Albany Court House Complex

Child Places

• 15451 Lockup & Residence (fmr)
• 15468 Sergeant's Quarters
• 15451 Lockup & Residence (fmr)

Statement of Significance

Albany Court House Complex, comprising the Albany Court House, constructed of Albany brick and grey granite with a tiled roof in the Federation Romanesque style, Lockup and Keeper’s Quarters, and Sergeant’s Quarters, both constructed of Albany brick with corrugated iron roofs and designed in Federation Queen Anne style, has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
the Albany Court House is an austere, imposing building in the Federation Romanesque style, featuring a significant asymmetric convolute granite arch over the main entrance;
the place is an important regional centre of justice in Western Australia, constructed at a time of enormous growth in the population and economy of the Colony and Western Australia, to cater for an increased demand for law enforcement. The Albany Court House has functioned continuously as the seat of justice in Albany and the Great Southern region since 1898;
the place contributes positively to the historic Stirling Terrace streetscape. The Albany Court House is a landmark building in Albany and is one of the most important buildings in Stirling Terrace. Lockup and Keeper’s Quarters and Sergeant’s Quarters are fine examples of single storey Federation Queen Anne buildings;
the place is a grand scale regional law and order complex designed by the Public Works Department of Western Australia under the supervision of George Temple Poole, Chief Government Architect between 1885 and 1897, and Hillson Beasley, and constructed by Charles Layton, William Trott, and Francis Bird;
and
Albany Lockup and Keeper’s Quarters and Sergeant’s Quarters reflects the types of facilities constructed for short term imprisonment at the beginning of the twentieth century in Western Australia.

Stirling Terrace Precinct, a predominantly late Victorian and Federation period townscape set along a segmented crescent plan overlooking Princess Royal Harbour, Albany and containing a diverse range of building types and styles, has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
the historic precinct is a fine and relatively intact example of a late nineteenth century and early twentieth century townscape, dating primarily from 1867 to 1915, demonstrating a range of activities and support infrastructure associated with the foundation and development of a prominent nineteenth century town;
the historic precinct is rare as a prominently located townscape with a town plan dating from the foundation of the settlement with a set of finely designed Victorian and Federation period buildings;
as the original commercial heart of the town, the historic precinct was an important part of the development of the region and the State to varying degrees from the 1830s until World War One when Albany was a prominent town in the Colony and Australia, due to its role as the Colony’s coal depot for the international mail and passenger service, which linked Europe to the eastern colonies. This role was expanded with the addition of regional railways and interstate telegraph links; viewed from the harbour and from the western approaches to the town, the historic precinct as a whole is a landmark, strengthened by the strong vertical accents of the Royal George Hotel and the former Post Office;
the historic precinct is highly valued by the local community for its aesthetic values and historic associations and, along with the defining topography of the Princess Royal Harbour, Mount Melville and Mount Clarence, is as one of the elements that contributes to the local community’s sense of place and to the identity of Albany;
within the precinct, G.T. Poole’s designs for the Post Office and Court House demonstrate creative excellence and J.T. Hobbs’ design for the Sandover & Co store, which later became Drew Robinson & Co.’s store, at 108-110 Stirling Terrace makes innovative use of large plate glass windows;
and
the historic precinct includes buildings designed by prominent architects James Manning, Lt. General Sir J. T. Hobbs, J. Herbert Eales, and George T. Poole, and was historically the location of businesses founded and run by significant Albany and regional identities including Thomas Sherratt, Alexander Moir, John Robinson, Charles Drew, Frank Dymes, Edward Barnett, J.F.T. Hassell, and E.G. Everett.

