Queen's Gardens (1st Generation) [1889-1937]

Yes, definitely worth a place of their own. I've added dates based on Marlowe's list of dates for the area.

The filter beds shown above crop up in a lot of postcards and photos from the early 1900s - seems like they must have been one of the tourist sights of the day.

Can you please add the recently added Ladies Recreation Club as a "location in this photo" to the 1910s from the Albany/Bowen Filter Beds postcard and the 1920s Close-up photo ?  Thanks.

1889  seems to have been the construction date for Queen's Gardens.  That is, if the clipping of the Richmond Estate of their 1888 AGM describing the lot on "Peak Road" and the four planned house to be Queen's Gardens.

#4 was ready to rent in 1889 (see ad)

That's good detective work - I've set the completion date.

This was the first phase, with four residences (two semi-detached buildings) facing Peak Road. The row of buildings behind them to the north-west must have been a later phase.

The 1937 article above notes:

"Two of the houses were pulled down about two years ago."

I wonder if that means one of the five buildings (each building held two semi-detached houses) was demolished in 1935. Possibly 3 & 4 Queen's Gardens, the building on the NE corner. It's a possibility, based on their appearance in this photo.

Alun disagrees, saying that based on this 1937 photo:

I believe that the 5 main buildings on Queen's Gardens are still there, and were demolished later in the year.
I believe that it was the 2 houses below that were demolished in 1935.

We'll have to wait for some clearer photos to make a decision either way.

Regards, David

The 1901 map shows five buildings, each split into two houses. The houses are numbered 1-10 as marked:

Regards, David

If David is right, when he says 1 of the 5 blocks of Queen's Gardens, were demolished 2 years before the rest, then this picture "may" show that.

It appears the apartments numbered 3 & 4 are gone.

Good find Alun!

The views from the harbour weren't 100% clear, but this definitely shows 3 & 4 missing.

Regards, David

This postcard shows Queen's Gardens but the date is unclear.

Compared to the one from 1900, the long house on the left side hasn't been built yet.

So the date should be sometime in the 1890's.