Summary
Plaque for the Colonial Mutual Life (CML) Assurance Society Limited used from about 1935 until the demolition of the CML Building in 1960. The plaque was transferred to the Museum by the Commonwealth Bank (who purchased CML) when the Bank's Archives were being moved to Sydney.
The CML Building was one of the landmarks of late nineteenth century Melbourne. It was occupied by the Equitable Company from its opening in 1896 until 1923, when it was sold to the Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society Limited for a price of £280,000, less than half the building's total build cost. Despite its status however, by the late 1950s the building was becoming uneconomic. While structurally solid, its very lavishness was its doom. Experts, including the National Trust, were consulted but, despite the building's grandeur and opulence, it was not considered worthy of preservation. In 1959, CML's call for tenders for demolition was won by Whelan the Wrecker; by the end of 1960 the building had gone.
Physical Description
Metal plaque
More Information
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Collection Names
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Donation from Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), 30 Mar 2001
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Place & Date Used
Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society Limited, Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, circa 1935 - 1960
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Inscriptions
Text: THE/COLONIAL MUTUAL LIFE/ASSURANCE SOCIETY LIMITED/ ESTABLISHED 1873/DIRECTORS.
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Brand Names
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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overall dimensions
113 cm (Length), 12 cm (Width), 100.5 cm (Height)
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Overall Dimensions
995 mm (Width), 110 mm (Depth), 1260 mm (Height)
Measured during the Framed Works Conservation Survey (see Event number 1325)
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Keywords
Building Fittings, Building Materials, Banking Industry, Insurance Industry
