Fairholme Group

Child Places

• 24487 Fairholme
• 02467 Old Fairholme
• 02468 Welbourne House

Statement of Significance

Fairholme Group, consisting of Fairholme, a homestead in the Federation Queen Anne style; Old Fairholme, a single storey brick structure with a corrugated iron roof reminiscent of the vernacular agrarian buildings that developed out of the Victorian Georgian style; Welbourne House, a single storey classically composed cottage with some elements of the Victorian Georgian style; and, contextual landscape and garden, has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:

The place is part of the original subdivision of the Guildford town site, one of the three original towns established and settled in the Swan River colony in 1829. The place, including the area of the floodplain between the site and the river, form an integral component of the historic town of Guildford;

Welbourne House has associations with John Welbourne, responsible for the construction of a number of early buildings in Guildford, with the monks of New Norcia who took refuge in Guildford in the 1850s and with Stephen Gardiner, head teacher at the Government Boys’ School at the beginning of the 1900s;

Fairholme and Old Fairholme together with the associated driveway, service court and associated areas demonstrate a way of life rarely practised, characterised by a main household served by servants occupying adjacent servants quarters;

Fairholme is a fine example of a mansion designed in the Federation Queen Anne architectural style incorporating fine examples of Art- Nouveau decoration in the stained glass windows and the carved fireplace surround in the ballroom;

Fairholme is associated with wealthy pastoralist Charles Smith, who built it in the early 1900s, and with renowned philanthropist Nathaniel Harper, who purchased Fairholme and adjacent Earlsferry in 1950 for the purpose of establishing the Nathaniel Harper Homes;

The site and buildings have landmark value when viewed from the street, from the river and from the railway. Together with Earlsferry on the western bank, Fairholme marks the western entry to Guildford when viewed from the river;

The buildings and site features together with the mature street trees of the adjacent Market Street, contribute to the sheltered, mature quality of the streetscape;

The site has potential to yield through archaeological excavation information on colonial elite domestic material culture, the material culture associated with servants and the master-servant relationship and changing gardening activities through time; and

The site and buildings are valued by the Guildford community, by the descendants of the families who created them and by the staff and clients of the Disability Services Commission and their families for whom the place is and has been home.

The site includes elements that are considered to be of little significance or intrusive. Elements considered to be of little significance include: the classroom and laundry block to the east of Fairholme and the boundary link mesh fencing. Intrusive elements are identified as: the residential units (1982) and associated site works, the car park to the west of Welbourne House, the entry drive to the south of Welbourne House, the toilet and the former classroom blocks to the south west of Welbourne House.

Physical Description

Fairholme Group, comprising Fairholme, Old Fairholme, Welbourne House, mature trees, masonry and stone fences in front of Welbourne House, the entrance driveway to Fairholme, the landscaped area to the north-west of Welbourne House and the area of floodplain between the site and the river, are of significance to the community of Guildford and Western Australia as a component of the historic town and representative of the settlement patterns of the area. Each building is described in detail under its specific listing.

History

Fairholme is a site which includes three separate heritage listed places (Welbourne House, Fairholme and Old Fairholme). It is part of the original subdivision of the Guildford town site. Welbourne House stands on allotment 14 which was first assigned to Spencer Trimmer in March 1836. Acquired by John Welbourne in 1842. Welbourne was a builder and carpenter who arrived in the colony in 1829. Employed on many Government contracts including Government offices in 1836. Built Guildford Gaol in 1840. Acted as postmaster, police constable & undertaker. Old Fairholme built by Monger family in the 1890s and was subsequently used as servants quarters to main house, Fairholme. Fairholme was built for Mr Charles Smith, a wealthy & successful pastoralist who owned extensive properties in the north-west and Murchison areas. Smith was known as the 'Cattle King'. The building has also been used by the Disabilities Services Commission.

Integrity/Authenticity

Moderate

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.