Lift shaft and winding mechanism to the rear of 40 to 41 White Rock

The building is a former carriage lift shaft and winding mechanism located at the rear of 40 to 41 White Rock, constructed between 1875 and 1899 for Rock and Sons Carriage Manufacturers.

It is made of red brick below a rendered surface and has a slate roof. The carriage shaft has access from the south side at ground floor level and from the north side onto St James Place, reaching the top storey.

The exterior features a rectangular structure that rises three storeys. The lower section is built of brick laid in English bond, while the middle and upper sections are rendered. The middle section has a flat finish, and the upper section is scored to imitate ashlar and flares at the base to direct rainwater away. The roof is hipped.

At the base of the shaft on the south side, there are timber double doors, with a corresponding set at the upper level facing north. A later 20th-century metal staircase is attached to the east elevation, descending from St Michael’s Place to a 20th-century timber door.

Inside, the building retains machinery, including a cast iron winding gear on the upper storey, which consists of two eight-spoke, 1.2-meter diameter cast iron gear wheels, a cranking shaft, and a 0.6-meter diameter brake wheel. A timber staircase beneath this upper level leads down to the rear area of 40 and 41 White Rock.