HOUSE, 32 ARUNDEL STREET

Statement of Significance

House, 32 Arundel Street, is a limestone, brick and iron double storey house dating from 1891. The place has aesthetic value for its contribution to the streetscape and the surrounding area. The place is an example of the Victorian Italianate style of architecture.

Physical Description

House, 32 Arundel Street, is a two storey, limestone, brick and iron house with an asymmetrical facade designed as an example of the Victorian Italianate style of architecture. The walls are limestone with brick quoins. The roof is hipped and clad with corrugated iron. The facade has a projecting front room with a faceted bay with double hung sash windows to each facet to both levels. The verandah has a separate corrugated iron roof and is supported on square timber posts with decorative timber brackets. The first floor has a turned timber balustrade. Weatherboard addition to the side of the house. The house is set below the road level with a sloping driveway and steps to access the ground floor.

History

There are two possible reasons for the naming of Arundel St. Edward George Fitzalan Howard, First Baron Howard of Glossop, 2nd son of the 13th Duke of Norfolk, was MP for Arundel in England from 1853-1868. Howard St joins Arundel St, both possibly named for him. The Surveyor Charles Wedge was employed by the Municipality in 1875. His wife was Frances Bethia (Fanny), nee Wrighte, and her father was Arundel Wrighte, a pioneer of Box Hill, Victoria.
House, 32 Arundel Street was formerly 14 Arundel Street; numbering changed in 1935/36.
House, 32 Arundel Street was built for John Maxwell Ferguson who had a timber merchant business located on the adjacent block facing South Terrace. He had a career in the merchant navy before pursuing business related to the Swan Brewery, an ice works and shipping. He also had interests in timber mills in Cookernup, Yarloop and Wooroloo with offices in Fremantle, Bunbury, Geraldton and Coolgardie. He was the MLA for North Fremantle between 1903 and 1904.
He acquired the land for this house in approximately 1879, built the 8 room residence in 1891 and was resident there until 1901. The architect of the place has not been established.
Subsequent occupants were: Percy Minns (1902) and Mrs M. E. Zipser (1903 – 1910). It then appears that John M Ferguson was resident again in 1911 and then the place was occupied by Richard Gray in 1912 and Godfrey Davies (carrier) in 1913. After that time the place seems to have begun its usage as a lodging house with a variety of occupants and supervisors of the place.
A photograph of the building taken c.1980 shows that the verandah was enclosed with louvers and fibre board cladding. The building named ‘Arundel House’ was used for residential accommodation in furnished rooms at that time.
In 2005, the place was for sale and the photographic evidence provided shows that the material enclosing the verandah had been replaced with corrugated galvanised steel ‘Zincalume’. At this time the property was leased to the University of Notre Dame to provide accommodation for students. Ten individual rooms had been adapted from the former stables located behind the existing house. A communal bathroom, commercial kitchen and laundry had also been recently installed. The building was named ‘Norfolk House’ at this time.
In June 2006, the City of Fremantle received an application from the owners to undertake external alterations to the original building and to demolish the outbuildings at the rear of the block. The buildings to be demolished were a former laundry and eleven cubical rooms that provided accommodation. The external works were to consist of removing the ‘Zincalume’ cladding on the verandah and replace it with weatherboards and also remove the cladding from the original balustrading. The application was supported in 2006.

Integrity/Authenticity

High degree of integrity (original intent clear, current use compatible, high long term sustainability).
High degree of authenticity with much original fabric remaining.
(These statements based on street survey only).

Condition

Condition assessed as good (assessed from streetscape survey only).

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This data is provided by the City of Fremantle. While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of this data, the City of Fremantle makes no representations or warranties about its accuracy, reliability, completeness or suitability for any particular purpose and disclaims all responsibility and all liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages (including indirect or consequential damage) and costs which you might incur as a result of the data being inaccurate or incomplete in any way and for any reason. Under no circumstances should this data be used to carry out any work without first contacting the City of Fremantle for the appropriate confirmation and approval.