East Melbourne, Grey Street 002

Built on part of land previously the site of the Methodist New Connexion Church which was designed by Crouch and Wilson in 1868 and completed in 1869. It was apparently demolished in 1877. The land was dubdivided into six building blocks and auctioned in March 1877 and again in September 1878. One of the selling features at the time was that 'Darling Square is now fenced in and forms a permanent garden and reserve.' The land was still vacant and owned by the church in 1881. By 1885 the corner block had been sold to R.G. Wright who built a one room cottage and stables on the land. In later years it was described simply as brick stabling. The existing house first appears in the rate books in 1924. The house was built for Emanuel (known as Menie) Bernstein and his wife, Esther. Bernstein was a commercial traveller and also assistant minister at the East Melbourne Synagogue. He was accidentally killed in 1928 when the car he was driving was hit by an express train from Adelaide at the level crossing at Bungaree near Ballarat. He was only 33 and had three small children, Ettie, Annie and David.
Following the death of Rev Bernstein Wolf Rechter moved in with his wife and son.  Rechter, too, served at the East Melbourne Synagogue. The next family to move in were the Pullens who bought the house in 1950. William Henry Treyvaud Pullen was an auctioneer with premises in Smith Street, Collingwood. He lived at No 2 until his death in 1976, predeceased by his wife, Florence, who died in 1969.