House

Statement of Significance

The house at 92 Vincent Street is a example of a Federation Bungalow style which also has elements of Arts and Crafts influence, indicating the start of the transition in styles between the Federation and Interwar periods. The dwelling was built for Reverend William Barnet Blakemore who was an American pastor at the Church of Christ in Lake Street which has been since demolished.

Physical Description

A single storey detached cottage with a hipped roof with a crippled extension to form a verandah on two sides. The verandah is supported by turned posts and has a decorative timber valance. The central location of the vermiculated chimney in front of the gable shows an Arts and Crafts influence. Garden setback behind high timber fence None apparent

History

The subject place is located along Vincent Street directly opposite Hyde Park. Hyde Park was once known as the Third Swamp, which was part of a string of lakes and swamplands that covered an extensive area north of Perth. Prior to and during the early part of European Settlement Hyde Park and its immediate surrounds was an indigenous camping ground. The Swamp was an important source of water and its fertile soil supported a variety of plant foods and attracted wildlife. Europeans were attracted to the Third Swamp for the same reasons however, whilst the land was fertile, it was difficult to settle due to seasonal flooding and its steep and deep topographical surroundings. The Swamp became a duck shooting resort for Europeans, and as late as 1888, drovers used the places as a camp when bringing sheep to Perth. In the 1890s the Lands Department gave permissions to the Perth City Council to allow camping on the Third Swamp in order to accommodate the huge influx of people who had travelled to Western Australia as a result of the Gold Rush. From 1897, the wealth generated by the Gold Rush began to be seen in Perth as buildings and services were constructed. Money was provided to construct a 17 mile tramway network the majority of which was north of the railway line in Perth's northern suburbs. The tramline of which one ran from Charles Street to Vincent Street encouraged residential development. In 1897 the Third Swamp was gazetted as a Public Reserve for the purposes of Public Gardens. This coincides with the influence of town and social planning ideals from overseas, increased prosperity and a civic desire to emulate the more established cities of other countries, all of which encouraged the development of public parks, gardens and recreation reserves close to the city. Vincent Street was named after Mr George Vincent, Chief Draftsman in the Lands Department, the original grantee of the land on the north side of this street, to the east of Charles Street, who named the street for himself on the issue of the grant circa 1876. The street once formed part of the Hyde Park Heights Estate, with the eastern end also called the Tramways Estate. A survey of the Wises Post Office Directories and the PWD Sewerage Plans show that by 1914 there were six houses listed between Clifton and Norfolk Streets and No. 92 was one of them. The subject dwelling was built for Reverend William Barnet Blakemore who was an American pastor at the Church of Christ in Lake Street which has been since demolished. Rev Blakemore was listed at the dwelling from 1914 until 1917. He returned to the USA and his son became a prominent theologian there. The Wises Post Office Directories show that from 1920 until the early 1930s Mr Henry Phillips resided at the subject dwelling. In 1926 a Building Licence was issued to Mr Phillips indicating that he also owned the property during this time. The Wises Post Office Directories indicate that there was a relatively high turn over of occupancy in the latter part of the 1930s. In 1940 Mrs Florence Kirby took up residency and remained at the dwelling until at least 1949. In 1972 a Building Licence was issued to a Mr Morgan for the construction of a verandah and a laundry.

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Intact

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