Chamber 10 - Crofton

Written By Gareth M.

Chamber 10 - Crofton, was one of the more complicated chambers. A long wide space, which also included a walkway.

1993; before the renovations. Looking towards what would become the lay-by room. (Photo: 1993-03)

It was immediately to the right of the Front Counter when entering the Packing House, and had space against the walls with Chamber 9 and Chamber 8 to the left and Chamber 12 and 13 to the right (an entrance into Chamber 13 was also from this area). Additionally the chamber led to a stepped entrance to Chambers 14 and 15.

And most importantly it also was the main path people would walk to get to the central walkway that visitors used to get to the bulk of the chambers, and Chamber 27 - Golden Delicious which contained the café and the toilets.

One of more notable features of this area, at least in the early era of the Packing House before the installation of the ducted heating systems that were installed in 2007 was that this was the location a single large heater duct, the heater was located just beside this area, and blew air along this space. It made it one of the warmer places to be in the winter. Gerard Martland would often be found standing here during the cooler months. There remains a blank piece of plyboard on the wall that covered up the hole where this heater vent was located. 

Next to this hole was also the entrance to the lay-by room and what might optimistically be called the Packing House's staff room. It contained a sink, a fridge, microwave and kettle. Tea bags, instant coffee and sugar were provided by management from the mid-1990s through to 2021 when COVID concerns ended this engagement.

Looking ahead along this area from the front entrance, (in the corner an area between the lay-by room wall and Chamber 11 wall) this was utilised from 1993 to 2001 by Dollshouse Antiques, a dealer who sold jewellery and dolls house-based wares was in place for a few years following the opening of the Packing House.

Chamber 10 from within the lay-by room in 2021-10-12

In 2001 this area became the Packing House's computer room when it gained a website, this small room continued to be utilised for the Packing House's website through to December 2021 when new owners Morgan & Griffin instructed the website be shut down. Following this the room became used for maintenance-related storage.

Immediately around the corner from the front counter were cabinets, these were part of Sheila Martland's area and were in place from 1993 through to 2021. They were removed in February 2022 when she ceased trading at the Packing House.

Opposite this space next to the opening to the central corridor and the entrance to Chamber  11 - Five Crown was for a number of years in the 1990s a chocolate counter, trading for a time as "Be Tempted". This was removed in 2000.

In September 2012 Rosedale Interiors moved to this space when Rustic Charm moved into the lower end of this chamber, Rosedale Interiors ceased trading in mid-2015. This area was renovated slightly, recovering the flooring and was utilised by Sheila Martland to display garden-related items in June 2015.

Further along Chamber 10 nearest to the emergency exit door onto Peacock Road, through the first one or two years of opening Tyabb Packing House Antiques 1993 to 1994; this chamber space was used to showcase the history of the Packing House building, with trolleys that had been in use when the building operated as a coolstore on display alongside packing labels, signage, stencils, and other items that had been found in the building during its renovation. These were all alongside some large apple crates – full of apples for people to select and eat for themselves.

Along this area between the entrances to Chamber 13 - William and Chamber 12 - Snow for a time Sheila Martland had a display of various antique clothing.

In the later 1990s two jewellery counters were added in the middle area of this space nearest to the entrance to Chambers 9 and 12, operated by Jean Funston. These two jewellery counters were later moved to one side, the wall shared with Chamber 9. Later these jewellery counters were taken on by Susan Hogan Jewellery they focused on estate and antique jewellery, they were in this space until March 2016.

(Photo: 1995)

In the mid-2000s, directly opposite the jewellery counter, beside the entrance to Chamber 12 - Snow, T. Briggs occupied this space, a dealer of country and cottage-style furniture along with small decorative household items. While this was the smallest of spaces at the Packing House it seemed to always attract people interested in a decently priced interesting item. T. Briggs was in this space from the early 2000s through to early 2022 when changes made by new owners Morgan & Griffin to how sales were processed at the front counter meant their business was unviable at the Packing House.

Continuing along Chamber 10 was originally held by by Galante Antiques until the mid-2000s, at which time Tom & Jan Hearn Antiques took on this space. They remained in this space through until September 2012 when they moved to Chamber 11 - Five Crown.

On the opposite side of the chamber along the wall of Chamber 13 was Rosedale Interiors who had been at the Packing House from the early 2000s, in September 2012 when Rustic Charm moved into the Peacock Road end of this chamber they moved to the wall alongside Chamber 11 - Five Crown, they ceased trading in mid-2015.

In September 2012 Rustic Charm (also known as Rustica), moved to this space (they had occupied Chamber 19 - Packham). They sold rustic imported furniture, they continued to trade from this space until early-2016.

When this move occurred the carpet in this chamber was removed, revealing the original painted numbers on the wood floor for the first time in about 10 years. Carpet was re-laid in 2017.

In early-2016 Antique By Design, who specialised in Hollywood-era design, decorator and vintage designer pieces occupied Chamber 10 - Crofton for a short time until Chamber 19 - Packham became available later in late-September 2016 when French Heritage Antiques ended their short tenure at the Packing House.

Upon Antique By Design moving to Chamber 19, Paisley Collectables which had occupied Chamber 16 - Beurre Bosc moved to occupy Chamber 10 in early-October 2016.

In mid-2021 the chamber opening between this chamber and Chamber 13 - William was blocked up allowing Silver Screen and Paisley Collectables more space, albeit at the cost of access to these two chambers.

Paisley Collectables remained at the Packing House until November 2021 when they moved on, opening a store in Hastings.

Following this dealer vacating, Chamber 10 remained empty for a the remainder of 2021 and several months into 2022. In mid-2022 the space began to be utilised by several dealers in neighbouring chambers to showcase some items of stock while the space was also advertised for rent by Morgan & Griffin.

By January 2023 the space had been emptied, then in later 2023 The Guild Gallery, who had initially set up a pop-up shop in Chamber 24 - Bartletts in early-2023 moved from there into this space. 

Note: Images have dates written in YEAR-MONTH-DAY format, as there is a mix of mediums of images with some having more exact dates than others. 

More information

  • This chamber was contained by two emergency fire doors which, during a fire emergency would close sealing Chamber 1 - Tycos and Chamber 9 - Jonathon off from this chamber.

  • The opening into Chamber 12 - Snow was the most frequented path by visitors as it was the path taken to go through along the central path to head to the toilets located in Chamber 27 - Golden Delicious.

  • Several angles of this chamber was featured on the Nine Network tourism show “Postcards” in 2007.

  • This chamber appeared on "Coxy's Big Break" - Season 7, Episode 19 - Yarra and Maribynong first broadcast: 20 June 2009 on Seven. It featured Greg Chilvers of Antiques and Old Lace (and Silver Screen) located in Chamber 12 - Snow and Chamber 13 - William, he featured in a skit involving a dress that the presenter dons while at the Packing House.

  • This chamber featured in episode 5 ‘Pascoe Vale’ of “Deadline Design with Shaynna Blaze” with Shayna Blaze visiting the Packing House.

External links

Other obscurities

Front Counter | Front office | Lay-by room | Internal phone system | Fire and emergency systems | Power, Heating and Cooling

Gareth M.
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