WAREHOUSES/OFFICES, 61-69 KNUTSFORD STREET

Statement of Significance

Warehouses/Offices, 61-69 Knutsford Street, a precinct of brick warehouses and a yard for storing trucks and containers, has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
the place has been associated with the transport industry from 1954 to the present (2010);
the place is representative of functional brick warehouses used by the shipping and forwarding industry; and,
the place is associated with James Kiernan Pty Ltd, a significant transport company in Western Australia.

Physical Description

The site comprises six warehouse buildings, four of which address Wood Street. Building 1, at the corner with Amherst Street, is a single-storey steel and brick building with gambrel corrugated iron asbestos roof. It has a basement under the three southern bays of the building. Building 2, in the centre of the Knutsford Street block, is a single storey load bearing brick building with gambrel and corrugated asbsestos cement roof. Building 3, at the corner of Wood and Knutsford Streets, has two sections, one at the northern end with a shallow pitched roof and and earlier section with saw tooth roof along the Wood Street frontage. The earlier section has corrugated iron cladding over a brick base, while the later section is brick. Building 4, south along Wood Street, has had numerous changes. It has a low pitched roof and is clad in corrugated iron. Its Wood Street elevation has a large stepped parapet. Building 5, further south along Wood Street, shows evidence of at least two phases of construction, one with a saw tooth roof and the other a gabled and skillion roofed building with metal frame and cladding. Building 6, at the southern boundary of the Wood Street section, is rectangular in plan with a saw toothed roof and brick and metal walls.

A Heritage Assessment was prepared in Feb 2010 by Philip Griffiths Architects for a DA submission to Council (DA0630/09) for redevelopment of the site. All buildings were vacant at this time, and the fabric of all the buildings was in poor condition. In June 2010 Council recommended approving the demolition subject to an interpretation strategy being prepared.

History

The site was vacant through the first half of the twentieth century. From 1952, Reliance Battery Service and Spray Signs operated from 69 Knutsford Street, which was owned by Raymond Howard Hicks and leased to Peter Rayne. A warehouse was erected at 61 Knutsford Street by James Kiernan Pty Ltd, a transport company established c.1925. Further buildings were erected on the site in 1955-56, at 69 Knutsford Street, and 1956-57, at 65 Knutsford Street. The latter was built for Noel Sweeny Pty Ltd, later to become Sweeny United Transport Ltd.

69 Knutsford Street was acquired by Fremantle Councillor Lindsay Hudson Brown in 1960, and leased to Dick Turton. Plans were drawn by Atlas Construction in 1964 for a saw-tooth roofed warehouse at the corner of Wood and Knutsford Streets, at which time the 1956 building remained extant.

In 1968 the entire site of 61-69 Knutsford Street was transferred to Sweeny United Transport Ltd. A wireless mast was installed on site the following year. Brick offices adjacent to the warehouse at 69 Knutsford Street were constructed in 1971, designed by McDonald Whitaker & Partners and built by D.K. Gildersleeve Projects. The 1956 shed was removed at this time.

From 1986 the site was used by United Transport WA and, from 1992, by Western Mining Corporation Petroleum Division. Other recent occupants include DJS Towing, Perth Stabilised Earth and Jinayiki Steel. The buildings were vacant in 2010 and Global Transport Logistics used the site as a depot.

A Heritage Assessment was prepared in Feb 2010 by Philip Griffiths Architects for a DA submission to Council (DA0630/09) for redevelopment of the site. All buildings were vacant at this time, and the fabric of all the buildings was in poor condition. In June 2010 Council recommended approving the demolition subject to an interpretation strategy being prepared.

Summary of buildings and ownership/use:
Building 1 – partially built 1954 for James Kiernan Shipping Agents; 1959 ‘steel and asbestos truck coverage’ built for JC Cunningham Claremont. Owned by United Transport WA by 1981 and R J Coleman from 1989 to present.
B2 – built as a garage for Noel Sweeney Pty Ltd in 1955 – built by the Sweeneys. Owned by Sweeney United Transport from 1968.
B3 – mostly built 1964 (steel-framed asbestos roofed warehouse with saw tooth roof) and brick offices added 1972. Owned by Sweeney United Transport from 1968.
B4 – built as a store for Arthur Oxwell, 1955. Steel framed. Asbestos roof. Colorbond clad walls except wall to Wood St which is brick. Owned by Sweeney United Transport from 1968.
B5 – two stores built in 1955 for Lindsay Brown. Connected later, date unknown, into one store. Steel framed Colorbond walls and asbestos roof, with two small brick buildings to the front of the main sheds. Owned by Fremantle Bond Store to 1972, then R J Coleman.
B6 – date unknown, appears similar age, steel frame walls and roof, tubular steel roof frame, partial brick façade with simple gable form roof with a south-facing roof light.
Following the granting of a demolition approval for all buildings on site in 2009 Council resolved to remove 61-69 Knutsford Street from the Heritage List at OCM 23/02/2022.

Integrity/Authenticity

Medium degree of integrity (original intent clear, but current not in, high long term sustainability).
High degree of authenticity with much original fabric remaining.
(These statements based on street survey only).

Condition

Condition assessed as poor to fair (assessed from streetscape survey only).

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This data is provided by the City of Fremantle. While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of this data, the City of Fremantle makes no representations or warranties about its accuracy, reliability, completeness or suitability for any particular purpose and disclaims all responsibility and all liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages (including indirect or consequential damage) and costs which you might incur as a result of the data being inaccurate or incomplete in any way and for any reason. Under no circumstances should this data be used to carry out any work without first contacting the City of Fremantle for the appropriate confirmation and approval.