Three Houses

Statement of Significance

Attached House, 2 Symmons Street, is one of a pair of single storey brick and iron duplex houses, have cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
the place is a late example of the Victorian Georgian style of architecture;
the place has landmark qualities and contributes significantly to the streetscape and the community's sense of place;
the place is a good example of economic use of existing land allotments in response to population and accommodation pressures brought about by the gold boom in the 1890s.

Physical Description

Attached Houses 2 & 4 Symmons Street are a pair of single storey brick and iron duplex houses with an overall symmetrical facade designed as a late example of the Victorian Georgian style of architecture. Each house has a hipped roof and separate verandah roof of corrugated iron with a rendered masonry dividing wall clearly evident through both roofs. The verandahs are supported by square timber posts. A red face brick chimney with rendered corbelling is evident to both duplex halves. Each has a timber framed front door with fanlight flanked on one side by a timber framed double hung sash window with sidelights.A brick pier and timber picket fence runs along the front boundary line to both duplex halves.

History

Symmons Street is thought to have been named in honour of Charles Symmons who arrived in Western Australia in 1839. He was a civil servant who held many public offices and later became a prominent citizen in Bunbury, where he died in 1887. His obituary described him as ‘well read, observant, quaint and a gentleman; a welcome guest, a genial host’

The date of construction of Attached Houses, 6 Symmons Street is not known. No entry for the lot could be found in the 1899 rate book and there are no rate books for the 1906 to 1920 period. The earliest rate book entry found is in 1921.

In 1921, there were four dwellings on the lot – two sets of attached pairs that would later become 2 & 4 and 6 & 8 Symmons Street. They were owned by Edith Cole and occupied by G Hay, Walter Pickersgill, a Mr Metcalf and William Looney. The latter was a telegraphist.

Attached houses such as this were built in Bunbury in the 1890s and early 1900s in response to the growing population and building pressures experienced as a consequence of the gold boom. Bunbury’s townsite boundaries were confined by water on two sides and the Perth-Bunbury railway infrastructure to the immediate east, which demanded better use of existing building allotments.

Edith Cole was still the owner in 1931, when the houses were numbered 31 to 37 Symmons Street. The tenants at this time were Ed Simpson, M Simwick, R Boyds and A Neats.

By 1941, the houses were owned by Bolton, Cole and Bolton (care of a Mr Cole, who lived in Nedlands.) Ed Simpson still lived at No 2, George Barboutis lived at No 4, Gus Swanson at No 6 and No 8 was vacant at this time. In 1951, Bolton, Cole and Bolton were still the owners. Miss Simpson was the tenant of No 2, long term neighbours George Barboutis and Gus Swanson still lived at No 4 and No 6 and Beatrice Hall lived at No 8.

Integrity/Authenticity

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

Condition

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

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.