Jabez White's Cottage

Values

The place has aesthetic value as a simple cottage the Victorian Georgian style.

Associated with Jabez White and the farming techniques that made him successful in the region. Demonstrates nature of early farm life through additions to rudimentary homestead to accommodate increasing family and diversification of family income with involvement in timber, farming and viticulture industries. Associated with early irrigation from Canning River. First homestead in Orange Grove.

One of few adobe homesteads from the period still extant. The first homestead in the orange Grove region.

Example of mid 19th century family dwelling.

Physical Description

This small hand built cottage was originally two centre rooms with a verandah. It was built out of mud brick and was rubble rendered. The central door leads into the main room and has one window at the front and a large fireplace at the end. The ceiling which was originally flat has been replaced. The other room off it was smaller with a single window with none panes. The verandah around the house was enclosed and has been altered over the years, to accommodate a growing family. In later years a bathroom and kitchen have been built at the left had end with tiles on the concrete floor. The boarding around the verandah is painted weatherboard with small four pane windows, side hung. The height of the gutter round three of the verandahs is low, approximately 1.7m externally above the ground level. The height of the entrance doors is lower than present day doors. To the rear at the right hand side there is an old external metal chimney which was added at a later date than the original. The kitchen may have been part of the main room, or was more likely an outside annex. This, together with the wash room/laundry, have been demolished. The chimney is a simple rendered rectangular design, showing above the corrugated iron metal roof line.’

History

Jabez White was the first settler in what is now Orange Grove. Before taking up his own property, he leased ‘Chenies’, John Okey Davis’s property, and then 'Maddington Park’ William Nairn owned that. Both were important figures in the settlement of the district.

In 1860, Jabez White purchased two 40-acre lots. These were to form the centre of his ‘Canning Dale’ property. During this time, White was a forerunner in innovative farming techniques, implementing methods used throughout the district. White’s notion of leasing larger properties on which to depasture his flocks and herds, while purchasing smaller holdings for the establishment of a homestead proved popular amongst local farmers and was well suited to an era in which a tract of land in large estates remained undeveloped.

‘Canning Dale’ was the site for the White family home, originally a two-room mud brick house that was extended over time to accommodate the growing family. Jabez White also established a vineyard on the property in 1874 and was one of the most successful farmers in the region.

White was also involved in the timber industry, obtaining a local timber license in 1865.

During the 1870s, White built a water-powered flourmill that operated until the construction of the Victoria Reservoir in 1891. The Mill was destroyed in a bushfire of 1951. White was the first farmer on the Canning to irrigate crops.

Upon the death of Jabez White in 1899, the land was divided amongst his four sons. Much of the farmland was sold. The current occupier of the site cannot be determined.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity- High
Authenticity- Moderate

Condition

Fair

Uses

Historic Themes

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.