DUPLEX, 20 CARNAC STREET

Statement of Significance

Duplex, 18 & 20 Carnac Street, is a typical rendered masonry and iron double storey terraced duplex pair dating from 1898. The place has aesthetic value for its contribution to the streetscape and the surrounding area.

Physical Description

Duplex, 18-20 Carnac Street is a double storey limestone, rendered masonry and iron duplex pair with a symmetrical facade with later altered elements of the Inter War Art Deco style of architecture. The walls are rendered masonry with a parapet wall with stucco detailing to the front elevation. The roof is hipped, sitting behind the parapet wall and clad with corrugated iron. The front verandah is double storey and is under a separate corrugated iron roof supported by a combination of steel posts and rendered masonry walls. The upper floors have a metal balustrade. There is a door and a casement window to each level of each duplex half. The building consists of four units with concrete stairs leading up to the upper floor units.

History

Carnac Street is at an elevation from which Carnac Island can be seen, but not the other islands, possibly the reason for the name. Carnac Island was named after Lieut. John Ruett Carnac, of H.M. Frigate Success.
This house was formerly 36 Carnac Street; the numbering changed in 1934/35.
This house is one of a duplex built in 1898 for the owners Arthur Lucraft and Robert Clark. In 1899, the property was owned entirely by Arthur Lucraft. Subsequent owners were John Kerr and then Anne Catherine Smith from 1923/4. Smith retained ownership for approximately twenty years. The owner in 1951/52 was George Stella and shortly afterwards the property was transferred to Guiseppe and Guiseppina Polimeno who retained ownership of the place until at least the early 1990s.
The 1908 sewerage plan of the site shows the house is a duplicate of its other half. They were constructed of stone and comprised six rooms each. Timber additions were apparent on the rear of the building and each had a front verandah. Each house had a stone closet and a small galvanised iron shed in the back yard. It is not shown whether the duplex was two storey but it is presumably single storey in 1908. The duplex was sewered in 1913.
In 1963, the two owners of 18 and 20 Carnac Street, Fabio and Polemino undertook alterations to the front verandah in brick. This is presumably the extension to the first floor verandah and access stairs.
Information from the City of Fremantle Building License Register indicates that the owner Guiseppe Polemino undertook several additions and modifications of the place in 1964. These included a new kitchen, new concrete first floor and new w/c shower and reinstatement of the laundry and wc from brick and corrugated galvanised iron. Polemino undertook the building work himself to completer these projects. In 1967 he built a new laundry and terrace.
This place was identified by the Fremantle Society in 1979/80 as being of cultural heritage significance. (Coded: Brown: "Positively contributing to the built environment") A photograph of the place taken in 1979/81 shows that the two storey building was rendered and the balcony on the first floor projected out beyond the front façade. The balustrades and stairs to the first storey are later additions.

Integrity/Authenticity

Medium degree of integrity (original intent partially clear, current use compatible, high long term sustainability).
Medium degree of authenticity with some original fabric remaining but with some alterations.
(These statements based on street survey only).

Condition

Condition assessed as fair (assessed from streetscape survey only).

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This data is provided by the City of Fremantle. While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of this data, the City of Fremantle makes no representations or warranties about its accuracy, reliability, completeness or suitability for any particular purpose and disclaims all responsibility and all liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages (including indirect or consequential damage) and costs which you might incur as a result of the data being inaccurate or incomplete in any way and for any reason. Under no circumstances should this data be used to carry out any work without first contacting the City of Fremantle for the appropriate confirmation and approval.