House

Statement of Significance

’Monomeith’ is a notable, fine and singular example of the Federation Queen Anne style, which retains a high level of integrity. It has close associations with H Milner, real estate and financial agent, and was part of a group of handsome residences, for notable business people at the time of their development.

Physical Description

A large single storey residence with a complex roof form. The main roof has a gambrel roof form. The street façade has a projecting bay window with a gable over. The side façade has a projecting room with a large arched window and gable above. The corner is marked by an octabonal tower, capped with a finial. The separate skillion verandah is truncated at the corner and is supported on slender doric columns. It runs the full width of the front façade and returns to terminate against the projecting gable room on the side façade. This junction gives emphasis to the entry located at the end of the side verandah. Walls are of face brickwork, tuck pointed, with stucco bands at sill and door head height, following the line of arched window heads. This elegant and energetic design is complemented by its front picket fence. Lawn and garden setback behind a scalloped open picket front fence. None apparent

History

The subject place, on the east side of William Street between Chelmsford and Grosvenor Roads, was constructed in 1904. William Street was formerly known as Clifton Street before 1916. The Wise's Post Office Directories first list the subject place at Clifton Street in 1905, with the proprietor Henry Milner, founder of Milner & Company, House, Land and Financial Agents, however no street number was allocated. In 1907, Henry Milner is listed with the title F.F.I.A. and J.P. (Milner & Co.) and the house was named 'Monomeith'. Next year, John G. Milner is listed as the occupant (F.F.I.A. and J. P., Milner & Co.). Street number 10 was allocated to the subject dwelling in 1909. In 1916, Clifton Street changed its name to William Street and the subject dwelling is listed as No. 10 William Street, North Perth. In the following year, the subject place is listed as No. 544 William Street as it is nowadays. John G. Milner remained in residency until 1947 when John G. Brown is listed as the occupant. John G. Brown stayed at the subject place until at least 1949 when the publication of the Directories ceased. In the early twentieth century, No. 12 Clifton Street (now No. 546 William Street), the dwelling to the immediate north of the subject place, was occupied by Alex D. Cameron, of architectural firm Wright, Powell & Company, the firm in which he was later a partner in various combinations with Powell, Chisholm and Nicholl. No. 16 Clifton Street (now No. 552 William Street), the third door up to the north of the subject place, was occupied by Albany Bell, owner of a chain of tearooms and a factory building at Maylands. The house at No. 552 had an almost identical footprint to No. 544. The occupants of these three residences, and the size and design of the buildings, indicate the upper middle class status of the area at this time. A Metropolitan Water Supply Sewerage & Drainage Department (MWSSD) Plan dated 1917 shows that the subject dwelling has a verandah wrapped around the south west protruding corner, with a stable and wind mill located at the rear of the dwelling. In 1982, an application to establish a child care centre at the subject site was submitted to the City of Perth however the application was withdrawn by the applicant. In 1983, an application for six double storey residential units on the site was approved. The development did not proceed. In 1985, an application was approved by the City of Perth to utilize the existing dwelling as a chiropractic clinic. On 18 December 1995, an application to construct an extension to an existing consulting room was approved by the Town of Vincent subject to conditions. The two-storey addition were later built to the rear of the existing building which accommodated four units, a double garage and a paved court. The remarkable octagonal tower at the corner of the original building, with a skillion verandah truncated at the corner, was replicated at the new addition.

Integrity/Authenticity

High

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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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.