Spencers Building, Warehouses in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Spencers Building is a pair of identical four-storey brick warehouses with a basement at 45–47 and 49–51 Edward Street, Brisbane. The ground floor has tall arched openings in render imitating rusticated stonework, with a triangular pediment above each central bay; the three upper levels are face brick, their windows divided by projecting brick pilasters, arched on the two middle levels and topped by curved pediments on the top level. Paired moulded brackets carry the cornice, and the parapet has plain triangular pediments over each central bay.
The building was constructed in 1889-1890 by builder Thomas Rees from architect Stanley's designs and immediately functioned as a storage warehouse for goods. The land had been owned by various figures including ironfounder William Hood before becoming a warehouse complex.
Leonard Spencer, a coach builder and ironmonger, occupied Nos 45–47 from 1903 for over twenty years; the building later took his name. Before him the site held Hood & Binnie's iron foundry until 1888. Tenants ranged from Benjamin Brothers' bulk store to Roche & Dahl and Jolly & Batchelor, leather merchants who kept the trade there until 1964.
The building sits on Edward Street in central Brisbane and is easily accessible on foot. Visitors can view the exterior and appreciate the Victorian brick architecture with its arched windows from street level.
Frances Sophia Jones, wife of Anglican clergyman Rev Thomas Jones, held sole title to the land from 1888 and mortgaged it for £5,000 by May 1889, likely to fund construction. Until Queensland's Married Women's Property Act of 1890, a husband could claim such income, so her title was unusual.
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