House

Parent Place or Precinct

27310 Park Street Heritage Area

Statement of Significance

The place has cultural heritage significance:
• As a good representative example of the many 4-5 room brick homes which were built in Subiaco during the early twentieth century to meet the needs and aspirations of middle-class residents such as public servants, senior office workers, small business owners, skilled tradesmen and single/widowed women of private means.
• As a good representative example of the application of materials and detailing which were derived from the Federation Queen Anne style, but which were applied in a more restrained manner that suited the budgets and expectations of the middle classes in Subiaco during the early twentieth century.
• For its aesthetic contribution to a largely intact group of early twentieth century houses.
• For its association with the rapid development of Subiaco in the early 20th century and the small scale development by local builders of many residential properties.
For information on the significance of the Park Street Heritage Area refer to the Local Planning Policy for the Heritage Area.

Physical Description

Architectural style
Typical of many well built 2-3 bedroom suburban houses of the early twentieth century, 137 Townshend Road incorporated elements of the Federation Queen Anne style. It was designed to a scale and form generally considered suitable for occupiers such as business owners, senior office workers, senior retail employees and skilled tradesmen.
Plan form at the street frontage
• Asymmetrical facade. This features a projecting wing on the southern side, with a verandah across the remainder of the frontage.
Roof form and materials
• Hipped-gabled roof clad with corrugated metal sheeting.
• Prominent gable over the projecting wing. This has a roughcast rendered face, set with a decorative pattern of vertical, diagonal and curved timber battens. Traditional shaped gable boards and rolled profile gable capping.
• Painted brick chimney with a projecting rendered cap.
• Bull-nose verandah roof.
Wall materials and finishes to the main façade
• Plain rendered walls.
Note: Based on other similar houses of this period the front walls were probably originally finished with tuck-pointed brickwork and contrasting smooth rendered detailing.
• Moulded cornice and string course above verandah height, with a broken cornice detail under the gable.
Other detailing to main facade
• Boxed-out window bay with a shallow hipped roof. This features four casement windows with highlights to the front face, and a single casement window with highlight to each side.
• Main entrance located adjacent to the projecting wing. This has a 5-panel door with highlight (no sidelights).
• Bank of four casement windows with highlights under the verandah. Set over a moulded rendered sill.
• Three arched, rendered wall niches under the verandah. One facing north (adjacent to the door) and the others to either side of the window. Each of these is set over a moulded rendered sill (matching the window sill).
• Turned timber verandah posts, cross-member timber balustrade, and a timber frieze featuring vertical and crossed diagonal timber members.
Streetscape setting
• House set back approximately 3m from the Townshend Road frontage.
• Lot width approximately 10.1m.
• Built up to a parapet wall on the southern side. Setback of approximately 1m on the northern side.
• Front yard enclosed by a scalloped timber picket fence.

History

Subiaco's population increased significantly in the 1890s due to an economic depression in the eastern states and the discovery of gold in Western Australia. During the 1890s property developers bought large landholdings for subdivision in the Perth metropolitan area. The original subdivisions in Subiaco were generally simple grid pattern developments with small lots suitable for occupancy by working families. However, the more elevated parts of the suburb, particularly towards Kings Park, also attracted business and professional men and some lots were later amalgamated to accommodate their larger homes and gardens. Mixed development occurred and within the Park Street Heritage Area this ranged from narrow, single storey terrace housing through to a large 2-storey house set in spacious grounds. The readily available evidence indicates that the number of houses within this area increased from around 24 in 1901 to 72 in 1906; 86 in 1910; 91 in 1915, 94 in 1920 and 13 by 1925. Development then stabilised, with 106 houses and 1 block of flats identified in 1949.
Perth Suburban Lot 221 was subdivided as Deposited Plan 1535 in 1896 and advertised as the “Salisbury Estate”. This comprised 42 lots, including 14 lots along the western side of Townshend Road between Barker and Bagot Road.
From the readily available information 137 Townshend Road had been developed by 1905, but it may have been built in as early as 1900 (with one house being listed in the vicinity of 133-139 Townshend Road in 1901 and two in 1902). The first confirmed occupant was Mary Mansfield (nee Howell), the widow of Robert Philip Mansfield, who lived here in c.1906.
A review of the Post Office Directories at 5-yearly intervals (together with reference to contemporary Electoral Rolls) indicates that some of the primary residents through until the mid-twentieth century included:
 1910: Ernest Ward (draper)
In the Rate Books of 1909-1910 and through until at least 1914-1915, the owner of the property was identified as E Ellis.
 1915 & 1920: Mrs Mary Jane Meyer (widow)
137 Townshend Road was not listed in the Post Office Directory of 1915. However, August Meyer gave this as his mother’s address when he enlisted in January 1915.
During the time that Mrs Meyer lived at this address, three of her five sons were killed on active duty: Edward (‘Eddie) (1916), Albert (‘Les’) (1918) and August (‘Gus’) (1918).
 1925: William John Earnshaw (civil servant)
 1930: Percy Sullivan
 1935: William H Kent
 1940: Gus Cochran
In late 1940 the “beautiful modernised 5-room and Vestibule Brick Villa” was advertised for sale for £625.
 1945 and 1949: Ruth Morfesse (widow)
Ruth lived here from c.1944 until around the time of her death in December 1953.
The high turn-over of occupants during this period (who typically remained for only 1-3 years) suggests that 137 Townshend Road was primarily being used as a rental property for much of the early-mid twentieth century.
A plan of the site prepared in the 1920s and reviewed in 1954 for the purpose of planning sewerage and water supply services shows that the footprint of the original residence has been extended to double the original size. Aerial photographs of the place since the mid 20th century indicate that additions were constructed at the rear of the place in c.1980. Since then no major alterations were identified and the extent and form of the original residence are still clearly evident.
137 Townshend Road was adopted on the City of Subiaco Local Heritage Survey in 2021. It has been assessed as level 3 (contributes to the heritage of the City of Subiaco).

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity - High: The place continues to be used as a private residence.
Authenticity - Medium: The authenticity of the house within its streetscape setting has been reduced by the painting of the brickwork. Other than this, the original external detailing of the building appears to be largely intact and/or sympathetically restored/renovated.

Condition

Based on a streetscape inspection the building appears to be in a good condition.

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.