"One of the proposals put forward would see a new road built linking Red Lion Street on the south with George Street on the north. However, on the corner of the old Victoria Place and George Street was a pub, which turned out to be very expensive to buy. So the council changed its mind and ended up just clearing the slums and building half the road."
"Clearance started in 1909, and in December that year, the council was reporting that "constructing the four new tenements in Victoria-place, which are being erected by direct labour... is being pushed on with all possible dispatch". Just as well, as they already had waiting tenants, whose applications had been approved in October 1909. The original "off-plan rental". The houses are interesting in that they look superficially like houses, but the giveaway is the staircase in front, which tells you they're actually flats."
Victoria Place originally consisted of a short dead-end alley providing access to the backs of shops and houses, with the southern side occupied by tenement housing and warehouses in poor condition. Richmond Council proposed a 1905 clearance and road widening to accommodate motorcars, and planned a new road linking Red Lion Street and George Street. A pub purchase prevented full road construction, so the council cleared slums and built only half the road. Clearance began in 1909 with four new tenements erected by direct labour and tenants approved before completion. The resulting buildings are flats disguised as houses, designed by William Thompson.
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