Commercial

Parent Place or Precinct

26003 Rokeby Road & Hay St Conservation Area

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 with some intact shop fronts and decorative pediment.

Physical Description

Double storey commercial building comprising four shops with shop windows and re-entrant doors. Framed canopy over. Painted brickwork and rendered brickwork to upper level. Double hung windows in pairs between rendered columns. Cornice mouldings to walls and columns. Closed balustrading and recessed shapes to parapet. Two pediments with ornate mouldings.

History

As at 1910, the shops were bootmaker, watchmaker & jeweller, draper & baker.
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.)

Uses

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.