HOUSE, 8 CORKHILL STREET

Parent Place or Precinct

05868 Five Houses

Statement of Significance

House, 8 Corkhill Street, is a substantially altered limestone, weatherboard and iron double storey cottage dating from the 1910s. The place has some aesthetic value for its contribution to the streetscape and the surrounding area. It was representative of the typical building stock located within the residential areas of North Fremantle. Historically significant as a representation of a modified workers' houses in the North Fremantle area. The place is a late heavily modified example of the Victorian Georgian style of architecture.

Physical Description

House, 8 Corkhill Street is a two storey limestone, weatherboard and iron cottage with a symmetrical ground floor facade. The ground floor of the house of limestone construction, dating from c.1898. Upper portion was built in 1970s in an unsympathetic manner. The upper level is timber framed weatherboard clad. Roof is hipped corrugated iron with the balcony roof separate. There is a high brick wall to front boundary.

History

Corkhill Street was originally gazetted as Elizabeth Street, with the name change occurring in the 1930s. The majority of the street north of Harvest Road has no facing lots. It runs along the side boundaries of properties facing the perpendicular streets and was not included in early surveys for the area. A 1904 plan shows only one house in the street between John Street and Harvest Road, but by about the end of the decade, the entire west side of the street in this section was occupied by residences. The east side of the street, where the land backs onto the river and Point Direction, was the site of Browns Shipyards in this period. A.E. Brown had a large Federation-style residence at 1 Elizabeth Street (corner of John Street), which was later demolished, and used the grounds of this house as a holiday camp for disadvantaged children. Rate books of the 1920s and 1930s suggest that a number of the Corkhill Street houses were primarily rented out rather than being occupied by their owners. The land bounded by Harvest Road, Corkhill and John Streets was entirely taken up with sheds and shipyards for most of the twentieth century, with occupants including Northwest Whaling Company, Bradfords Insulation (1954 to 1970s), Precision Marine (late 1970s), and the Public Works Department. During World War Two these shipyards were used for the construction of timber vessels for the Australian Navy. No evidence of the shipyards now remains, as the area was subdivided in the late 1990s and redeveloped as a high density residential area.

House, 8 Corkhill Street appears on a 1904 Water Supply plan as the only building in this block of Corkhill Street. It is likely that it had been recently constructed at the time of this plan, and that the house at 6 Corkhill Street was constructed very soon after it, making the two together the original houses on the street. Post Office Directories are unclear as to the occupation of 8 Corkhill Street, and it appears that, for at least a decade there was a steady turn over of occupants. From 1914 to 1920 the place was occupied by John J Quelch. He was followed by John Joseph Clarke, who appears to have resided at the place until at least 1930, while owners during his tenancy changed, including Lydia Duffield (early 1920s) and Annie Emma Austin (1930).


This place was included in the 'North Fremantle Heritage Study' (1994) as a place contributing to the development and heritage of North Fremantle. It was also included in the list of heritage places in the City of Fremantle identified by the Fremantle Society (1979/80) - BROWN -significant for making a positive contribution to the built environment of Fremantle.

Integrity/Authenticity

Low to Moderate degree of integrity (original intent unclear, current use compatible, high long term sustainability, much loss of fabric and previous unsympathetic alterations).
Low to Moderate degree of authenticity with basic original fabric remaining.Much loss of fabric.
(These statements based on street survey only).

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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Last Update

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