bernard (1845–1928)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/koch-john-augustus-bernard-6995/text12159, accessed 25 January 2013. * Lewis, Miles, 'Koch, John A(ugustus) B(ernard)'. Grove Art Online http://www.oxfordartonline.com:80/subscriber/article/grove/art/T047093 * Mees, Herbert D (ed.) 'A German Church in the Garden of God: Melbourne's Trinity Lutheran Church 1853 - 2003'. East Melb.: Historical Society for Trinity German Lutheran Church, 2004. * Smith, Ian & Llewellyn, Peter, 'John A. B. Koch' (Undergraduate thesis) University of Melbourne. Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, 1969. {{DEFAULTSORT:Koch, John A. B. 1845 births 1928 deaths Victoria (state) architects Australian Lutherans German emigrants to Australia People from the Colony of Victoria Architects from Hamburg 19th-century Australian architects 20th-century Australian architects Architects from Melbourne Burials in Victoria (state)