Colmel House

Statement of Significance

Colmel House, at No. 241 Stirling Street, is a rare and important example of a grand house in the Federation Italianate style. It is one of very few grand houses to have been constructed in the Town, whilst it is a model of grand house which was built in a number of locations within Peppermint Grove. The former residence for Henry Bell, it was converted to a private hospital in 1910 and has continued to be used for hospital/health facility purposes since that time, making it a focus for health services to the district for most of its century of existence.

Physical Description

This two storey former residence in the Federation Italianate style is a grand house of a model found in several locations in Peppermint Grove, but unique within the Town of Vincent. Like two similar examples in Peppermint Grove one grand house was converted to hospital usage and the other to school purposes. The comparatively plain two storey bullnosed verandah is handsomely proportioned and returns from the front façade along the side façade. The verandah posts are chamfered with collars top and bottom and the lower floor verandah has a decorative flat arch valance. Upstairs the balustrade consists of simple verticalsset between handrail and bottom rail. An open tread timber staircase is in place on the side of the verandah. The verandah terminates against a protruding double storey bay at either end, gabled to the front façade and hipped to the side façade. The generous scale of the residence is given emphasis with the tall hipped roof and french doors with fanlights above. Casement windows and doors have fanlights over, contributing to the generous proportions of the residence. The place is of brick construction set on a limestone plinth. Rendered bands run the perimeter of the residence at door head on both the ground and first floor. The projecting gabled bay on the front façade have additional rendered stringcourses at first floor sill and floor levels. Set back behind a timber framed low chain link fence, the lawns are manicured and there are some plantings. Main roof, concrete verandah.

History

Stirling Street was named after Sir James Stirling (1791-1865), founder of the Swan River Colony and Governor from 1828-1839. Stirling was born in Scotland and joined the Royal Navy at the age of 12. In 1823 he married Ellen Mangles, after whom a portion of what later became Newcastle Street was named. Stirling first visited Western Australia in 1827 and was impressed with it. He wanted to found a colony and without his strong lobbying and Britain's fears that the French would beat them to it, the Swan River might not have been established in 1829. No. 241 Stirling Street did not appear on the PWD 1897 City of Perth & Suburbs sewerage plants (Sheet No. 8, 18.8.1897). It is a large brick residence constructed sometime between 1900 and 1905 constructed on an irregular-shaped block that backs onto two other Municipal Heritage Inventory-listed properties on the south side of Brisbane Street. In 1905 it was occupied by Henry Bell. In 1910, it was listed as Topsham Private Hospital, with Miss M. Plover as matron and nurses D. Salmon, G.E. Conroy and E. Bochm in residence. Two nurses were boarding across the street at No. 252 at that time and there was a nurses' home at 194 Stirling Street, and another establishment, Ensor Hospital, at No. 216. By 1915, No. 241 was known as St Helen's Private Hospital, and it was run by Nurse Armstrong. In 1919 the nurses were E. Scott and H.P. Rennix. By 1930 it was known as St Helen's Hospital and was owned and run by Christina and Lottie Fanning. In 1936 the hospital was listed still with the Fannings as the proprietors but 'trained nurses home' was also included. In 1947 the Fannings were still there. No Directory was published in 1948 but in 1949 No. 241 was just listed as 'W.H. & A.G. Kirby'. The City of Perth building licence cards indicated that Colonel Norris applied for a licence to erect an office at this address in 1979. In 2002, No. 241 Stirling Street was a health facility known as Colmel House. Two houses on Brisbane Street (Nos. 79 and 81) operated as annexes of Colmel House. By 2004 it was occupied by MR Business Advisers, which produced business development programmes tailored to their clients' needs and ran workshops there. Other tenants have included Melsom Robson, chartered accountants (established 1978), which became Jones Condon chartered accountants, MR Business Advisers and Colmel Properties.

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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.