Historical Locations

 

AUSTRALIA

Places of Interest

Dee Cottage

• 230 Docklands Highway, FOOTSCRAY VIC 3011
• aka 230 Whitehall St, FOOTSCRAY VIC 3011 
• or 230 State Route 35, FOOTSCRAY VIC 3011
• Home of several Cumings including James Jr., and his brother George. it sits adjacent the road in front of the former Cuming, Smith & Co. works in Yarraville.
• Believed to have been built in 1880 by bricklayer, David Goudie, later the publican of the Commercial Hotel opposite.
• Home to several employeees of Cuming Smith, including foreman lead burner Jack Carter from 1929-1963; Senior maintenance engineer Bruce Norton subsequently occupied it until mid 1972, after which date it ceased to be used as a residence.

The front:

Location of Dee Cottage:

 

 

Cuming, Smith & Co. Yarraville

• 221 Whitehall St, YARRAVILLE, VIC 3013
• Founded 1872 by James Cuming and partners
• Major sulphuric acid, superphosphate and chemical works
• It was built of timber due to its resistance to acid
• One of melbourne's largest "noxious trades" factories in the late 19th/early 20th century

The works:

Approximate boundary of site:

Placement in the wider landscape of inner West Melbourne:

 

 

Cuming St, Yarraville, Vic 3013

• Street named after James Cuming, former mayor of the area

Location in Yarraville, Melbourne:

 

Cuming St, Mile End, SA 5031

• Street named after Robert Burns Cuming, former mayor of the area

Location in Mile End, Adelaide:

 

Cuming Rd, Albany, WA 6330

• Located on the North side of the CSBP facility

 

James Cuming Memorial

• Statue to James Cuming 
• Yarraville Gardens - 139-147 Hyde St, YARRAVILLE  VIC  3013
• Commemorates him as the philanthropist and former Mayor of Footscray

Bust of James Cuming:

 Location of bust within Yarraville Gardens:

Cuming Reserve 

• Hyde St, Yarraville VIC 3013, Australia
• Originally a larger area James Cuming paid for and offered to the city, for development into a formal area of ornamental gardens
• It was reduced in size by the widening of Hyde St and Nicholson St

Approximate boundary of original Cuming Reserve, Yarraville:

Location of Cuming Reserve, Yarraville, Melbourne:

 

"Sickleholme", Altona Homestead, 

• 128 Queen St, ALTONA, VIC  3018
•  Cuming, Smith & Co. Seaside workers' resort. 1920-1937 
• Now the home of the Altona-Laverton Historical Society

View of Sickleholme looking North West:

Placard of Sickleholme as presented on site:

 Location of Sickleholme at Altona:

Cuming Theatre, University of Melbourne

• 35 Masson Rd, PARKVILLE  VIC  3010
• Chemistry Lecture Theatre and Lab
• Replacement to the former James Cuming memorial school of chemistry

 Location of Cuming Theatre at Melbourne University:

Cuming House

• Wadhurst Campus, Melbourne Grammar School

The Cuming House Polo Shirt, as shown at the Melbourne Grammar Uniform Shop:

 

Cuming Tower

• Grimwade House, Melbourne Grammar School
• Built by finances from Edward Campbell Sr. who married Anne Cuming. He named it as a tribute in honour of his father in law, James Sr.

Ground-level view of Cuming Tower, Melbourne Grammar, Wadhurst campus:

 

 

Cuming House

• Outdoor Education Campus, Yarra Junction, Caulfield Grammar School

 

 

 

Lindsay Cuming Auditorium

• Cripps Centre, Caulfield Grammar School
• 217 Glen Eira Rd, ST KILDA EAST  VIC  3183
• Located within the Cripps Centre of Caulfield Grammar

Elevated view of the Cripps Centre, Caulfield Grammar School:

Location of Cripps Centre, Caulfield Grammar School:

The Yarraville Club (Previously the "Yarraville Citizens' Club and james cuming institute")

