House

Statement of Significance

The house at No 27 Violet street is the surviving one of a pair of identical Late Colonial Georgian houses. It is a fine example of its style and has been conserved by its owner.

Physical Description

Formerly one of a pair at Nos 25 and 27, owned by the same person. No 25 was demolished and No 27 was retained. Constructed in the early Federation period the house, nonetheless, is in the Late Colonial Georgian style. It has a simple symmetrical plan form covered with a hipped roof. The central front entry door, with sidelights and fanlights, is flanked by windows to each of the front rooms. The separate skillion verandah spans the full width of the front façade. It is supported on plain square timber posts set on rendered column bases with solid balustrades. The only visible chimney is set behind the ridge of the roof in a postion demonstrating it as a double fireplace set in dividing wall between the rooms on the left side of the central passage. Street oriented set close to the street, behind a narrow front garden, enclosed by a chain link fence None apparent

History

The place was built on Lot 4 of the original Perth Town Lot Y 253. In the 1890s, the Western Australian Gold Boom led to the suburbanization of Perth including the area known as West Perth. Many of the large Perth Town lots were subdivided for residential and commercial development. In 1890, Perth Town Lot Y 253 was purchased by Alexander Forrest, a well-known explorer, financial agent and entrepreneur, as an investment property. In August 1896, Forrest sold the lot to Elizabeth Herman, wife of Solomon Herman of Perth. Elizabeth Herman subdivided Perth Town Lot Y 253 and sold some of the lots in the 1890s. There were a few of dwellings built along Violet Street circa 1897 as indicated on a PWD Sewerage Plan, however it is uncertain to conclude that the subject dwelling was built at the time due to the indistinguishable subdivision boundary. Instead, it is believed that No. 27 Violet Street was built circa 1903 as the Building Licence cards show that T. Millar submitted a development application in that year to construct a dwelling at the subject lot. Ernest Eaton is first listed as the occupant at the subject dwelling in the Wise's Post Office Directories in 1908. The residency of the dwelling changed frequently over the years and the residents included George Pilkington, S. Bradley and Charles Butler. No. 25, to the south of No. 27 Violet Street, no longer extant, was built at the same time with an identical configuration with the subject place. A Sewerage Plan dated 1953 shows that both Nos. 27 and 25 have verandahs at the front and back and a galvanized iron addition at the rear. The entry of the subject dwelling on the Town's Municipal Heritage Inventory was requested by the then owner, after approval was given for the demolition of Nos. 21 and 25 in 2001, which he also owned. Nos. 27 and 25 were of the same design, but No. 27 was the most authentic of the three houses. At the time of demolition, both Nos. 21 and 25 had been greatly altered over the years, with most of the visible fabric is replacement material.

Integrity/Authenticity

High

Uses

Creation Date

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