House

Parent Place or Precinct

26001 Chesters Subdivision Heritage Area

Statement of Significance

The place has cultural heritage significance:
• As an excellent example of a well designed and detailed “gentleman’s villa” of Subiaco dating from the Inter War period.
• For its aesthetic value as a good representative example of a well-designed Federation Queen Anne villa of the Inter War period, designed to a style and scale suited to the professional/business classes.
• For its association with the ongoing development of Subiaco in the first half of the 20th century period.
• As an example of one of the many speculative developments undertaken by James Chesters, who was a prominent Subiaco businessman in the period 1901 to 1921, one-time Mayor of Subiaco (1911-1912).
• For its aesthetic contribution to a largely intact group of early twentieth century houses.

Physical Description

• Traditional asymmetric single storey house of Federation Queen Anne style.
• Brick construction with tuckpoint finish and rendered string course bands across the façade. a rendered fascia extends around the front of the property immediately below the eaves, with decorative eaves brackets.
• Roughcast render gable to the projecting wing.
• Hipped roof with vented gablets lad in replacement corrugated metal sheeting.
• Timber casement windows with top lights arranged in group of three to the projecting wing with bullnose awning above supported on decorative timber brackets and incorporating the same frieze as the verandah.
• Further casements to the recessed section of the façade and traditional entrance door abutting the projecting wing.
• The verandah extends across the recessed section of the front with a slight return to the eastern elevation.
• The garden is enclosed with a timber picket fence.

History

James Chesters, an investor from Melbourne, purchased Perth Suburban Lots 249 to
252 in October 1891. In the following year he commenced selling residential lots in a
newly subdivided estate laid out as Deposited Plan 504 (extending across Perth
Suburban Lots 249 and 250).
Chesters retained ownership of Lots 183, 184 and 185 until c.1914-15, when he
constructed two houses here as a speculative building development. The house at 8
Heytesbury Road was completed first and was offered for sale from November 1914:
SUBIACO.-Gentleman's Residence, 6 rooms, bath, pantry, near
King's Park. £150. deposit and £8 monthly, No. 8 Heytesbury-rd.
Particulars Chesters;
This was sold to a Mr W J Orr in 1915, but by April of the following year Orr had
placed the property back on the market and the Rates Books listed the next owner as
a Mr A Douglas.
The first listed occupant of the house was Marion Brown (wife of Edwin W Brown, a
north-west pearler and shipwright), whose daughter, Leely, married Archibald
Douglas in 1918. A number of changes of occupants over the next fifteen years, as
listed in the Post Office Directories, reflect extended periods of overseas travel
undertaken by Mrs Brown to visit her adult children (including trips to South Africa
and New Zealand, which were referred to in brief newspaper articles).
The available information suggests that she relocated to the latter in c.1927.
In 1931 (at the height of the Great Depression) the house was advertised under a
Mortgagee sale:
……. SUBSTANTIAL BRICK DWELLING, containing 4 main rooms,
kitchen, bathroom, with enamel bath, enclosed back verandah,
maid's room, sewerage, e.l. and gas installed. The property is
excellently situated, close to Thomas-street, in the best part of
Subiaco.
It was then jointly occupied for at least 20 years by Grace Ottaway and Thomas
Brown, and may have been subdivided into two separate flats.
A plan of the lot prepared in 1927 and reviewed in 1955 for the purpose of planning
sewerage and water supply services shows that the footprint of the residence has
doubled since that time with a large addition at the rear.
Aerial photographs of the place since the mid 20th century indicate that the addition
was undertaken in the late 1990s. Since that time there have been no significant
external changes and the form and extent of the original residence is still readily
apparent.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity - High: The place continues to be used as a private residence.
Authenticity - High: The original external form and detailing of the building is largely intact.

Condition

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

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.