• 135 Stephen St, YARRAVILLE VIC 3013

Original building:

 

Modern Renovation:

 

 

Previously: James Cuming Memorial Building, University of Melbourne (removed early 1970s)

• Former Chemistry building of Melbourne University

Ground-level view of James Cuming Memorial Building, Melbourne University:

 

Footscray Town Hall

1891 Mayoral Commemmorative drinking fountain and trough, and footscray town hall

• 61 Napier St, Footscray VIC 3011
• Granite donated by James Cuming
• It seviced both people on the drinking fountain side, and horses on the trough side prior to its present water-capped state

• Officially known as the James Cuming Fountain or Footscray City Commemorative Drinking Fountain

James Cuming Fountain, curbside by on Hyde St, by the corner of Hyde St and Napier St:

View of the horse-trough side, over Footscray Town Hall behind:

Front of Footscray Town Hall, looking South East:

Front of Footscray Town Hall, looking West:

Rear of Footscray Town Hall, looking North:

Rear of Footscray Town Hall, looking North West:

 

 

Cuming Smith

65 William St.

• 65 William St. MELBOURNE CBD VIC 3000
• Cuming, Smith & Co. CBD secretary and registered office

Early Cuming Smith Headquarters on William St:

 Renovated Headquarters of Cuming Smith on William St, after the formation of Commonwealth Fertilisers:

 Modern-day location of Former Cuming Smith site on William St

 

 

Brittania Creek

• 1907-1929
• 210 Brittania Creek Road, WESBURN  VIC  3799
• Cuming Smith & Co. Wood distillation Works

  • BRITTANNIA CREEK TRAMWAY WOOD DISTILLATION FACTORY - History
    Heritage Inventory History of Site: Cuming, Smith & Co. established the only commercial wood distillation plant in Australia at its time. It had a sophisticated chemical plant on site and manufactured products such as wood tar, pyroigneous acid, acetic acid, methyl alcohol, formalin, acetone and charcoal. It operated from 1907 until 1924, and was especially successful during WW1. The factory attracted international attention. From 1924 until 1936 the Yelland brothers developed the associated sawmill sites.

    More detail in HV Report 194, Vol 12, Part B by Supple et al.

• Tramway
• Victorian Heritage Inventory (HI) Number: H8022-0038
• Declared heritage protected in 1956 by the Victorian Heritage Council
• Now owned by the Victorian Girl Guides Association.

View overlooking the wood distillation works:

 

CSBP (Cuming Smith British Petroleum) Geraldton

• 280 North West Coastal Highway, WEBBERTON  WA  6530
• Regional fertiliser manufacturing and distribution centre
• Established in the 1930s by Cuming Smith & Mt Lyell Farmers Fertilisers (CSML)

Aerial view over Cuming Smith, Geraldton:

Location of the main gate into the CSBP site:

 

CSBP (Cuming Smith British Petroleum) Kwinana

• Lot 20 Kwinana Beach Rd, KWINANA BEACH  WA  6167
• Major fertiliser and chemical manufacturing complex
• Developed in the 1960s after BP investment modernised CSBP operations and as a replacement to the Bassendean plant

Aerial view over CSBP, Kwinana:

Satellite view over CSBP, Kwinana:

 Location of CSBP, Kwinana:

Cuming Smith & Co. Perth HQ

• 123 St Georges Terrace, PERTH  WA  6000
• CSBP (Cuming Smith British Petroleum) Headquarters
• Central administration and head office for Western Australian operations

Location of former Cuming Smith Headquarters, Perth:

 

• 133 St Georges Terrace, PERTH  WA  6000
• CSML (Cuming Smith Mount Lyell) Headquarters

 

Cuming, Smith & Co. Bassendean

• Railway Parade, WEST GUILDFORD, PERTH  WA
• Approximate modern address: 136 Railway Parade, Bassendean WA 6054
• First fertiliser works established in Western Australia (1910)
• Major local employer and superphosphate manufacturer, operations ceased in 1968
• Main reason for the development of the local railway station and line extension
• https://trove.nla.gov.au/list/104302

