House

Parent Place or Precinct

27310 Park Street Heritage Area

Statement of Significance

The place has cultural heritage significance:
• As a good representative example of the many 4-5 room brick homes which were built in Subiaco during the early twentieth century to meet the needs and aspirations of middle-class residents such as public servants, senior office workers, small business owners, skilled tradesmen and single/widowed women of private means.
• As a good representative example of the application of materials and detailing which were derived from the Federation Queen Anne style, but which were applied in a more restrained manner that suited the budgets and expectations of the middle classes in Subiaco during the early twentieth century.
• For its aesthetic contribution to a largely intact group of early twentieth century houses.
• For its association with the rapid development of Subiaco in the early 20th century and the small scale development by local builders of many residential properties.

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

Physical Description

Architectural style
Typical of many modest but well built 2-3 bedroom suburban houses of the early twentieth century, 178 Barker Road incorporated some elements of the Federation Queen Anne style. It was designed to a scale and form generally considered suitable for occupiers such as professional men, office workers, retail employees and skilled tradesmen.
Plan form at the street frontage
• Asymmetrical facade. This features a stepped frontage, which includes a rectangular window bay and a recessed entry, under a full width verandah.
Roof form and materials
• Hipped-gabled roof, clad with corrugated metal sheeting.
• Verge gable set over the rectangular window bay. Finished with a rough-cast rendered face and set with a pattern of horizontal, vertical and curved timber battens.
• Battened eaves.
• Tuck-pointed chimney with a corbelled cap.
• Bull-nose verandah. Hipped over the main entry at the western end and extended as a late twentieth century carport at the eastern end.
Wall materials and finishes to the main facade
• Painted brick (originally tuck-pointed)
• Rendered string-course at window sill height (originally contrasting, now painted to match brickwork).
Other detailing to main facade
• Entrance located in a recess at the western end of the main façade. This features a 4-panel door, traditional moulded architraves, highlight and narrow sidelights.
• Two double hung windows set in the rectangular window bay at the front of the house. Continuous moulded sill.
• Parapet wall along the western boundary.
Streetscape setting
• House set back approximately 2.5m from the Barker Road frontage.
• Lot width approximately 10.1m.
• Zero setback to western boundary. Approximately 3m setback to the original house from the eastern boundary (in the area now occupied by the carport).
• Front yard enclosed by a high, ivy covered, brick wall, with palisade gates.

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 208 was subdivided as Deposited Plan 1125 in the mid 1890s. This comprised 42 lots of which Lot 36 was developed with 178 Barker Road. In the Subiaco Rate Book of 1903 Lot 36 was listed as vacant land owned by Herbert Davenport. A house had been built by 1905, at which stage it was owned and occupied by Walter Blanch (civil servant, WAGR).
Walter Adolphus Lloyd Blanch (c.1871-1950) and Susan Emily (‘Jessie’) McLean (c.1875-1929) were married in Fremantle in c.1901 and had at least 1 child: Dulcie Florence (born in Subiaco, c.1907). This family lived at 178 Barker Road in c.1907-1910, after which Walter was transferred to Kalgoorlie. At the end of this period the property was transferred to J Nicholls, who used it as a rental property until around 1919.
The first long-term owner/occupants were the Burns family. Robert William John (‘Bobby’) Burns (accountant/financier) (c.1883-1934) and his wife, Alice Kathleen (‘Kitty’) Burns (c.?-1940) moved here in c.1920 and both remained until (or near) the end of their lives. Robert Burns had established the Subiaco Loans Office at 82 Rokeby Road in c.1917. After his death, the premises continued to be operated by Alice until around the time of her death in December 1940. During the 1930s, and following her death, Alice was acknowledged for her generosity to her community, and the following provides just one example of her charitable acts:
A rare treat was given to 100 children of unemployed men at Subiaco on Thursday by Mrs. R. W. Burns of 178 Barker-road, Subiaco, who paid for their admission to Wirth's Circus, and for their free transport by special tram from Subiaco and back, as well as providing each child with a bag of sweets. A selection of the children was made by the honorary secretary of the Subiaco unemployment relief committee (the chief health inspector, Mr. A C. Higgs), with the assistance of the head mistress of the infant school at Subiaco (Miss Lutz). The children's enjoyment of the unexpected treat was plainly shown, and an expression of gratitude from parents has been received at the office of 'The West Australian.'
A plan of the site prepared in 1954 for the purpose of planning sewerage and water supply services shows that the original footprint of the residence has not changed significantly apart from an addition at the rear, which has replaced an original verandah, and the construction of a carport on the front of the lot. Aerial photographs of the place since the mid 20th century indicate that this addition took place in the late 1980s and at the time of the addition the red corrugated iron roof cladding was replaced with the current corrugated sheeting. The extent and form of the original residence are still clearly evident.
178 Barker Road was adopted on the City of Subiaco Local Heritage Survey in 2003. It has been assessed as level 3 (contributes to the heritage of the City of Subiaco).

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity - High: the place remains in its original function as a residential dwelling.
Authenticity - Medium: The authenticity of the house within its streetscape setting has been reduced by the painting of the main façade and alterations to the verandah to accommodate a carport.
Its presentation to the street has been diminished by the construction of a high masonry wall along the front boundary.

Condition

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

Uses

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.