Nahum Barnet
Encyclopedia
Nahum Barnet was an architect working in Melbourne
, Victoria, Australia
during the Victorian
and Edwardian periods.
Barnet was born in the Melbourne Hospital on Swanston Street
1855, son of a Polish-born pawnbroker, jeweller and tobacconist. He was an active member of Melbourne's Jewish community, serving on many committees and often writing letters to the Jewish press.
He produced a number of significant buildings including Her Majesty's Theatre
(1886), Austral Building (1891), St Kilda Synagogue re-development (1903-04), the former Empire Building (1905) on Flinders Street
, the former Auditorium (1912), 280-282 Bourke Street and Alston's Corner (1913) and Georges Department Store (1913) all on Collins Street
and the Wertheim Piano Factory in inner suburban Richmond
, Melbourne Synagogue (1929) in South Yarra
. (The Wertheim factory later became a Heinz
factory and, for over 50 years, has been the studios for television station GTV-9
.)
The popular claim that there was not a street in Melbourne where a Barnet building could not be found was first coined by Isaac Selby and reiterated in Barnet's obituary in The Argus
. Popular culture holds that when challenged with the street Brunton Avenue, the reply was that Barnet had designed the small cabman's shelter in 1903.
He died in St Kilda
, 1 September 1931.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
during the Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
and Edwardian periods.
Barnet was born in the Melbourne Hospital on Swanston Street
Swanston Street, Melbourne
Swanston Street is a major thoroughfare in the centre of Melbourne, Australia. It is historically one of the main streets of central Melbourne, laid out in 1837 as part of the Hoddle Grid, the layout of major streets that makes up the central business district...
1855, son of a Polish-born pawnbroker, jeweller and tobacconist. He was an active member of Melbourne's Jewish community, serving on many committees and often writing letters to the Jewish press.
He produced a number of significant buildings including Her Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne
Her Majesty's Theatre is a 1706 seat theatre in Melbourne, Australia. Built in 1886, it is located at 219 Exhibition Street, Melbourne. It is classified by the National Trust of Australia and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register....
(1886), Austral Building (1891), St Kilda Synagogue re-development (1903-04), the former Empire Building (1905) on Flinders Street
Flinders Street, Melbourne
Flinders Street is a notable street in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Running roughly parallel to the Yarra River, Flinders Street forms the southern edge of the Hoddle Grid. It is exactly one mile in length and one and half chains in width...
, the former Auditorium (1912), 280-282 Bourke Street and Alston's Corner (1913) and Georges Department Store (1913) all on Collins Street
Collins Street, Melbourne
Collins Street is a major street in the Melbourne central business district and runs approximately east to west.It is notable as Melbourne's traditional main street and best known street, is often regarded as Australia's premier street, with some of the country's finest Victorian era buildings.The...
and the Wertheim Piano Factory in inner suburban Richmond
Richmond, Victoria
Richmond is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
, Melbourne Synagogue (1929) in South Yarra
South Yarra, Victoria
South Yarra is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 4 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Stonnington and Melbourne...
. (The Wertheim factory later became a Heinz
H. J. Heinz Company
The H. J. Heinz Company , commonly known as Heinz and famous for its "57 Varieties" slogan and its ketchup, is an American food company with world headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Perhaps best known for its ketchup, the H.J...
factory and, for over 50 years, has been the studios for television station GTV-9
GTV-9
GTV is a commercial television station in Melbourne, Australia owned by the Nine Network. The station is currently based at a new high-tech, purpose-built studios at 717 Bourke Street, Docklands.-History:...
.)
The popular claim that there was not a street in Melbourne where a Barnet building could not be found was first coined by Isaac Selby and reiterated in Barnet's obituary in The Argus
The Argus (Australia)
The Argus was a morning daily newspaper in Melbourne established in 1846 and closed in 1957. Widely known as a conservative newspaper for most of its history, it adopted a left leaning approach from 1949...
. Popular culture holds that when challenged with the street Brunton Avenue, the reply was that Barnet had designed the small cabman's shelter in 1903.
He died in St Kilda
St Kilda, Victoria
St Kilda is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km south from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Port Phillip...
, 1 September 1931.