Aerial view over Cuming Smith, Bassendean, Perth:

Approximate modern-day recreation of previous image, via Google Earth:

Approximate location:

Approximate boundary of site:

 

CSBP (Cuming Smith British Petroleum) Albany

• 198 Hanrahan Rd, Mount Elphinstone WA 6330
• Formerly CSML (Cuming Smith Mount Lyell & Farmers)

 Location of CSBP, Albany:

 Approximate boundary of site:

 

CSBP (Cuming Smith British Petroleum) Bunbury

• S Western Hwy, Picton WA 6229
• Formerly CSML (Cuming Smith Mount Lyell & Farmers)

 Location of CSBP, Bunbury:

 Approximate boundary of site:

 

CSBP (Cuming Smith British Petroleum) Esperance

• Shelden Rd, Chadwick WA 6450
• Formerly CSML (Cuming Smith Mount Lyell & Farmers)

 Location of CSBP, Esperance:

 Approximate boundary of site:

 

Imperial Chemical Industries of australia and new zealand (ICIANZ), Headquarters

• 1 Nicholson St, East Melbourne VIC 3002
• The first skyscraper in Melbourne, and the first skyscraper in Australia.
• Then known as ICI House, now Orica House

 

 

 

 

 Location of ICIANZ (now Orica) building on the corner of Albert and Nicholson streets:

 

ACF & Shirley's, Runcorn

• 54 Bonemill Rd, Runcorn QLD 4113
• Fertiliser manufacturing plant servicing Queensland agriculture
• Converted into a Sawmill in 1947 by W.A. Franklin, and in 1956 came under the control of Bradken Resources Pty Ltd
• Used in 1944-45 by the US Army’s Quartermaster Corps as a warehouse and storage, and as a lumber yard

Approximate boundary of site:

Location of site:

 

ACF & Shirley's, Pinkenba

• 69 Tingira St, Pinkenba QLD 4008
• This site was the second site, opened as ACF & Shirley's expanded and needed better port access.
• It eventually shifted predominantly towards nitrogen-based fertilisers, after construction of an ammonia plant on the site in the 1960s
• It was a major fertiliser works and testing facility near Brisbane and a key site for Queensland's superphosphate and ammonia production 

Approximate boundary of site:

Location of site:

 

ACF & Shirley's, Headquarters

• Presently 415 George St, Brisbane City QLD 4000
• Formerly 92-102 Little Roma St, Brisbane City, QLD 4000
• Now the QEII Courts of Law Complex, prior to their development was an artists collective known as The Observatory. Short lived from 1985-1986 in "the old Shirley’s Fertiliser building", it housed The Demolition Show.
• The present day QEII Courts of Law Complex is Queensland's largest court building, the symbolic and administrative centre of the judicial branch in Queensland. It houses the Supreme Court of Queensland, the District Courts of Queensland, and the Supreme Court Library.
• Oversaw the company's expansion in Queensland and northern Australia

 Approximate boundary of site:

Location of site:

 

Australian Fertilisers Ltd. / ICIANZ, Port Kembla, (Main Site)

• Gate 1, Foreshore Rd, Port Kembla, NSW 2505 (nb. Google maps or similar may need you to remove 'Gate')
• Major superphosphate and phosphatic fertiliser plant
• Established in 1920s

Approximate boundary of site:

Location of site:

 

 

Australian Fertilisers Ltd. / ICIANZ, Port Kembla, (Secondary Site)

• Tom Thumb Rd, Port Kembla, NSW 2505 (no street number; Lots 2001 & 2003 of DP 1030233)
• Supporting fertiliser production and storage facility

 Approximate boundary of site:

Location of site:

 

Australian Fertilisers Ltd., Sydney Headquarters

• Formerly 5 Macquarie Pl, Sydney NSW 2000 (5A via google maps)
• Presently 7-15 Macquarie Pl, Sydney NSW 2000
• Oversaw the company's expansion in New South Wales

