Architecture
Architecturally, Lebrina, the house, is classified as Georgian/Victorian, built around the mid 1840’s, although some sources indicate that Thomas White could have built the house within a few years of his arrival in Van Diemen’s Land, possibly in the mid to late 1830’s.
Subsequent to his death, the following notice appeared in The Mercury (14/12/1885), noting that the house was viewed as ‘superior,’ constructed of brick (in fact Flemish bond triple brick) and that cedar (notably New South Wales ‘flame’ cedar) was used extensively, internally.
Instructed by the Trustees (George Smith Seabrook & Thomas Augustus Reynolds) to the Estate of the late Mr. Thomas White to sell by Auction:
Lot 1 Lebrina
That superior brick-built dwelling house at New Town, opposite the Post Office, for many years, the residence of Thomas White. Substantially built of brick, with cedar doors and linings throughout. Contains 8 good sized rooms; those on the ground floor, some measuring 16×14, while the upstair apartments are proportionately large. Fitted with every convenience: the water being laid on, and the gas laid to the door. This house is in every way adapted for a respectable family, and from its nearness to the city, with ‘buses passing every half-hour, it enjoys advantages seldom met with in the suburbs.
The garden, stocked with good and choice trees, stands on nearly half an acre, and with the house forms a most complete and snug home.
Lot 2
Land adjoining the above on which is erected the extensive workshop of the late owner, containing about one-third of an acre, with frontage on the Main Road. As a building site, in a good neighbourhood, it needs no recommendation. (the current location of the New Town Swim Centre)
Lot 3
Is the six roomed cottage adjoining Lot 2, also fronting on the main road, and now let at 8 shillings per week. With a small outlay, in a rising suburb, this lot must considerably increase in value. (later the premises of Brendan Dwyer’s New Town Watch and Clock Company at 151 New Town Road).
While a relatively small cottage, it has grand features, such as the beautiful Georgian-influenced architectural features on the facade, an original fireplace in every room, beautiful floorboards etched with life history, cedar-framed doors and the characteristic well proportioned rooms, for which Thomas White was noted.
Lot 4
Is the 3-roomed cottage and garden at the back of the above lots, standing on about half an acre of ground, let regularly at 6shillings per week, with a frontage to the by-street opposite the post office, and leading to the Risdon railway station (frontedCross St).
Left to Right: Lot 1 Lebrina (its half acre garden included the shop next door on the right); Lot 3 the 6 roomed cottage adjoining Lot 2, for many years the premises of Brendan Dwyer’s Tas Watch & Clock coy); Lot 2 currently New Town Swim Centre originally the site of Thomas White’s extensive workshop
Georgian Architectural Detail on the front of Lot 3, 151 New Town Road, matching some of the dormer detail on Lebrina
What’s In A Name?
We encountered the same problem that confronted Thomas White, a naming problem: White wanted to name the beautiful house he’d designed and laboured over, using his considerable building skills; we wanted to name our new restaurant, , to entice diners, luring them with the beauty of the house, its history and ambience, its exceptional but as yet undiscovered cuisine. Could a name do that?
We decided to name the restaurant after the house, simply, ‘Lebrina.’
On our website, we explained it thus: ‘Lebrina, an à la carte restaurant, offers a dining experience reminiscent of being in a private home. Remarkably little was needed to change the fabric of Lebrina, Thomas White’s gracious 1844 New Town townhouse to Lebrina, the restaurant, in 1994. Dinner guests still admire the triple Flemish Bond brickwork as they arrive, then the New South Wales flame cedar or Celery Top Pine woodwork as they enter one of the dining rooms; the classic simplicity of a Georgian Victorian house sets the scene for the food they will experience, the cuisine inspired by Northern France and Italy utilising the best of Tasmanian produce. Lebrina, the house and Lebrina, the restaurant, share a name; Lebrina is a Koori (Aboriginal people from Victoria and parts of NSW) word meaning ‘house.’ The restaurant is imbued with the quiet charm of the house.’
I’m not sure why Thomas White called his house Lebrina, though I’ve discovered at least 2 other houses, one in Hobart and one in Launceston, that share the name; the Hobart house is suburban and unobstrusive, the Launceston one grander and more imposing. There is also a very small town, only a hamlet really, in NE Tasmania, called Lebrina. Once, and some still do, house owners named their homes, especially when they were substantial. Many, indeed most, of New Town’s grand, historic houses, have names to distinguish them and that tend to highlight the aspirations of their original owner/builders. In the second part of this post, I’d like to explore my favourites amongst some of those grand ‘named’ houses, their special locations and situations, and speculate about their names and their inhabitants.
To me, this is central to the storytelling, socially, of both New Town and the houses that constitute this intriguing and historic suburb.
Lebrina in Launceston, on Park St, adjacent to Royal Park and now a private house; it was a private boarding house, at the time of this photo (date unknown); the house is clearly visible, top right, just to the left of Paterson St, smoke coming from its chimney, on a typically cold, foggy Launceston winter day; the photo below shows the street view of Lebrina, from across Paterson St.
