DUPLEX, 18 CARNAC STREET

Statement of Significance

Duplex, 18 & 20 Carnac Street, is a typical rendered masonry and iron double storey terraced duplex pair dating from 1898. The place has aesthetic value for its contribution to the streetscape and the surrounding area.

Physical Description

Duplex, 18-20 Carnac Street is a double storey limestone, rendered masonry and iron duplex pair with a symmetrical facade with later altered elements of the Inter War Art Deco style of architecture. The walls are rendered masonry with a parapet wall with stucco detailing to the front elevation. The roof is hipped, sitting behind the parapet wall and clad with corrugated iron. The front verandah is double storey and is under a separate corrugated iron roof supported by a combination of steel posts and rendered masonry walls. The upper floors have a metal balustrade. There is a door and a casement window to each level of each duplex half. The building consists of four units with concrete stairs leading up to the upper floor units.

History

Carnac Street is at an elevation from which Carnac Island can be seen, but not the other islands, possibly the reason for the name. Carnac Island was named after Lieut. John Ruett Carnac, of H.M. Frigate Success.
This house was formerly numbered 34 Carnac Street; the numbering changed in 1935/36.
This house is one of a duplex built in 1898 for the owners Arthur Lucraft and Robert Clark. In 1899, the property was transferred to Arthur Lucraft. Subsequent owners were John Kerr and then Anne Catherine Smith from 1923/4. She retained ownership for approximately twenty years. In 1951/52 the property was owned by George Stella and throughout the 1960s and 1970s it was owned and occupied by Vencenzo and Vito Fabio. Later owners and occupants were Christopher and Lesley Jeffries followed by Nola and Deborah Shelley.
The 1908 sewerage plan of the site shows the house is a duplicate of its other half. They were constructed of stone and comprised six rooms each. Timber additions were apparent on the rear of the building and each had a front verandah. Each house had a stone closet and a small galvanised iron shed in the back yard. The duplex was sewered in 1913. It is not shown whether the duplex is two storey but it is presumed to be single storey at this time.
In 1963, the two owners of 18 and 20 Carnac Street, Fabio and Polemino undertook alterations to the front verandah in brick. This is presumably the extension to the first floor verandah and access stairs. In 1964, the owner V Fabio constructed a brick and iron garage and wood shed, valued at £250. He undertook this construction himself.
In 1966, a new kitchen, bathroom, wc and ramp were constructed by V Fabio.
This place was identified by the Fremantle Society in 1979/80 as being of cultural heritage significance. (Coded: Brown: "Positively contributing to the built environment") A photograph of the place taken in 1979/81 that the two storey building was rendered and the balcony on the first floor projected out beyond the front façade. The balustrades and stairs to the first storey are later additions. The front yard of 18 Carnac Street had a low brick wall around the front property boundary.
In 1982, the garage was renovated and altered. In 1987, the kitchen, laundry and bathroom were subject to alterations and additions. Information from a real estate article in 1991 indicates that the interior had been extensively renovated and added to by architect Tony O’Connor. This article states that this half of the duplex is called ‘Redding House’ but no information has been found for the origin of this name.


Heritage Files (blue)
Fremantle Society Classification Brown: Buildings which should be included on a Council register of buildings to preserved because of their potential to be elevate to a red dot classification.
The 1908 sewerage plan of the site shows the house is a duplicate of its other half. They were constructed of stone and comprised six rooms

Integrity/Authenticity

Medium degree of integrity (original intent partially clear, current use compatible, high long term sustainability).
Medium degree of authenticity with some original fabric remaining but with some alterations.
(These statements based on street survey only).

Condition

Condition assessed as fair (assessed from streetscape survey only).

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

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