Holyman House is an iconic Art Deco building in the central business district of Launceston, Tasmania, Australia.
The building was designed by H. S. East[1] and Roy Sharrington Smith architects,[2][3] of Launceston,[4] with Clive Steele, of Melbourne, as consulting engineer.[5][6][7]
The building was built in 1936[8] to house the various branches of Holymans shipping[9] and aviation interests as well as an automobile showroom for Holyman's automotive division.[10][11][12]
The building was designed to reflect the bold futuristic vision of the Holyman Company with the sleek curves, neon-lit spire and modern steel frame construction. Holyman House was most infamously the headquarters of Australian National Airways, an evolution of Holyman's Airways.[13]
After the fall of the Holyman's empire in the 1950s, it was sold to Ansett Australia and eventually divided into office spaces. Holyman House now houses a travel centre on the ground level corner allotment where the flight lounge used to be.
Main entrance into with original red granite and chrome lettering. Door itself replaced in the late 1900s.Main stairwell on level 2 showing the streamlined Art Deco design
References
^"Obituary". The Advocate (Australia). Tasmania, Australia. 20 October 1947. p. 2. Retrieved 23 November 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
^Obituary regarding earlier member of family and shipping leader "Obituary". Daily Telegraph. Vol. XXXIX, no. 198. Tasmania, Australia. 20 August 1919. p. 6. Retrieved 23 November 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Fine New Building". The Examiner (Tasmania). Vol. XCV, no. 257. Tasmania, Australia. 9 January 1937. p. 8 (Daily). Retrieved 23 November 2023 – via National Library of Australia.