East Melbourne, Powlett Street 030

This large brick house was designed by Crouch and Wilson and built in 1865-66 by Charles Turner for John Dinwoodie.

John Dinwoodie had arrived in Melbourne from London in 1838 and established a business in Little Collins Street as a saddler, collar and harness-maker.  His first wife died in 1860 and in 1861 he married Elizabeth Emily.  John died in 1866, almost as soon as the house was completed. He was 57.

Elizabeth remained living in the house and in 1882, following the fashion of the time, commissioned architects, Wilson and Beswicke, to add bay windows to the front of the house. The Metropolitan Board of Works Map of 1895 shows the outline of the house with two bay windows facing west on to Powlett Street, with a return verandah over them; and a third bay window on the northern side facing George Street. Elizabeth died in 1895. By this time the house was known as Emiloch, possibly some play on Elizabeth’s maiden name. 

The next owner was Henry Howard Morrison, third son of Alexander Morrison, long serving headmaster of Scotch College. Henry Howard Morrison was a tea merchant with a business in Flinders Lane. He moved in with his wife Esther who died in 1904.  He remarried in 1906 to Margaret Anne Younie Walton. He died in 1908.  His probate papers tell us that the house was two-storeyed and known as Rossmoyne. However it was often reported as Rossmore. 

After Morrison’s death the house was sold to Robert Hamilton Russell.  Russell was an eminent surgeon known world wide for his innovative approach to a number of surgical procedures. He was a founding member of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 1927 and served on its council until his death in 1933.

By 1922 David Grant had become the owner.  He was clerk of courts and chairman of more than twenty wages boards (now Conciliation and Arbitration Boards). The Australian Women’s Weekly of 9 May 1936, reported that he ‘lives with his family in a charming old house in a lovely garden in East Melbourne, in a quiet atmosphere of old prints, cedar furniture, and collections of rare china. Mr. Grant's hobbies are contract bridge, gardening and his beautiful English setter, Mick.’

After David Grant’s death the house was bought by William Bolton Paxton and his wife, Ethel. The Sun News-Pictorial, 13 Sep 1940 reported that the house had been sold for £6100 by the J. and E. Paxton trust. It was described in another article at the time as an apartment house. Just over a year later the Argus, 26 Dec 1941 reported that the house had been sold as a potential flat site for about £7,000. On this occasion Fanny Beatrice Miller was the purchaser.  The Age, 12 Dec 1946 reported that the property was sold for £9000 after her death. The house was said to be let at £6 a week. 

It remained an apartment house until the mid-1960s when it was demolished to make way for an apartment building.  This apartment building later became a motel.  This building has itself now been demolished and a new apartment building erected on the site.