Haigh Mansions flats at Adelaide's Henley Beach an uncommon first in 1920s for modern way of living for middle class
South Australian state heritage listed in 2024, Haigh Mansions, built in 1921 on the Esplanade at Adelaide’s Henley Beach, wwere an uncommon example of a new modern way of living for the middle class between the first and second world wars, introducing elements widely emulated in later purpose-built flats.
Haigh Mansions, built in 1921 on the Esplanade at Adelaide’s Henley Beach, were South Australia state heritage listed in 2024 as the earliest surviving example of the purpose-built flats that began to reshape the city’s suburbs after World War I.
Unlike Ruthven Mansions, built for a wealthy English developer, in Pulteney Street, Adelaide city, Haigh Mansions was for a middle-class South Australian businessman: Alfred Haigh of chocolate-making fame.
Haigh Mansions was an uncommon example of a new modern way of living for the middle class, introducing elements widely emulated in later purpose-built flats, including two two-storey wing, for four flats each, separated by a light well that improved natural light and ventilation. Another feature was the external reinforced concrete staircases.
Haigh Mansions, built in 1921 on the Esplanade at Adelaide’s Henley Beach, were South Australia state heritage listed in 2024 as the earliest surviving example of the purpose-built flats that began to reshape the city’s suburbs after World War I.
Unlike Ruthven Mansions, built for a wealthy English developer, in Pulteney Street, Adelaide city, Haigh Mansions was for a middle-class South Australian businessman: Alfred Haigh of chocolate-making fame.
Haigh Mansions was an uncommon example of a new modern way of living for the middle class, introducing elements widely emulated in later purpose-built flats, including two two-storey wing, for four flats each, separated by a light well that improved natural light and ventilation. Another feature was the external reinforced concrete staircases.
Haigh Mansions, built in 1921 on the Esplanade at Adelaide’s Henley Beach, were South Australia state heritage listed in 2024 as the earliest surviving example of the purpose-built flats that began to reshape the city’s suburbs after World War I.
Unlike Ruthven Mansions, built for a wealthy English developer, in Pulteney Street, Adelaide city, Haigh Mansions was for a middle-class South Australian businessman: Alfred Haigh of chocolate-making fame.
Haigh Mansions was an uncommon example of a new modern way of living for the middle class, introducing elements widely emulated in later purpose-built flats, including two two-storey wing, for four flats each, separated by a light well that improved natural light and ventilation. Another feature was the external reinforced concrete staircases. Similar external walk-up staircases appeared in later flats such as Stirling (1938) in Saltram Road, Glenelg, and Pennsylvania in Weewanda Street, Glenelg South.
By 1920, Allotment 94, reportedly one of a few remaining vacant blocks along the Henley Beach Esplanade, was bought by Alfred Haigh for £1,300. A family story was that the Henley Beach site was chosen over Somerton Park on the toss of a coin but the close-by railway link to Adelaide also played a role in Haigh’s decision. Besides Haigh Mansions' eight flats, Haigh also has an adjoining five-roomed bungalow built to its south. Haigh Mansions was built by Harry Fawcett at a cost of £4,000. Alfred Haigh also built several private bathing houses in front of the flats, on the beach.
As built in 1921, the façade of Haigh Mansions, looking to Gulf St Vincent, had squared rock-face sandstone with brick quoins, characteristics of the Californian bungalow style. Haigh Mansions and tha neighbouring house may have been designed for Alfred Haigh by Adelaide architect F. W. Hocart, who did two other Adelaide city buildings for Haigh – Haigh’s Buildings at 41 Rundle Street (completed 1923) and the five-storey Haigh’s Buildings on Featherstone Place (completed 1927, later demolished). Haigh’s Buildings also was built by Harry Fawcett.
Alfred Haigh lived in the Esplanade house next door while letting out the fully-furnished Haigh Mansions flats. An early tenant was Owen Worthley, a younger brother of Frederick (Fred) Irwin Worthley, the “shady but visionary” Torrensville businessman who later commissioned Everard Court (flats) in 1939.
Alfred Haigh also “regularly” offered the Haigh Mansions flats to family and friends \during the early 1930s, After Haigh died in 1933, Haigh Mansions was left to his widow Eliza Ann (Lettie) who later married Jack Fawcett, a brother of builder Harry Fawcett, and lived at Haigh Mansions until she was unable to care for herself.
The family sold Haigh Mansions and the neighbouring bungalow in 1950. Some time before 1953, the façade of Haigh Mansions was flush-rendered, most likely when the original sandstone deteriorated in the marine environment of Henley Beach foreshore. The upstairs balconies were roofed and enclosed, probably to serve as small sleepouts.
Due to the halt imposed on construction by World War II, purpose-built interwar flats were uncommon in South Australia, with only 50 known developments between 1912 and 1942. By 2024, only 35 were known to remain, with Haigh Mansions the earliest surviving example and one of only a few that remaining highly intact as an uncommon example.
