Bray House
There are records of houses on this site from 1842. The Hutt Street front of this house was built for Sir John Bray after he bought the property in 1880, and most probably designed by Rowland Rees, architect. It hides the house built about 1847 to the design of Sir George Kingston, architect, for Neville Blyth, who reached South Australia in 1839 and with his brother Sir Arthur Blyth owned an ironmonger’s shop in Hindley Street. The house was bought in 1865 by Sir Henry Ayers and was from 1871 to 1880 the home of his second son, H. L. Ayers.
The two-room-deep addition by Rees that dates from 1881 is a grand and unchanged example of Victorian Italianate architecture, having ornate veranda columns, iron lace and pediment over the entrance. It displays a form of construction indicative of the high Victorian era, with profusely rendered mouldings on the parapet and around doors and windows.
Sir John Bray was Premier of South Australia from 1881 to 1884. The house remained in the Bray family until it was acquired by the Adelaide City Council in 1973. The building has recently been restored and is used as corporate offices.
Current status and listings
Love this place!
(4 votes, average: 1.00 out of 1)
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Passing by today whilst visiting my mother in Wakefield street –a beautiful house lovely architecture
Yes Sandra, it’s a real gem. Thanks for reminding us- we made it today’s place of the day!
Bray house is now home to a medical centre
The building is now named Wakefield Medical Centre and so it is occupied by Doctor’s and Physiotherapy rooms.
Beautiful history a pleasure to work from within such awesome walls which no doubt could tell so many stories
Indeed, you couldn’t ask for a more auspicious office environment.
They have an awful palm tree out the front now
It would look so much better without it, it totally doesn’t suit the building.
Photo
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My old family home. I’m the son of RS Bray and Nina Syme and lived in the Hutt Street house with my grandparents Harry M Bray and Gurtrude. during the first couple of years of my life (1947-499)
I remember the house as being pretty dark and forbidding to a toddler but there was a beautiful back garden to play in.
Mike Bray
Thanks for that insight Michael, did you ever get to revisit as an adult? We’d love to see any images of 1940s life at Bray House if you have any that you might like to share.
I loved reading Mike Bray’s email about you living there, Mike, I recently returned from Adelaide having visited for my first time. I was born in Cape Town South Africa, however learnt that my great grandfather Frederick Joseph Salmon lived in 31 Hutt st.I have his paperwork and his indenture as a compositor.Sadly there was no house at
31 Hutt street. Would anyone have known
of him?
Worked in this place within the Medical Centre from June 2015 up until now, It’s amazing to work and spend your day in this magnificent building, It’s very cozy and warm inside. I was very lucky to be in a part of this Historical structure.