House

8 Palm Court, Frankston

History
Leslie Arthur Vail of Post Office Place, Melbourne, sold lots 17, 18, 19, part 39 on Palm Court, to the Barca Family. Barca Barca of Bridge Road, Richmond, purchased Lot19, Antonia Barca of Victoria Street, Richmond, purchased Lot 17, and Peppino Barca of the same address purchased Lot 18.1 A residence was erected on Lot 17 in 1912 for Antonia Barca, who continued to own the property until 1920.2 Peppino owned Lot 18 until, in 1919, Antonia E. Barca was the owner of Lots 17 and 18.3

Antonia Barca was a fruitier owning fruit shops in Nicholson Street, North Carlton, and in North Fitzroy.4

Albert Park resident, John Peacock, purchased Lots 17 and 18 with a residence from Barca in 1920.5 c. Bryce, who gave his address as care of John Peacock, became the owner of Lot 18 by 1924.6 Bryce sold the land to F. Fay in 1928, who in turn sold it to Alfred Pett, a company director of The Grange, Clendon Road, Toorak (close to Burnley Griffin's Clendon Lodge).7 The Richards family (William, John and Mrs. Richards) had occupied the residence on Lot 17 until Peacock sold the property to Alfred Pett.8

By 1930 Alfred Pett owned Lots 17 and 18 and had substantially improved the property.9 He occupied the property in the 1940s with Beatrice Pett and Mary Pett, but in 1952 had sold it to Stanley Bolderston who resold it to Business Premises Pty. Ltd., of Collins Street, Melbourne.10

Description
A combination of one and two-storey elements, the house resembles in style those designed by Walter Burley Griffin or his Associates (i.e., Ballantyne or Billson). The T-Shape plan, the central two-storey porch element, deep overhanging eaves with angles fascias and corner windows – are all elements seen in Griffin's house designs (see Clendon Lodge, 83 Clendon Road, Toorak 1928). The leaded glass patterns are also typical of the Griffin Schools, with the subtle geometric patterns referring to far-eastern protocols (Japan, China). The double, glazed entry doors have the most distinctive glazing, but a similar theme is apparent in the three-light box windows on either side of the porch. The porch, then commonly fitted with insect screens rather than glass. The porch piers are expressed forward of the main cladding, again alluding to Asian precedents.

Context
The house is sited beside the distinctive 10 Palm Court, which also used the gabled form, and the altered 6 Palm Court (probably built after the Barca's sold in c1920), both sharing the gabled roof form and scale but following a more predictable design. At the end of Palm Court is a palm tree, evoking some of the atmosphere of the Edwardian and World War One eras.

Significance – Study Grading C
Architecturally, the house is recognizable from the Burley Griffin school of design although this has not been verified and hence its elevations follow influences which were outside that of the main stream suburban house design: of regional interest and local importance.

Historically, little is currently known of its occupiers or owners, but the house is among the early group of 'suburban' beach houses in Frankston: of local interest.