Commercial premises, 160-162 Rokeby Road

Parent Place or Precinct

26003 Rokeby Road & Hay St Conservation Area

Physical Description

160-162 Rokeby Road was designed in the Federation Free Classical style, and included a corner shop, with a residence occupying first floor rooms, plus a smaller second shop with modest quarters attached at the rear.
A photograph dated 1906 confirms that it was designed with a timber-framed balcony/verandah, which wrapped around the corner, and that the façade was originally finished in face-brick (now painted).
The parapet is a key feature of the main façades. This includes four closed balustraded panels - two along Rokeby Road frontage, a small panel to the splayed corner, and one to the Park Street frontage. Simple parapet posts separate the balustraded panels and the base is defined by a continuous moulded cornice. Based on comparison with the 1906 photographs, the only missing elements of the parapet are 5 stucco urns (or similar), which were mounted on the posts.
To the east of the corner shopfront, the original stepped parapet along the Park Street frontage retains its plain rendered cap, plus the scrolled brackets at each of the three step-downs.
The first floor openings facing Rokeby Road and Park Street retain their original form, but the original full height double hung window to the splayed corner (which provided access to the balcony) has been modified with three smaller panes, and the west facing windows have been replaced using metal frames.
The corner shopfront has been extensively altered, although the corner and south-facing openings appear to have retained their original proportions. On the western side the original shopfront window has been adapted as a larger display window and new entry.
The evidence provided by the 1906 photograph suggests that the form and timber framing of the northern shop front is authentic.
The stalls and piers were originally face-brick but, over time, these have been variously tiled, rendered and/or painted.
The verandah has been replaced with a suspended boxed awning.
The original volume of the two-storey building can still be readily understood from southern views along Rokeby Road and Postal Walk (Park Street).

History

The Post Office Directory first listed this site in 1906, which suggests that a new building was constructed in c.1905. It was described in a real estate advertisement in 1912:
162, corner Rokeby-rd. and Park-st., comprising a well-built Two-storey Brick Shop and Dwelling, 5 rooms, bath, balcony, all conveniences, let at 25s. per week. Also a small single storey Shop, with 2 rooms and kitchen, electric light throughout; let at 12s. 6d: per week. These …. are situate on Pt. Lot 8 of Perth Sub. Lot 224, and have an area of 11 2-10 perches.
Over time, some of the occupants of 160-162 Rokeby Road have included:
160 Rokeby Road
 1906: Mrs C Brown, draper
 1910: Henry Daglish, house & land agent
 1915: Not listed in the Post Office Directory
 1920: Albert William Curtis, jeweller/watchmaker
 1925: Listed as vacant in the Post Office Directory
 1930: Arthur James Pettigrove, boot repairer
 1935: Not listed in the Post Office Directory
 1940, 1945 & 1949: Roy Stenson, boot repairer
 2012 & 2022: Gadget Masters, mobile phone and laptop repairs
162 Rokeby Road
 1906: Lillia Minnie Abbott, furniture dealer
 c.1906-1921: Thomas Burns Fogarty, hairdresser & tobacconist
 1925: Alan Walter Taylor, manufacturing jeweller
 1930: Bank of Australia
 1935 & 1940: The Subiaco Drycleaners
 1945 & 1949: Mrs George, second hand dealer
 2012: Tokay, women’s wear
 2022: Pupa, fast nutrition

Integrity/Authenticity

Overall, this place has retained a medium to high level of authenticity, including original detailing to the northern shopfront.
The painted finish to the brickwork, corner shopfronts, the west facing and corner windows to the first floor and the suspended boxed awning are of low authenticity.
Additions on the rear portion of the lot (facing Park Street) are of low authenticity within the context of this report.

Condition

The main facades appear to be generally in good condition commensurate with the age of the building (based on streetscape inspection only).

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.