 Approximate location:

Location within wider area:

 

Adelaide Chemical Works

• Approximate modern address: 14-16 Ashwin Parade, Torrensville SA 5031
• Historically: 41-43 Ashwin Parade, it effectively covered all of what is now 8-60 Ashwin Parade north to the banks of the River Torrens
• Adelaide Chemical Works, later Adelaide and Walleroo Fertilisers
• The works were designed by Mari Anthony Cuming

 Approximate maximum boundary of site (Nb. May need refinement):

May have included only the Eastern half of the site (To be confirmed)

 

"Burn Brae" 68 Meyer St, Torrensville

• 68 Meyer St, Torrensville SA 5031
• Home of Robert Burns Cuming

Location of building:

 

Previously: "Myrus" (removed 1972)

• Hyde St, YARRAVILLE VIC 3013
• Home of James (Sr.) and Elizabeth Cuming.

 

Bon Accord

65 Barkly St.

• 65 Barkly St, Carlton VIC 3053
• Built by James Cuming Sr.

Back side of Bon Accord House (currently under renovations in late 2025, and 2026)

 

452 Victoria St, North Melbourne

• 452 Victoria St, North Melbourne, VIC 3051

Architectural Drawing

 

Location of building:

 

40-42 Bell St, Fitzroy

• 40 Bell St, Fitzroy VIC 3065
• The Bell St School where Robert Burns Cuming was taught during his early years in Melbourne

 

9 Canterbury Rd, CAMBERWELL  VIC  3124

• Residence of Harry Wilson Cuming, wife Olive Magee and family
• Part of the Parlington Estate Residential Precinct. A significant heritage precinct in the city of Boroondara; created in 1912 as a subdivision of the ‘Parlington’ (aka Verulam) Victorian-Mansion estate.
• Hermes Number: 202106;  Heritage Overlay Number: HO702

 

 

‘Coorinyah’, 150 Mont Albert Rd, Camberwell, Vic

• Residence of James Cuming Jr., wife Alice Louisa Fehon and family
• Part of Victorian Heritage and Camberwell Conservation.

 

797 Orrong Rd, Toorak

• 797 Orrong Rd, Toorak VIC 3142
• Home of David McPherson AO, and wife Angela (nee Cuming)
• Nb. Current photo is of a modern renovation of the property

 

 

735 Glen Huntly Rd, Caulfield

• 735 Glen Huntly Rd, CAULFIELD VIC 3162
• Childhood Home of Lindsay Cuming

 

Fairacre, Berkshire, UK 

• 'Fairacre' Ravensdale Rd, Ascot, SL5 9HL, England, UK
• UK Home of Lindsay and Val

 

9 Wolseley Grove, Brighton

• 9 Wolsley Grove, BRIGHTON VIC 3186

 

 

Graves

James Cuming Jr.

• Grave of James Cuming Jr. (1861-1920), wife Alice, and son James.
• Booroondara General Cemetery (Kew Cemetery), 430 High Street (Cnr Parkhill Road & High Street), Kew Victoria 3101.

 

SCOTLAND

Places of Interest

Balvenie Castle, Dufftown, Speyside

• Ruins of 14th century moated stronghold of Comyns situated on River Fiddich. (‘Fiddich’ is Gaelic for ‘Deer’)

 

Deer Abbey, Near Peterhead, Aberdeenshire

• Founded in 1219 by William Comyn, Earl of Buchan for Cistercian Monks from Kinloss

 

Inverallochy Castle, Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire

• The ruins are a protected, scheduled monument. The estate the castle sits on was acquired by Jordan Comyn for building Deer Abbey. It is believed to have been built by Sir William Comyn, Lord Lyon (1512-1519). 

