House, 127 Townshend Rd, Subiaco

Parent Place or Precinct

27310 Park Street Heritage Area

Statement of Significance

For information on the significance of the Park Street Heritage Area refer to the Local Planning Policy for the Heritage Area.

Physical Description

Note: 127 and 129 were both constructed in the mid-1920s, and were designed with matching footprints and very similar detailing.
Architectural style
127 Townshend Road was designed in a restrained, functional style, and does not represent any of the major architectural styles of the inter-war era. It was designed to a scale and form generally considered suitable for occupiers such as office workers, retail employees and both skilled and unskilled tradesmen.
Plan form at the street frontage
• Asymmetrical facade. This features a slightly projecting wing on the southern side, with a verandah/awning extending across the full width of the house.
Roof form and materials
• Gable-hipped roof with a stepped double gable to the main façade and a hipped roof at the rear.
• Clad with corrugated metal sheeting.
• No extant chimneys.
• Plain weatherboard cladding to gables.
• Bullnose verandah extending in a continuous line across the full width of the house to form an awning in front of the projecting wing.
Wall materials and finishes to the main facade
• Bevel edged weatherboards.
Other detailing to main facade
• Two triple casement windows with square highlights and a simple timber sill, one to the projecting wing and the other under the verandah.
• Main entrance located adjacent to the projecting wing. This features a 6-panel door, plain architraves and highlight (no sidelights).
• The verandah appears to have been reconstructed to the original footprint. It has square timber posts and a frieze of square timber balustrettes.
Streetscape setting
• House set back approximately 3.9m from the Townshend Road frontage.
• Lot width approximately 10.1m.
• Set back of approximately 1m from north boundary. Minimal setback from south boundary.
• Front yard enclosed by a timber picket fence.

History

Subiaco's population increased significantly in the 1890s due to an economic depression in the eastern states and the discovery of gold in Western Australia. During the 1890s property developers bought large landholdings for subdivision in the Perth metropolitan area. The original subdivisions in Subiaco were generally simple grid pattern developments with small lots suitable for occupancy by working families. However, the more elevated parts of the suburb, particularly towards Kings Park, also attracted business and professional men and some lots were later amalgamated to accommodate their larger homes and gardens. Mixed development occurred and within the Park Street Heritage Area this ranged from narrow, single storey terrace housing through to a large 2-storey house set in spacious grounds. The readily available evidence indicates that the number of houses within this area increased from around 24 in 1901 to 72 in 1906; 86 in 1910; 91 in 1915, 94 in 1920 and 13 by 1925. Development then stabilised, with 106 houses and 1 block of flats identified in 1949.
Perth Suburban Lot 221 was subdivided as Deposited Plan 1535 in 1896 and advertised as the “Salisbury Estate”. This comprised 42 lots, including 14 lots along the western side of Townshend Road between Barker and Bagot Road.
Entries in the Post Office Directories indicate that Lots 30 and 31 (originally known as 127 & 131 Townshend Road) had been developed by 1905. However, these sites were listed as vacant in the Post Office Directory of 1922 and both houses were described as ‘new’ or ‘modern’ in advertisements placed in the mid-1920s. Based on the physical and documentary evidence it is possible that Lots 30 & 31 were redeveloped with matching timber cottages in as early as 1922 (which was also the time when #131 was re-numbered as 129).
In March 1928, 127 Townshend Road was advertised for sale as follows:
CHANCE FOR A MAN WITH £35.
CENTRAL SUBIACO, NEAR TRAM.
Lovely Modern 4-roomed Jarrah Weatherboard. Lath and Plaster Villa.
Splendid order and appearance, all conv., large rear enclosures, path, lawns, garden, etc.
WILL TAKE 25/ WEEKLY PAYMENTS. Must Fix up straight away, move in this week-end if required. Inspect 127 Townshend-rd. No Agents.
A review of the Post Office Directories at 5-yearly intervals (together with reference to contemporary Electoral Rolls) indicates that some of the primary residents during this period included:
 1925: Jessie May Litchfield (widow)
Mrs Litchfield lived here in c.1923-1925 (following the death of her husband in late 1921), but it has not been confirmed if she occupied the original or new house. The next occupant was Edward Albert Charles Thomsett (clerk), who lived here in c.1925-1928.
 1930: David William Alexander Roper (clerk)
 1935: Mrs Ethel Cross
 1940: Leonard Francis Hawkins (labourer)
 1945: Thomas William Hayes (track repairer)
Thomas and his wife, Jean, moved into 127 Townshend Road in c.1941 and were still listed here in the Electoral Rolls of 1958, but had moved to Scarborough by the early 1960s.
The high turn-over of occupants during this period suggests that it was primarily being used as a rental property.
An analysis of a historical Metropolitan Sewerage Plan (dated 1927, updated 1955) and historical aerial photographs indicates that this house has been extended to the rear, but that the footprint of the front portion of the house has remained relatively unchanged.

Integrity/Authenticity

Medium: The replacement of the roof cladding has used modern detailing for the gable capping, which impacts on the traditional appearance of the prominent double gable. The verandah appears to have been reconstructed (possibly to a different profile), but remains consistent with the footprint shown on a 1955 Metropolitan Sewerage Plan.

Condition

Based on a streetscape inspection the building appears to be in a good condition.

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.