House

Statement of Significance

House, 3 Turner Street (fmr, a double storey brick, timber and iron house has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
it was one of the first residences designed by architect Eustace Cohen after his arrival in Western Australia;
it was built for John Walker, a prominent Bunbury lawyer, and was later the home of Reg Withers, a politician who had been the Lord Mayor of Perth;
the place is a fine example of the Federation Arts and Crafts style of architecture;
the place has landmark qualities and contributes significantly to the streetscape and the community's sense of place.

Physical Description

House, 3 Turner Street is a double storey face brick, painted brick, timber and iron house designed in the Federation Arts and Crafts style of architecture.The walls are face and painted brick with some sections timber framed and clad with fibre cement sheeting. The roof is hipped and gabled and clad with corrugated iron. There is a prominant timbered double height balcony with extensive decorative timber detailing. There are large face brick chimneys evident.

History

Turner Street is named for local surveyor, G R Turner, who lived in Bunbury in the late 1880s and built the first brick house in the street.

House, 3 Turner Street was built for John Walker in 1907. Walker was a solicitor and partner in a legal firm, as well as a benefactor to the Anglican Church in Bunbury. He had come to Bunbury in 1896 to marry May Carey, daughter of the surveyor. Walker was a prominent citizen and noted sportsman, particularly horseriding, fishing and sailing. The Church of England Hall built in Oakley Street in 1964 was named Walker Memorial Hall in honour of John Walker. [South Western Times 5 November 1964]

The house was designed by local architect Eustace Cohen and reflects Cohen’s background from the mock Tudor city of Chester and his training in England under Guy Dawber (later Sir Guy), who also specialised in sensitive vernacular houses.

Eustace Cohen (born London, 1881) was articled to Thomas Lockwood and Sons at Chester before working for Guy Dawber. He emigrated to Western Australia due to ill health in 1904 and set up practice in Bunbury and Busselton (1906-1913). He moved to Perth in 1914, where he formed a partnership with Joseph Eales, trading as Eales and Cohen. Cohen was instrumental in bringing the Arts and Crafts movement to Western Australia. The earliest examples of his work in Bunbury and Busselton display his interpretation of vernacular homes in the Arts and Crafts manner.

A photograph dated c 1910 shows the two storey home surrounded by lawn with trees behind. The house was a simplified version of mock Tudor with painted boards under gable roofs to bay windows on the corner room and projecting upper verandah above the entry porch. A first floor verandah extended from the entry porch across the front of the house and under the corner bay window. The verandah had decorative timber infill below the verandah roof, and decorative timber balustrading between the square timber posts, except for the entry porch section, which had painted boards similar to the small upper verandah/porch. The high brick foundation gave the house the appearance of a three storey house. The basement/under house area was accessed by a door (directly under the corner bay window).

House, 3 Turner Street remained in the Walker family until 1962, when it was auctioned for Rose Walker, John’s widow. The house was purchased by Reg Withers, a former senator and minister and mayor of Perth, who also served as a councillor on Bunbury Municipal Council. At the time of the auction, the house had a tennis court at the front and was described as ‘built on spacious lines and standing in almost half an acre within sight of the shopping centre.’ The first floor had four bedrooms, a box room, bathroom and sun balcony, while on the ground floor were the lounge, dining and sitting rooms, kitchen, maid’s room and cloak room.

Later, House, 3 Turner Street was occupied by the Blessed Sacrament of Fathers, a community of priests. It has also housed a women’s refuge operated by St Vincent de Paul; South West Financial Management; and is now a private home

Integrity/Authenticity

High degree of integrity (original intent clear, current use compatible, high long term sustainability).
Medium degree of authenticity - alterations but 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

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.