 

Old Inverlochy Castle, Fort William, Aberdeenshire

• Built by John 'The Black' Comyn, Lord of Badenoch and Lochaber; Chief of Clan Comyn, claimant to the Scottish throne.
• Unaltered since the reign of King Alexander III (1241-1286), King of Alba (Scotland). A testament and bastion of clan Comyn's endurance.

 

 

Lochindorb, Morayshire

• An island fortress notorious for its association in the early 14th century with the Wolf of Badenoch, son of Robert II. It was, however, originally built by the Comyns. 

(Artist's reconstruction)

 

House of Blair-Altyre, Morayshire

• Seat of the Chief of Clan Cumming. 
• Campus of the Glasgow School of Art

 

Cruggleton Castle, Garlieston, Galloway

• Massive 13th century fortalice held by the Comyns, but little of it now remains

(1563 depiction by spies of Queen Elizabeth I)

 (2019 image via Flickr)

 

comyn Clan Castles

• Balvenie Castle, Moray, Scotland - thecastleguide.co.uk/castle/balvenie-castle
• Bedrule Castle, Roxburgh, Scotland - wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedrule_Castle
• Blair Castle, Perth, Scotland - thecastleguide.co.uk/castle/blair-castle-atholl
• Cadzow Castle, Lanark, Scotland - wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadzow_Castle
• Castle Grant, Inverness, Scotland - wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Grant
• Castle Roy, Inverness, Scotland - wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Roy
• Dalswinton Castle (aka Comyn's Castle), Dumfries, Scotland - wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalswinton_Castle
• Delgatie Castle, Aberdeen, Scotland - wikipedia.org/wiki/Delgatie_Castle
• Drum Castle, Aberdeen, Scotland - wikipedia.org/wiki/Drum_Castle
• Dunphail Castle, Moray, Scotland - https://castle-finders.co.uk/Scotland/dunphail-castle.html
• Inverallochy Castle, Aberdeen, Scotland - thecastleguide.co.uk/castle/inverallochy-castle
• Inverlochy Castle (Old Inverlochy Castle), Lochaber, Scotland - wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverlochy_Castle
• Kinedar Castle (King Edward Castle), Aberdeen, Scotland - wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_of_King_Edward
• Kirkintilloch Castle, Strathclyde, Scotland - wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirkintilloch_Castle
• Lochindorb Castle, Inverness, Scotland - https://castle-finders.co.uk/Scotland/lochindorb-castle.html
• Machan Castle (aka Auld Machan, aka Broomhill House), Lanark, Scotland - https://www.stravaiging.com/history/castle/auld-machan-castle/
• Mains Castle, Strathclyde, Scotland - wikipedia.org/wiki/Mains_Castle
• Northallerton Castle, Northumberland, England - wikipedia.org/wiki/Northallerton_Castle
• Pittulie Castle, Aberdeen, Scotland - wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittulie_Castle
• Rait Castle, Nairn, Scotland - wikipedia.org/wiki/Rait_Castle
• Ruthven Barracks, Inverness, Scotland - wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruthven_Barracks
• Slains Castle (Old Slains Castle), Aberdeen, Scotland - wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Slains_Castle
• Swords Castle, Dublin, Ireland - wikipedia.org/wiki/Swords_Castle
• Urquhart Castle, Inverness, Scotland - wikipedia.org/wiki/Urquhart_Castle

As one of the leading castle-building families of Scottish history, the clan are associated with many castles in Scotland, and a couple in England and Ireland.

Comyn Clan Towns

• Cardow, Moray, Scotland
• Cummingstown, Moray, Scotland
• Cuminestown, Aberdeen, Scotland
• Ellon, Aberdeen, Scotland
• Kingussie, Inverness, Scotland
• Peterculter, Aberdeen, Scotland
• Rosehearty, Aberdeen, Scotland
• Turriff, Aberdeen, Scotland
• Saint-Pol-sur-Ternois, Pas-de-Calais, France
• Beauval, Somme, France
• Comines, Nord, France
• Capelle-Fermont, Pas-de-Calais, France