WAREHOUSE, 43 PAKENHAM STREET

Statement of Significance

43 Pakenham Street is a substantial single storey, rendered brick Federation Free Classical style warehouse building; it has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
the positive contribution it makes to a largely intact precinct of mainly Federation period buildings, a number of which are fine examples of their type, set within streets displaying the characteristics of streetscapes from that period which collectively form a significant townscape;
the place is a example of a competently designed and built substantial commercial/warehouse building displaying the aesthetic characteristics of the Federation Free Classical Style;
the place is representative of the reconstruction of the west end of Fremantle during late Gold Boom up to the Inter-War period and is also a demonstration of the contribution made by the Port of Fremantle in the commercial development of Western Australia; and
the place is of moderate authenticity with the fabric of the exterior and interior of the building remaining largely in its original state.
The cultural heritage significance of the building would be substantially increased if the building were to be conserved in accordance with the principles of the Burra Charter.

Physical Description

The building at 43 Pakenham Street is a substantial single storey, face brick Federation Free Classical style warehouse building.
Siting: 43 Pakenham Street is in the part of Pakenham Street that runs between High Street and Collie Street. It is one of the side streets running between High Street and Marine Terrace that form a precinct of mainly Federation period warehouses
Broadly speaking, the west side of Pakenham Street between High Street and Collie Street contains two building types; they are either warehouses and commercial building from the Federation period or multi-storey residential developments built in the last decade.
43 Pakenham Street stands on the west side of Pakenham Street between Nairn and Bannister Streets. The front face of the building is on the rear edge of the footpath and occupies the full width of the site.
External form, style, and details of the building: The wall of the front façade of 43 Pakenham Street is of face brickwork construction (cement render removed 2013). The facade is simply composed displaying classical references in form and detailing. A panelled parapet set above a slightly projecting cornice and a frieze tops the façade.
The façade contains a large (approximately 3 x 3m), centrally located doorway. The area of wall on the north side of the central door includes a horizontal format opening which contains an aluminium framed sliding window and beyond that is a standard sized door opening containing a flush panel door. The wall has a slightly projecting, painted render, base.
The render of the façade has deteriorated in places to reveal what is assumed to be the original fair faced tuck-pointed brickwork. The panelled parapet consists of bays of painted, tuck-pointed brickwork set between painted rendered plinths. The cornice and partly concealed frieze are of painted render.
The classical references in the composition of the façade suggest that the placement of openings would have been carefully considered and that, in this case, their locations would have been determined to comply with the rhythm set by the panels of the parapet.
The following conclusions have been reached through the application of this logic:
• The centreline of the northernmost door opening aligns with the centre of the end panel of the parapet, suggesting that it is an original door opening although the type of lintel used to support the brickwork above the opening indicates that it has been partly bricked-in and that it is very likely that the original opening would also have contained a fan light.
• Using the same reasoning, the central opening appears to have been widened by extending it to the south. The horizontal format of the window suggests that it is not original.
• There is evidence that a door matching the one at the north end of the façade was originally set at the equivalent location at the south end of the façade. It is possible that it had been bricked-in before the façade was rendered.
The roof of 43 Pakenham Street is of galvanised corrugated iron and partly concealed behind the front parapet. The roof is hipped with a central lantern vented at the edges by fixed timber louvres.
It is thought that originally the face of 43 Pakenham Street would have been similar in style, construction and detail to the façade of 31 Pakenham Street
Internal layouts and details
The interior of the building was not inspected in detail.
The roof structure is original and consists of composite timber and iron trusses that span from party wall to party wall. The trusses oversail the enclosure that stands in the north east corner of the building. There is evidence, such as the form of the internal windows and the fact that the ceiling is of beaded T&G Oregon boarding, to suggest that the enclosure is original. The enclosure is of rendered red brickwork. Areas of deteriorated render reveal the original face brickwork.

History

43 Pakenham Street was originally known as numbers 87- 89 Pakenham Street. In 1898 Wise’s Post Office Directories lists Fysh. B. as Importers of all brewers, sundries and produce at the premises. Benjamin Fysh lived in Stirling Street Fremantle. The firm of Felton Grimwade and Bickford was first listed as a bulk store in Fremantle in the directories in 1901. The 1916 Metropolitan Sewerage plan for Fremantle shows the footprint of the building to be sited at 87 Pakenham Street. By 1940 the numbering had changed to 41- 43. A Fire Brigade map dated 1953 shows the place to comprise of a wooden floor with a galvanized iron roof and the cartway to be on the south side of the lot. Felton, Grimwade and Co. were wholesale druggists and manufacturing chemists who expanded from their Melbourne office following the mining boom in Western Australia. The headquarters under the directorship of Mr Cuthbert were first established in Murray Street Perth and then Wellington Street Perth. The bulk store was established in Fremantle to enable its Western Australian orders to be supplied promptly, particularly to the goldfields where a branch was also established. The firm was well known for Kruse’s fluid magnesia and Bosisto’s “parrot Brand” eucalyptus oil. It is not known how long Felton and Grimwade’s remained in Fremantle as the directories ceased in 1949. The place has more recently been used for marine supplies.

The vented roof can be seen in the distance in an archival photo dated c1913 (LHC522B), According to the physical evidence, the openings have been altered though the building appears to be largely intact (not inspected internally).

During 2013 the building was restored and adapted for use as a bakery and restaurant. The project with spaceagency as the architects was awarded several architectural awards by the WA Institute of Architects in 2014.

Condition

Appears in sound condition.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

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