1935 Workers Homes Board Subdivision, Daglish

Statement of Significance

The part of the 1935 Workers’ Homes Board Subdivision bound by Robinson Terrace, Stubbs Terrace & Olga Place, is of cultural heritage significance within the City of Subiaco for the following reasons:
• The early stages of the subdivision and development of Daglish (including the original 1925 subdivision and the subsequent mid 1930s extension to the north-east), and the current form and character of this area, illustrate aspects of the distinctive town planning style known as the Garden Suburb Movement (historic and aesthetic values).
• All of the original houses were constructed in the period 1935 to 1938 and were all built under the Workers’ Homes Board scheme. They form a good representative collection of modest mid 1930s suburban houses, set along two cohesive streetscapes (aesthetic values).
• The area helps to illustrate the major role taken by the Workers’ Homes Board in providing good quality, cost effective housing for workers unable to afford it on their own. While this area represents only a small fraction of the houses built by the Workers’ Homes Board in the period 1912-1938 (which totalled more than 4,500 houses), the suburb of Daglish provided a clearly recognisable and reported focus for their work during the mid-1930s (historic values).
• The area helps to illustrate the application of the Workers’ Homes Board leasehold system (as distinct from its alternative freehold system) (historic values).
• The houses within this area help to illustrate the ‘modern’ approach adopted by the architects in the Workers’ Homes Board drafting office for residential design during the 1930s. This created distinctive streetscapes when compared to the more conventional development within much of the adjacent 1925 Daglish subdivision and displays characteristics that can be clearly recognised as a forerunner to the more austere styles that became popular for suburban housing in the late 1940s and 1950s (historic and aesthetic values).
• The 1935 north-eastern extension of Daglish has a distinctive “sense of place” arising from the design palette developed and used by the Workers’ Homes Board for its houses in the 1930s (social values).
• The success of the 1935 Workers’ Homes Board Subdivision along Robinson & Stubbs Terraces, Daglish, in providing a cohesive domestic neighbourhood which could successfully progress from the basis of leasehold to private ownership is illustrated by the relative stability of the population through the mid-twentieth century (historic values).

Physical Description

This area includes good representative examples of Inter-War Workers’ Homes Board houses, built within a clearly defined area and within a relatively short timeframe (1935 to 1938).
In keeping with the underlying garden suburb theme of the Daglish subdivisions, the road reserves were wide (25m along the main traffic route of Stubbs Terrace and 20m to Robinson Terrace).
Stubbs Terrace has a sealed trafficable roadway of approximately 6m, lined by defined car parking lanes. The 5m wide verges along the north-western side of the street are predominantly grassed and lined by brush box trees (Lophostemon confertous), with a concrete footpath adjacent to the property boundaries. However, at the south-western end of the study area (near the intersection with Olga Place) a wider grassed area has been landscaped with bottlebrush (Callistemon). Along the south-eastern side of Stubbs Terrace the verge and part of the railway reserve have been more heavily landscaped with mixed plantings of trees and shrubs, separating the road and street parking from a shared bicycle-pedestrian pathway.
Robinson Terrace has a sealed roadway of approximately 7m. The wide verges along either side are predominantly grassed and lined by peppermint trees (Agonis flexuosa) (with some secondary mixed planting). A concrete footpath runs adjacent to the front boundaries along the full length of the south-western side of the street.
The majority of the houses do not illustrate any of the Architectural styles set out in A Pictorial Guide to Identifying Australian Architecture. Rather they represent a mid-late inter-war era transition towards a more functional and restrained design of suburban housing, which possibly reflected a response to the Great Depression, as much as the underlying aims of the WHB and changing architectural trends. Except for one house (11 Robinson Avenue), the main facades used simplified forms, detailing and finishes when compared to the widely popular California Bungalow style, which had previously dominated suburban development in Subiaco during the Inter-War era.
These modest houses typically featured distinctive entrance porches (often with subtle detailing inspired by Functionalist, Mediterranean, Free Classical or Spanish Mission styles), bold and simplified face-brick or rendered finishes and detailing, simplified roof forms (hipped or gabled) and hipped or flat window awnings. Where gables were used as a feature these were typically presented as a direct extension of the main facade (smooth rendered or face-brick) with fine scale detailing to gable vents and an absence of the previously ubiquitous timber battens.
The street trees, verge treatments, building scale, massing, materials, setbacks and the Inter-War era architectural styles, provide an overall sense of consistency, while the individual designs and detailing of the houses add a richness and complexity to the urban environment.
While neither of the two primary streetscapes can be described as fully intact, the original character of the suburban development is still clearly recognisable.

History

The area now known as Daglish remained as an undeveloped railway reserve until the mid-1920s. The first part of the suburb was surveyed in 1925 (in the area to the south of what is now Olga Place) and the first land release was developed with houses from 1927.
In the early to mid 1930s, when additional funds were made available for the expansion and development of houses associated with the Workers’ Homes Board (WHB) dedicated areas were allocated at the north-eastern and south-western ends of Daglish (including the area identified here).
During this period the WHB drawing office was working towards achieving cost effective, efficient, and modern designs for modest houses, suitable for the budgets of the working classes. The change in the design of the WHB houses after the Depression years is clearly illustrated in Daglish and represents a mid-late inter-war era transition towards more functional and restrained suburban housing. While the houses erected by the WHB during the 1930s were well-built and varied widely in their fine scale detailing, most had a clearly recognisable underlying architectural character which, at close inspection, distinguishes them from the contemporary privately built houses in the surrounding neighbourhood.
All of the original 25 building blocks within the area bounded by Robinson Terrace, Stubbs Terrace and Olga Place were developed by the Workers’ Homes Board in the period c.1935-1938. Over time a strong sense of stability appears to have developed within this local community, as research has indicated that, of the original families who settled here, 19 (76%) remained for more than 20 years.
The Daglish Workers’ Homes Board Subdivision forms part of the Daglish Precinct Conservation Area which was included in the Local Heritage Survey in 2003.
In June 2017 the City of Subiaco Council considered a proposal to designate the Daglish Workers’ Homes Board Subdivision as a heritage area under the Local Planning Scheme. However, in response to community feedback Council formed the opinion that special planning control was not needed to conserve and enhance the cultural heritage significance and character of the area. Instead, Council resolved to include the Daglish Workers’ Homes Board Subdivision on the Local Heritage Survey noting that inclusion has no statutory effect.

Integrity/Authenticity

High: most of the original houses within this area have undergone some degree of adaptation and/or extension to meet modern living standards (which is to be expected for houses constructed around 80 years ago). Typical changes include rear or side extensions, new fencing, and modification of the front or side setbacks to accommodate cars. However, the original houses (as viewed from the street) have, overall, retained a medium to high level of authenticity.

Condition

Based on the streetscape survey, the buildings in the study area appear to be generally well maintained and in good condition. Within the public realm, the roads, verges and street trees are also generally well maintained.

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.