Physical Description

The Court House is located in centre of the town of Albany, it is positioned close to the roadway making it a dominant feature in the streetscape. The Court House is a two storey red brick and granite building with arched convolute doorways of granite and rounded front corners. The roof is covered in grey roof tiles and has brick chimneys with terracotta tops. One of the most interesting features is the curved stonework around the two entrances. It is believed that the blocks were fitted without the use of cement and pointing was added later built by local stonemason called Trott. The English coat of arms on the front wall was carved into a plaque of Sydney freestone.
Refer also to:
• Considine & Griffiths Architects in association with Kris Bizzaca, Stirling Terrace, Albany, Conservation Plan, October 2000
• David Heaver & Associates, Albany Court House Precinct Conservation Plan, May 2002

History

Albany Court House
The Albany Court House was designed by Public Works Architect, George Temple-Poole. The Hon F H Piesse MLA laid a foundation stone on December 29, 1896. The building was completed on 7 February 1898 by builder Charles F Layton. The skills of local stonemason, William Hotson Trott (of Rowley Street), were employed to build the imposing front arches. A ceremony was held in December that year with the acting Premier Edward R Wittenoom to officially open the building.
The building served a multi-purpose role including a police station and Court House on the ground floor and Public Works Department offices on the first floor. Other government departments used the building at different times during its history.
A brick lockup and keeper’s quarters was built to the north in 1908 facing Collie Street, followed by a five-room Police Sergeant's quarters in 1909, also in brick, on the Duke Street frontage of the site. The lock-up also served many years as a gaol for short term prisoners (sentences up to three months), until the opening in the late 1960s of the Albany Regional Prison.
In the early 1920s, there was some reorganisation of uses in the courthouse, and most of the dividing wall was removed between the ground floor offices to give better access for the clerk of courts and Savings Bank use. In 1945, a new garage and woodshed were constructed. In 1957, all buildings on the site were connected to sewer and new water service provided. In 1958, a new toilet block was added on the ground floor, and the shingle roof was replaced with tiles.
In the early 1960s, police accommodation at the Court House and Lock-up was considered to be inadequate, and plans were drawn for replacement facilities. Subsequently, a new police station was built west of the Court House on Lots S44 and S45, which opened in December 1968. A new gaol (now lock-up) was built in the same period. The original 1908 lockup and quarters was no longer required and so was given to the Albany Bailiff. The old lockup is used for storage and old court records but the keeper’s quarters is still used as a residence. The Duke Street residence was sold freehold.
In 1978, substantial modifications were made to the interior of the Court House building to provide for a second court room on the ground floor, and redesign of the general office area. The last major construction at the Court House took place in 1983 when the entire lath and plaster ceiling structure of the main court upstairs collapsed and had to be replaced.
In 2005, the internal configuration of the Collie Street quarters was substantially altered, and new additions made and some original fabric of the place was lost. The 1968 Police Station Complex to the west was demolished and replaced with a new complex which also integrated the former Kookas Restaurant.
Stirling Terrace Precinct
Stirling Terrace is one of the City of Albany’s most significant heritage assets, both as a streetscape and as a collection of Victorian and Federation period buildings overlooking Princess Royal Harbour. Stirling Terrace is located in visually striking topography and its segmented crescent plan form remains basically as it was when first recorded by Surveyor Hillman in 1835. The mature trees and the harmonious architectural composition of diverse building types and styles provide additional visual interest.
Stirling Terrace was developed from the 1830s following the establishment of Albany as part of the Swan River colony, and was an important part of the development of the region and the State to varying degrees from the 1830s until World War One. The 1835 Hillman survey plan set the scene for the emergence of Stirling Terrace as the prime location in the town, with a rich variety of social, commercial, leisure, institutional and service functions. The majority of the built fabric which remains today was completed in the period 1867 to 1915. The buildings were designed by some of the State’s most eminent architects and many were built for prominent citizens and institutions.

Over the years the commercial focus of Albany has moved to York Street, with many institutions, such as banks and the post office relocating there. Free of substantial development pressure at a critical time, Stirling Terrace has managed to retain many of its historic structures and features. Viewed from the harbour, and from the western approach to the town, Stirling Terrace has a landmark quality as a whole.
Refer also to:
• Considine & Griffiths Architects in association with Kris Bizzaca, Stirling Terrace, Albany, Conservation Plan, October 2000
• David Heaver & Associates, Albany Court House Precinct Conservation Plan, May 2002

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High
Authenticity: High/Moderate

Condition

Excellent

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.