DUPLEX, 17 ARUNDEL STREET

Statement of Significance

Duplex, 17-19 Arundel Street, is a typical masonry and iron single storey duplex pair dating from c1885. The place has aesthetic value for its contribution to the streetscape and the surrounding area. It is representative of the typical workers' houses in the Fremantle area. The place is an example of the Victorian Georgian style of architecture.

Physical Description

Duplex, 17-19 Arundel Street is a single storey rendered masonry and iron duplex pair with an asymmetrical facade designed as an example of the Victorian Georgian style of architecture. Probably built at separate times, the duplex pair is attached and has a verandah which extends along the front of both cottages. The walls are rendered masonry. The roof is hipped and clad with corrugated iron. The front verandah is under a separate corrugated iron roof supported by columns on rendered masonry piers with a half height rendered masonry wall between the piers. There is a low level rendered masonry and iron wall to the front boundary line. Each duplex half has a brick corbeled chimney. Two additional residences have been constructed at the rear of Nos. 17 & 19.

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.
17 Arundel Street was formerly 31 Arundel Street; numbering changed in 1935/36.
17 Arundel Street is on lot 576, which was originally split between two owners, as was the lot located south (Lot 577) which has no street frontage. It is not possible to determine the exact date of construction of this cottage, as the rates book records from this period, relating to these two lots, is not precise enough to enable surety.
It is known that by 1880 (the earliest rate book records) two cottages were present and occupied by the owners William Agnew a tailor, and R Cooper a carpenter on lot 576 at the present day (2007) 11, 13, 15, 17 or 19 Arundel Street. In 1884/5 the lots were transferred to Captain (Alfred or Carl) Rickers and William Owston Jnr. They occupied the existing cottages. Because Captain Rickers is later demonstrated to have been living in 19 Arundel Street it is speculated that this cottage was one of the original two on the site prior to 1880 although further research is needed to confirm this. (It is known that 17 and 19 Arundel Streets were constructed at different times.)
William Owston transferred his half of the two lots to Captain Edward Bolt in 1887.
By 1890, buildings on the two lots consisted of a shop and two rooms at the rear of the present day 11 Arundel Street; a cottage of four rooms facing Arundel Street occupied by Captain Bolt and a dwelling house occupied by Captain Rickers facing Arundel Street.
Captain Bolt died in 1894 as the result of a shipping accident and his widow Hannah married the former owner of the property, William Owston, in 1895. At this time buildings on the two lots consisted of seven cottages. These were the two cottages at the present day 11a and 11b Arundel Street; and the five cottages 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19 Arundel Street. Captain Rickers occupied one of the cottages on Arundel Street and owned one of the cottages at 11a or 11b Arundel Street.
Mrs William Owston and Captain Rickers retained ownership of half of each lot 576 and 577 although it is not clear whether they consistently lived at any of the cottages. They leased the cottages to a variety of tenants throughout the late 1890s. Most of the tenants were associated with shipping, including labourers, mariners, lumpers, shipwrights, and customs officers. Other tenants included a carpenter, a railway employee, a mattress maker, a lamp maker, a confectioner and a commercial traveller.
Mrs Owston owned the cottages at 11, 13, 15 and 17 Arundel Street for many years and she lived at 13 Arundel Street from approximately 1899 to 1907. She died in 1934.
From 1899 to 1920, 17 Arundel Street was leased to a variety of tenants who included Alexander McKay, John Laidlow, John Conway, Alfred Andrews, John Whatman, William Durnin, Harry Witte and Archibald Park.
A 1908 sewerage plan of 17 Arundel Street shows that there was a small stone addition to the rear of the cottage alongside a verandah, tank stand and galvanised iron structure. This cottage is shown to be larger than the adjacent cottage at 19 Arundel Street. On the land at the rear of the property was located a galvanised iron shed and an earth closet.
The place was owned by the Natoli family during the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. They leased the cottage out to different tenants over the years including Benjamin Hocking, Alfred Butland, Peter Vinci and Carmelo Miragliotto. Carmelo Mirogliotto subsequently purchased the duplex cottages of 17 and 19 Arundel Street and from 1950/51 until approximately 1990 the place was owned and occupied by the Miragliotto family.
In 1941, building plans were submitted to the City of Fremantle to enable the demolition of the existing front verandah to replace it with a parapet wall with pillars.
In 1951, plans were submitted to enable the construction of a new brick and louvre washhouse at the rear of 17 Arundel Street. This plan required the removal of the existing back verandah and old washhouse. The stone addition was to remain in situ.
A photograph taken of the place between 1979 and 1981 shows a brick building is evident in the rear of the property.
In 1992, the City of Fremantle made a site visit to the properties to assess whether the properties at 17-19 Arundel Street were built at different times. The conclusion was that the two halves of the building were built under different building contracts and at different times although they have the same design features and are intended to be viewed as one structure.
A development of 3 town houses was built behind the duplex of 17-9 Arundel Street prior to 1994. Access to this development is via a driveway to the west of 17 Arundel Street. At this time the roof of 17 Arundel Street was replaced with new corrugated galvanised steel sheeting.
In 1998, a real estate advertisement indicated that the interior of the cottage had been extensively renovated although it is not stipulated whether it had been added to.

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

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