Leonora Police Station Group (fmr)

Child Places

• 24520 fmr. Troopers' Barracks
• 24420 Old Lock-up

Values

• The place is significant for its associations with Law and Order in Leonora since 1899.
• The place has scientific value as it has the potential to yield information that may contribute to a wider understanding of law and order in the northern goldfields in the early 20th century.
• The place represents an intact group of buildings associated with Law and Order in a rural community from the 1900s.
• The place is rare as an intact weatherboard Police Station, Quarters and Gaol extant from the 1900s in Western Australia.

Physical Description

The police station house faces Gwalia Street. The Troopers Barracks are further set back on the site, partially behind the house, also parallel to the street front. The lockups to the west (rear) of the barracks, are also on the same alignment. The site is bounded by a colour-bond steel fence to a height of approximately 1.5 metres, except immediately in front of the house, where a picket fence is in place. The site is notable in the streetscape, for the plantings of Flooded Gums on the north side of the corner residence, and at the rear of the same.
The house is a single storey timber framed structure with painted white weatherboard cladding. The corrugated iron roof is hipped with vented gablets and a skillion verandah extension over the open verandah across the entire frontage and the enclosed rear verandah. Corbelled brick chimneys are evident. The original double hung timber framed sash windows remain in-situ, and the south windows (3) on the Rajah Street frontage have timber framed awnings.
The Troopers Barracks located behind the house, is a single storey timber framed rectangular pavilion comprising five rooms side by side. Each room has a double hung sash window, and a door opening onto a verandah along the east side (Gwalia Street frontage). There is also a verandah along the western length of the building it was not visible from the street- so unsure of openings on that wall) The building is clad with horizontal corrugated iron that has been painted. The gable roof extends over the verandahs along the east and west walls.
The single lock-up was most visible from the road. It is a tall square structure with a skillion roof, highest on the front (east), with horizontal louvred vents in the high section of the skillion wall. The structure is clad with horizontal corrugated iron. It adjoins a square corrugated iron fenced yard with a timber gate central on the eastern wall. There is a steel framed low pitched gable roof structure over the square fenced yard area. The four-person lock-up was obscured from view, but visible elements suggested a similar structure form and materials to the single cell and yard, located in line with and more to the north of the single cell.
Elements at the rear of the site were obscured by the fence and trees, however, there seems to be no structure evident that may have been the stables.

History

As Leonora prospered, agitation for police presence grew during 1899. Constable Uniacke was assigned to Leonora and a camp was erected but in February 1899 a fierce storm blew the entire camp away.
In June 1899, the first sitting of the Leonora Police Court was held with Mr H. James presiding. The location of this temporary court is unknown but in September of that year a petition was sent to the state government to establish a court and a mining registrars office.
In late 1899, contracts were let for the lockup, police quarters and stables. The original quarters were attached to the lockup and consisted of two rooms and a kitchen. These were completed in May 1900 by M. Mackesy for a cost of £342.
The stables were completed in March 1900, for a fee of £170 and consisted of stabling for three horses and a harness and feed room.
It is worth noting that the Leonora Court House was completed in December 1902 along with further additions to the Police Station.
Old Lock-Up
Completed in December 1899 by Thomas H. Parsons for a cost of £359 the Lock-up consisted of two cells, a charge room, storeroom and had verandah on two sides. Comment was made that at last civilised accommodation was available not just a chain to a tree which was the previous custom.
In 1903 more cells and an exercise yard were added and in 1907 further unspecified additions were made.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity- Moderate
Authenticity- High

Condition

Good

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.