Duplex House, 69A Olive St, Subiaco

Parent Place or Precinct

27310 Park Street Heritage Area

Statement of Significance

For information on the significance of the Park Street Heritage Area refer to the Local Planning Policy for the Heritage Area.

Physical Description

Note: Views to the front façade are limited by the high courtyard walls and garden plantings. The following is based on views to each entry area and glimpses of the upper walls.
Architectural style
This semi-detached house was designed in the Inter-War California Bungalow style, with the detailing of roofline presenting as a single dwelling.
Plan form at the street frontage
• Asymmetrical façade, with different designs to the facades of each of the co-joined houses.
Roof form and materials
• Gable-hipped roof clad with terracotta tiles.
• Prominent, smooth rendered gable extending across the full width of the two houses. This features contrasting brick edging to the gable line and a contrasting, autumn-toned brick panel at the centre.
• Half-hipped verandah roof over the front porch of #69A, with smooth render and robust timber battens to the face of the gable. This extends as a simple raked roof across the front of #69, returning along the northern side as a raked roofed entry verandah.
Wall materials and finishes to the main facade
• Autumn-toned face-brick skirt (now at least partly painted to #69).
• Smooth rendered walls above the face-brick skirt.
Other detailing to main facade
• The entrance to each house is located at the end of a separate side setback that forms an individual verandah/porch. Each house has a simple doorway with no highlights or sidelights.
• Pair of stepped, rendered masonry piers to the gabled porch to #69A (consistent with the California Bungalow design). Single turned timber post to the corner of the verandah to #69.
• Glimpses to the front wall of #69 suggests that French door open onto the enclosed courtyard. The detailing of the opening to the front wall of #69 is concealed from view.
Streetscape setting
• House set back approximately 4.m from the Olive Street frontage.
• The block occupied by 69-69A Olive Street is approximately 12m wide, divided into two equal halves to accommodate the semi-detached houses.
• Each house has a narrow side setback of about 500-600mm at the outer boundaries of the lot.
• Front yards enclosed by a high, painted brick courtyard walls.

History

Subiaco's population increased significantly in the 1890s due to an economic depression in the eastern states and the discovery of gold in Western Australia. During the 1890s property developers bought large landholdings for subdivision in the Perth metropolitan area. The original subdivisions in Subiaco were generally simple grid pattern developments with small lots suitable for occupancy by working families. However, the more elevated parts of the suburb, particularly towards Kings Park, also attracted business and professional men and some lots were later amalgamated to accommodate their larger homes and gardens. Mixed development occurred and within the Park Street Heritage Area this ranged from narrow, single storey terrace housing through to a large 2-storey house set in spacious grounds. The readily available evidence indicates that the number of houses within this area increased from around 24 in 1901 to 72 in 1906; 86 in 1910; 91 in 1915, 94 in 1920 and 13 by 1925. Development then stabilised, with 106 houses and 1 block of flats identified in 1949.
Perth Suburban Lots 218 and 219 were subdivided as Deposited Plan 214 in the early 1890s. This comprised 52 lots, including 24 lots with frontages to Ivy Street, which extended between Barker and Bagot Roads (renamed as part of Olive Street in c.1901). 69-69A Olive Street originally formed part of the grounds for the brick villa at 67 Olive Street. The property was offered for sale by the executors of the deceased estate of Herbert Owen Coppin in April 1937, at which time the grounds on the southern side of the house were noted as being suitable for a tennis court or new building.
The semi-detached house at 69-69A Olive Street was first listed in the Post Office Directories in 1939 (when it was described as vacant). The first known occupants of #69A were Ronald Herbert Lawn (clerk) and his wife, Leonie Beatrice (nee Burlinson), who were married in 1937. Ronald was serving as a Flight Sergeant with the RAAF when he was reported killed on active service in 1944. Leonie remained at 69A Olive Street until around the time of her marriage to Norman Johnson in c.1948.
An analysis of a historical Metropolitan Sewerage Plan (dated 1927, updated 1955) and historical aerial photographs indicates that some additions have been undertaken at the rear (including a new building on the rear boundary), but that the general footprint of the house has remained largely unchanged since the mid-twentieth century.

Integrity/Authenticity

Medium to High: Limited glimpses of the main façade suggest that it has retained much of its original detailing and finishes. However, the presentation to the street has been diminished by the construction of high courtyard walls, enclosing both front gardens.

Condition

Based on a streetscape inspection the building appears to be in a good condition.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.