House, 168 Barker Rd, Subiaco

Parent Place or Precinct

27310 Park Street Heritage Area

Statement of Significance

For information on the significance of the Park Street Heritage Area refer to the Local Planning Policy for the Heritage Area.

Physical Description

Architectural style
168 Barker Road was designed as a modest timber cottage, and does not represent any of the major architectural styles of the Federation era. It was designed to a scale and form generally considered suitable for occupants such as office workers, retail employees and both skilled and unskilled tradesmen, as well as retired people and widows.
Plan form at the street frontage
• Asymmetrical façade with a verandah across the full width.
Roof form and materials
• Gabled-hip roof clad with corrugated metal sheeting.
• Prominent half-gable with a square louvered panel facing the street.
• No extant chimney.
Wall materials and finishes to the main facade
• Timber cladding shaped to imitate rectangular course stonework.
• Square-edged weatherboards to side walls.
Other detailing to main facade
• Modern entrance door located on the western side of the main façade. Framed by wide, flat architraves.
• Traditional French doors with highlight to the front room. Framed by wide, flat architraves.
• Simple raked verandah with square posts and carved timber brackets.
Streetscape setting
• House set back approximately 4.5m from the Barker Road frontage.
• Lot width approximately 7.5m.
• Setback of approximately 1m from the eastern boundary and 600mm from the western boundary.
• Front yard enclosed by an acorn top timber picket fence.

History

Subiaco's population increased significantly in the 1890s due to an economic depression in the eastern states and the discovery of gold in Western Australia. During the 1890s property developers bought large landholdings for subdivision in the Perth metropolitan area. The original subdivisions in Subiaco were generally simple grid pattern developments with small lots suitable for occupancy by working families. However, the more elevated parts of the suburb, particularly towards Kings Park, also attracted business and professional men and some lots were later amalgamated to accommodate their larger homes and gardens. Mixed development occurred and within the Park Street Heritage Area this ranged from narrow, single storey terrace housing through to a large 2-storey house set in spacious grounds. The readily available evidence indicates that the number of houses within this area increased from around 24 in 1901 to 72 in 1906; 86 in 1910; 91 in 1915, 94 in 1920 and 13 by 1925. Development then stabilised, with 106 houses and 1 block of flats identified in 1949.
Perth Suburban Lot 208 was subdivided as Deposited Plan 1125 in the mid 1890s. This comprised 42 lots of which Lots 39 and 40 and the Subiaco Rate Books confirm that these had been developed with three houses by 1903, including an attached pair of brick houses (164-166 Barker Road) and a freestanding timber cottage (168 Barker Road). The owner at that time (and through until 1915-1916) was listed in the Rate Books as ‘McMahon’.
An analysis of entries in the Post Office Directories suggest that houses were located here by 1901, and possibly in as early as 1900.
In July 1919 the property was advertised for sale, together with the semi-detached houses at 164-166 Barker Road:
CHARLES HODD and CO. have been favoured with instructions from the owners to SELL by PUBLIC AUCTION… Potion of Perth suburban lot 208, being lots 39 and 40, being, the whole of the land comprised in Certificate of Title reg. vol. 478, folio 130, oh which land is erected a 5roomed jarrah residence known as 168 BARKER-RD. Subiaco. It is faithfully built; lathed and plastered throughout, with bathroom and pantry, and is worth 15s. per week rental. Also Nos. 166 and 164 BARKER-RD., Subiaco, being a pair of semidetached brick cottages, each containing 4 rooms and domestic conveniences, producing £1 12s. 6d. weekly.
168 Barker Road had a high turn-over of occupants until the late 1930s. A review of the Post Office Directories at around 5-yearly intervals (together with reference to contemporary Electoral Rolls) indicates that some of the primary residents during this period included:
 1900 & 1905: Bertha Mailer
The Mailer family appear to have been living at 168 Barker Road in c.1900-1909 and at #164 in c.1909-1918. In a newspaper article in 1906, Bertha Mailer stated that she had settled in Subiaco in c.1899 when her husband, James, went to the goldfields. The main subject of this article was that James had travelled to Scotland in 1903 to pursue a claim to the Scottish title of Duke of Gordon. He had returned to Subiaco by c.1909 and no further information about this claim had been found.
 1910: Oliver James Kyrwood (butcher)
 1915: John Atkinson Miller (labourer)
In the Rate Book of 1916-1917 the new owner of 164-168 Barker Road was listed as ‘E Barker’. In c.1919 the 164-166 and 168 Barker Road appear to have been sold to different owners.
 1920: William Carter (salesman)
Carter lived here in c.1919-1922. A brief newspaper notice indicates that W Carter sold 168 Barker Road in around October 1922.
 1925: Mrs Ellen Iles & David Caporn (horse driver)
 1930: Francis F Scott
The Rate Book of 1929-1930 confirms that Scott was an owner/occupier, although he only lived here for about 1 year.
 1935: Mrs Ellen Elizabeth Menz
The Post Office Directory listed Mrs Menz as the primary occupant in 1931-1935, but a brief newspaper notice states that E Menz had sold the property by April 1934.
The first longer-term occupants were members of the Winrow family. Charles Gerard Winrow (plasterer) and Norah Jane Smith were married in Perth in c.1936. They had settled at 168 Barker Road by 1940 and remained here until at least the late 1950s. By the early 1960s they had moved to Nollamara.
An analysis of a historical Metropolitan Sewerage Plan (revised March 1954) and historical aerial photographs indicates that additions have been undertaken at the rear, but that the footprint of the front portion of the house remains clearly recognisable.

Integrity/Authenticity

Medium: The authenticity of the house within its streetscape setting has been reduced by alterations to the front door.

Condition

Based on a streetscape inspection the building appears to be in a good condition.

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.