Springthorpe Memorial

Drawing visitors for over 120 years, the memorial has provided solace to mourners at Boroondara Cemetery. A close collaboration between Springthorpe himself and architect Desbrowe-Annear, the structure takes the form of a Doric order, peristalsis (or peristyle) colonnade, typical of ancient Greek architecture.  Carrara marble sculptures depicting Annie attended by an angel a Grief sit at the centre, while a colourful domed leadlight roof bathes the tomb and floor in ‘a living light’.

As the design – and Springthorpe’s grief – developed, it was imbued with meaning and symbolism drawn from broad sources including metaphysics, the Celtic revival, and above all the triumph of love over death and decay. Springthorpe wrote “it is impossible to place anything there but what is real and lasting, [all else] seems insufficiently permanent.” Despite aspirations for enduring permanence, the statues had been stained by pollution-induced soiling and chemical change, the angel’s wreath and hand had been missing since the 1970s and in 2018 the right wing detached in pieces. Corrosion of the roof’s structural framing, broken individual pieces of glass, and increasing leaking at leadwork joints were causing further decay to the statuary, whose fragility was such that simply re-attaching the fallen parts would result in further damage.

Faced with this physical and symbolic loss and the need for urgent works, the Cemetery Trust employed a conservation approach based on the Burra Charter. Restoration, reconstruction and adaption were necessary, considering not only the memorial’s existing condition but its ability to withstand future climate events, particularly hailstorms. Similarly to the original construction, the conservation works required a team of experts. A combined chemical consolidation and cleaning approach was adopted for the marble, balancing the delicate tasks of cleaning without grain loss, and consolidating without binding dirt, both of which would require far greater future intervention. The result restored the marble’s original appearance while providing a strengthened substrate for reattaching the reconstructed wing using a titanium rod.

The angel’s hand and wreath were reconstructed from early photographs using cast synthetic lithium silicate mortar, providing a better colour match than modern Carrara marble, and reducing stress on the existing fabric. The mold was retained to allow potential future reconstruction of this vulnerable element.

The conservation of the roof acknowledged the inherent unsuitability of leadlight, opting for adaption rather than restoration. A lightweight roof, easily removable and ventilated, was installed above the existing structure, ensuring weatherproofing and retention of the existing glazing without compromising aesthetics. Considering the project’s limited funding from grants and local community donations, this approach also provided the best long-term value to the client.

Responding to existing and future risks of damage, the conservation works have successfully restored Springthorpe Memorial to its original unique design, safeguarding its ability to offer comfort and hope to mourners as Springthorpe had wished.