Commercial Premises, Rokeby Rd, Subiaco

Parent Place or Precinct

26003 Rokeby Road & Hay St Conservation Area

Statement of Significance

Refer to Local Planning Policy for the Rokeby Road and Hay Street Heritage Area

Physical Description

17-23 Rokeby Road was designed as a single storey row of 4 matching shops in the Federation Free Classical style. Each had a small attached residence at the rear, which have been adapted for alternative uses.
The main feature of the facade is a balustraded parapet, which originally included a raised orb (or similar decorative element) over each of the five parapet posts – as glimpsed in a historic photograph (Western Mail 20 August 1925 p 9). This photograph also indicates that the place had a bull-nosed verandah with a raised signage panel across the leading edge.
All of the shops retain traditional recessed entries and the three shops at the northern end include evidence of what appear to be early-mid twentieth century timber-framed display windows.

History

Entries in the PO Directories indicate that there were no occupied premises listed at 17-23 prior to 1915, which suggests that the current building was constructed in c.1914. This means that the development of this site formed part of the consolidation of the commercial centre of Subiaco in the years leading up to WWI, as referred to in the following report from January 1914:
In reviewing the past year's progress in the Subiaco municipality one fails to detect any outstanding features, but there is no lack of evidence that steady development has taken place. No less than sixteen new shops have made their appearance in Rokeby-road, the principal business portion of the town, and they are all tenanted and reported to be doing well. The whole of the western side of the road is now occupied with business establishments … Mr. Luth added: "We have now four drapery establishments of considerable size, and people are opening up in other lines, showing that the trade is here. The people are beginning to shop more in their own municipality, and to realise that they can do as well here as in the city."
The shops at 17-23 Rokeby Road have been occupied by a variety of commercial tenants. However, during the first half of the century all but #23 also had extended periods when they were identified as vacant. During World War II, the majority of these shops were closed and some were used to accommodate families evacuated from Darwin after the Japanese bombing of 1942.
Over time, some of the occupants of the shops/residences included:
17 Rokeby Road
 1915 & 1920: William Joseph Kirkham, ‘The Cash Grocer’
 1925: Joseph Shilton, saw sharpener
 1930: William Joseph Kirkham, grocer
 1935 & 1940: Listed as vacant in the Post Office Directories
 1945 & 1949: Not listed in the Post Office Directories
 2012 & 2022: Element lifestyle
19 Rokeby Road
 1915: G Morden, refreshment rooms
 1920: E & F Chatley, seagrass & cane furniture manufacturers
 1925: Mrs Marian Tester, mixed business
 1930: Beatrice Luedeke, dressmaker
 1935: Alfred Holloway (residential tenant)
 1940: Listed as vacant in the Post Office Directory
 1945 & 1949: Not listed in the Post Office Directories
 2012: Kikki.K
 2022: Subiaco Halcyon, apartment display suite
21 Rokeby Road
 1915: Reginald Harrison, photographer
 1920: Mrs Dora Reichardt, confectioner
 1925: Miss Nellie Hayes, refreshment rooms/confectioner/mixed business
 1930: Mrs Esther Woods, mixed business
 1935: Ronald Clement Dunbar (residential tenant)
 1940: Listed as vacant in the Post Office Directory
 1945 & 1949: Not listed in the Post Office Directories
 2012 & 2022: B Store for Birkenstock
23 Rokeby Road
 1915: A J F Southee, Atlas Cleaning and Dye Works
 1920: Paul Reichardt, Atlas Cleaning and Dye Works
 1925: William Joshua Moore, Atlas Cleaning and Dye Works
 1930, 1935, 1940, 1945 & 1949: Paul Reichardt, Atlas Cleaning and Dye Works
 2012 & 2022: Six Senses, restaurant

Integrity/Authenticity

Overall, this place has a medium level of authenticity as viewed from the street, increasing to medium-high with regard to the more intact shopfronts.
Note: the southern portion of the lot (comprising 25-31 Rokeby Road) was developed separately and has been assessed as making little contribution to the Heritage Area.

Condition

The main facade appears 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.