Rooftops, Parapets and Facades - No. 2

Here are two interesting parapets from around Townsville.

Former Greenfields building
At times I have worked in an office right across the street from this building and I often wondered what the symbol on the parapet stood for.  Research revealed the symbol represents the letters - A, P and G, for Albert Percival Greenfield. 

The parapet on the former Greenfields building, Flinders Street, 2013. Photo: Trisha Fielding.

Greenfield was a self-trained optician who had opened his first practice in Brisbane in 1897. His son, Percival W. Greenfield, trained formally in London and on returning to Queensland, was one of Australia’s highest qualified optometrists. The practice opened in Flinders Street around 1915. I suspect the building may have originally been the London Bank, but I'm happy to be corrected on this if I'm wrong.  It's now home to long-term jewellers Pat Molloy.

Former Greenfields Building, 2013. Photo:  Trisha Fielding.

Advertisement for A.P. Greenfield & Co. Photo: State Library of Queensland.

 The former Samuel Allen & Sons building, which is now home to Hog's Breath Café, in Flinders Street East, has a stunning parapet.

Former Samuel Allen & Sons building, Flinders Street East. Photo:  Trisha Fielding.

This information on the building is from the city council's Local Heritage Database:

This building was erected in 1881 as a store/warehouse, with additions in 1911.

The building was constructed for Samuel Allen and Sons, which was established in 1872 as merchants and agents. The firm was closely associated with the development of Townsville as the principle commercial centre in north Queensland. Samuel Allen and Co acquired an allotment in Flinders Street East at the centre of the town's commercial and mercantile activities and erected a single storey building in 1881. In 1887 Samuel Allen and Sons advertised their business as "contract carriers, forwarding, shipping, insurance, Customs House, and Commission Agents, Produce and General Brokers". By this time, the firm had established four branches in north Queensland.

Due to expansion in the business, a second storey was added in 1911 to the Flinders Street building. The façade treatment of the 1911 addition contrasted with the more traditional classical themes of the neighbouring buildings in Flinders Street. Face brick was predominant with rendered bands. The parapet was distinguished by four flat caps supported by a series for small brackets.