HOUSE, 4 CARNAC STREET

Statement of Significance

House, 4 Carnac Street, is a typical weatherboard and iron single storey house dating from 1898. The place has aesthetic value for its contribution to the streetscape and the surrounding area. It is representative of the typical workers' houses in the Fremantle area. The place is an example of the Victorian Georgian style of architecture.

Physical Description

4 Carnac Street is a single storey, weatherboard and iron house with a symmetrical facade designed as an example of the Victorian Georgian style of architecture. The walls are timber framed and clad with weatherboards. The roof is hipped and clad with corrugated iron. The facade has a central front door with fanlight flanked either side by double hung sash windows. The verandah has a separate corrugated iron roof and is supported by timber posts with decorative timber brackets. There is a limestone wall with rendered columns to the front facade. The house is set well above the street level and there is a set of limestone steps leading up to the verandah level. The foundations of the house are limestone.

History

Carnac Street is at an elevation from which Carnac Island can be seen, but not the other islands, possibly the reason for the name. Carnac Island was named after Lieut. John Ruett Carnac, of H.M. Frigate Success.
This house was formerly numbered 18 Carnac Street, the numbering changing in 1934/35.
This house was originally a three roomed weatherboard cottage built in 1898 for the owner George Henry Edward Heedes (or Heades, Heddes).
Heedes was a mariner of German origin who arrived in the Swan River Colony in 1884. He married Rosa Blanche Wisby in 1888 and they had ten children. The family and their descendants lived at 4 Carnac Street until the 1940s. In 1950/51, the place was transferred to Ivan Bartue who occupied the house.
In 1908, the sewerage plan of the site shows that the timber house has a verandah across the front and a galvanised iron addition at the rear. Across the front boundary is a stone wall. In the back yard is a timber shed and a timber closet. A later version of this plan in 1954, shows that steps had been constructed in the front wall to gain access to the front of the house. A verandah had been built across the rear of the building and more outbuildings had been constructed in the back yard.
This place was identified by the Fremantle Society in 1979/80 as being of cultural heritage significance. (Coded: Brown: "Positively contributing to the built environment") A photograph of the house in 1979/81 shows that the front verandah had been enclosed with a wall of louvres and fibreboard.
The house was the subject of major additions in 1990 including a two storey addition at the rear by architect R. C. Gare. A series of photographs at this time shows the place was in relatively poor condition prior to the additions. The place has been upgraded constantly and well maintained since the additions in 1990.

Integrity/Authenticity

Medium to high degree of integrity (original intent clear, current use compatible, high long term sustainability).
Medium degree of authenticity with much original fabric remaining but with some alterations.
(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 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.