Commercial Bank of Australia (fmr)

Statement of Significance

The place represents the historic development of Rokeby Road as a commercial street from the 1890s and early 1900s. It is a visually imposing commercial building in the Federation Free Classical style.

Physical Description

Double storey commercial building addressing street corner. Large narrow windows to ground floor with rendered keystone decorations over. Rendered walls with emphasised joints. Double hung windows to second storey with narrow timber canopies on carved brackets. Decorative cornice below rendered parapet. Side entrance comprises large arched opening to ground floor and large glazed opening to second storey with break in parapet.

History

Originally Govt Savings Bank Agency c1915, became Commonwealth Bank c1917.
Subiaco began to develop as a residential and commercial area in the 1890s, with the first buildings being established along the railway line. In 1895 Rokeby Road was not yet gazetted and Hay Street was called Broome Road. By the turn of the century most of the main roads in central Subiaco were built, including Rokeby, Heytsebury, Hamersley, Bagot, Townshend, Park and Nicholson Roads. Many businesses had been established in Broome Road. Broome Road was named after Governor Broome, and was renamed Hay Street after Vice-Secretary of Colonies, 1829.
There were many land releases in the late 1890s and early 1900s as Subiaco become a popular place to settle, and businesses were attracted to the opportunity of opening in a new but stable suburb. The Rokeby Road and Hay Street commercial area was firmly established by 1915.
Over the years the nature of businesses have changed. Originally there were estate agents, dressmakers, tailors, confectioners, drapers, grocers, restaurateurs and bakers; in fact most shopping could be done without leaving the suburb.
(Sources: Wise's Post Office Directory 1893-1915; Real Estate Maps, Battye Library Collection; Spillman, Ken, Identity Prized: A History of Subiaco, City of Subiaco, UWA Press, 1985, pp. 92-110; Chate, A. H., History of Subiaco, c1952.)

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