45 And 45A, Frederick Street

This building is a manufactory, originally a detached house dating to the early 19th century. It was remodelled and extended in 1882 to become a jewellery works for Robinson and McKewan, with further alterations in the mid-20th century, designed by Ewan Harper, architect for Robinson and McKewan. The building is constructed of red brick with ashlar stone dressings, blue brick and terracotta detailing, end brick stacks, and a slate roof.

The building has an elongated L-shaped plan, with a remodelled east-facing frontage to the earlier house, and parallel ranges of two-storey workshops extending westwards at the rear. The front elevation is two storeys and has a seven-window range (2:3:2). A shallow blue brick plinth is visible, with the left side of the ground floor hidden by a timber lean-to attached to the adjacent building at No. 46. A central doorway features a moulded brick surround beneath a shallow segmental arch with a fluted keyblock. Double bolection-moulded panelled doors are set below rectangular overlights. The bays are delineated by shallow brick pilasters with double string courses, forming storey bands, and terracotta panels are set between them. The doorway is flanked by three windows on each side, with paired openings in the outer bays. The first-floor windows have surrounds matching that of the doorway, with tall, two-light transomed frames. The window above the doorway is wider than the flanking windows. An ashlar panel set between moulded strings forms a storey band above the doorway, with incised lettering reading "ROBINSON AND MCKEWAN". A similar, shorter panel above the first-floor centre bay reads "MANUFACTURING JEWELLERS". A shallow brick parapet is topped with moulded brick panels, ashlar coping, and remnants of finials to the ends. The rear workshop ranges are two storeys, with the north-facing range featuring 12 bays and cast-iron multi-pane frames on chamfered blue brick cills and multi-flue stacks running parallel to the ridge line.

The site originally contained a larger house with considerable grounds, which were sub-divided in the late 1870s. Trade directories from 1860 indicate the house was in private ownership; by 1875 it was the address of Nathan Henry, a wholesale jeweller. The building joins in a group with No. 46 Frederick Street.