Yabba Street, Ascot is like many in this area of Brisbane pictureque and scenic with its tree lined streets added with an assortment of late 19th and early 20th century architecture. This house at number 22 does make you stop and look. That is a bold statement to make given the large number of immaculately maintained and presented homes. The house has been added to over time but one would not know that unless you had a picture or drawing of the original when contructed in 1929. This house is another of architect Eric P. Trewern's extensive portfolio of interwar old style English cottage and Spanish Mission houses that are scattered across the suburbs of New Farm, Greenslopes, Coorparoo, Hamilton, Ascot and Clayfield. They were all distinctive homes built for wealthy or as the term was used in the day discerning clients.
This house in Yabba Street was built for John and Miriam Church after what could be presumed his retirement from business. Born in Sydney in 1860 John had had a very successful career as an insurance agent, stockbroker and investor. He was an investor in the City Electric Light Company of 1904. This company would supply electricity to the city of Brisbane. In 1916 he and partner Edward Holmes took control of hte supply of electricity to the city of Ipswich. When he died at the age of 67 his estate valued at 38 thousand pound was titled in newspaper articles as large. Prior to their move into the house in Yabba Street the John and Miriam had spent seven months travelling the world and living out of suitcases. Miriam was a very keen gardener and this was mentioned in a newspaper feature of the Sunday Mail in 1933.
That the garden plays a most important part in. the general external effct of any home is a well-known fact, this garden, however, is in keeping with what one would expect as a foil for such a charming home take away this joy and the home would become stark and uninteresting. This garden with its well placed beds of colourful flowers midst an espanse of green lawn through which run the flagged path, is by reason of its informality, an ideal setting for a house such as this. A garden in which one can work with one's own hands, which one can alter or vary to suit one's fancy, and in which the young plants may be watched day by day until they too each add their quota of colour to delight not only the owner, but the passer-by.
Today the gardens and lawns still play a prominent feature in the presentation of the home.
Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947), Wednesday 7 December 1904, page 7
New Electric Light Company.
A company called the City Electric Light Company, Limited, has been registered in the Supreme Court. The capital is £100,000, divided into 100,000 shares of £1 each of these GO, 000 (fully paid-up) are to beto Edward John Holmes, Edward Gustayus Campbell Barton, and William John Young. The objects are to acquire and take over as a going concern the elcctric lighting business now carried on by the Brisbane Electric Supply Company, Limited, at Brisbane, and to carry on the business of an electric light company in all its branches. The registered shareholders are Edward John Holmes, Edward Gustavus Campbell. Barton, William John Young, William Mandeville Ellis L'Estrange, Alfred Ward, Catherine Ward, John Forster Church, John Thomas Isles, Theodore Unmack, Sydney Cumberland, Leolcy, and Edward Gaffney. The registered office is at 59 Ann street, Brisbane.
Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld. : 1909 - 1954), Saturday 14 October 1916, page 11
APPLICATION FOR AN ORDER-IN COUNCIL
By EDWARD JOHN HOLMES and JOHN FORSTER CHURCH, both of Brisbane, in the State of Queensland, Stockbroker and Company Fromoters, carrying on business under the name style or firm of "HOLMES & CHURCH," for authority to supply Electricity within the City of Ipswich, and the Shires of Brassall, Bundamba, and Purga. NOTICE is hereby. given that within twenty eight days after the publication hereof in the "Government Gazette," application will be made to the Honourable the Saeretary for Works for an Order-in-Counoil, under the provisions of "The Electric Light and Power Act, 1896." The following are the particulars of the intended application:
(a) The objects of' the application are to obtain an Order-in-Council, authorising the applicants and a company to be promoted by them and to becalled the Ipswich Electric Supply Company Limited, or their or its nccessors or assigns to supply electricity for all purposes within the area of supply here indescribed.
(b) The applicants are EDWARD JOHN HOLMES acnd JOHN FORSTER CHURH, both of Brisbane, in the State of Queensland, Stockbrokers and Gompany Promoters, carrying on business under the name style or firm of "HOLMES & CHURCH," Their adsdress is, 972, Qseen-street, Brisbane.,
(c) The proposed area of supply in the whole of the area within the City of Ipswich and the Shires of Brassall, Bundamba. and Purga.
(d) The Streets dedicated to public use in or along which it is proposed to lay down or erect electric lines are all the streets within the proposed area of supply.
(e) The time within which such electric lines are to be laid down or erected within the proposed area of supply in or along the streets or parts of streets dedicated to public use, namely: Brisbane street from Thorn street to Burnett street, East street from Brisbane Street to Roderick street, Nicholas street from Roderidck street to Bremer street, The Terrace from Pine street to Down street, Down street from the Terrace to Ferguson street, shall be two years from the commencement of the proposed Order-in-Council, and the time within which such electric lines are to be laid down or erected within the remainder of the streets or parts of streets within the proposed area of supply shall be any time during the existence of the proposed Order-in-Council.
(f) The applicants propose to take power by the Order to interfere with or break up any Tramways or the Railways of the Queensland Government Railway Department. ..........
The company was successful in supplying electricity to the Ipswich City Council.
Provided tho Federal Treasurer raises no objection, no difficulty is expected in the flotation of the venture, and this done, the stipulation of the laying of the mains within two years will ensure an almost immediate start upon the work that will bring to Ipswich one of the most important of modern advantages— an dvantage absolutely essential to any city worthy of the name.
Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 - 1954), Thursday 11 March 1937, page 6
OBITUARY
MR. J. F. CHURCH
Mr. John Porster Church, partner in the firm of Holmes and Church, general agents and insurance attorneys, who was well known in Queensland and New South Wales, died at his residence, Yabba Street. Ascot yesterday morning at the age of 76 years. He was the son of Mr Walter Church, of Sydney, where he was born and educated, After working with the Commercia1 Bank Company of Sydney Ltd and C. J. Royle, brokers, .Sydney,
Mr. J. F. Church joined the late E. J. Holmes in 1894, and founded the firm of Holmes and Church. He was a lieutenant on the retired list of the State naval service of New South Wales, being appointed lieutenant in 1883. He was a member of the Queensland Club and the Commercial Travellers' Association. In his, early days Mr. Church was keenly interested in sailing, but later took up golf, and played with the Brisbane Golf Club. He is survived by his wife, who was formerly Miss Miriam Elphinstone, of Sydney, and two daughters, Mesdames W. Forrest Davies (Melbourne) and S. Kay Howes (Brisbane).
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