House

Parent Place or Precinct

25394 Union and Redfern Heritage Area

Statement of Significance

The place has aesthetic significance as a good example of the architectural style typical of the area and period. It has historic significance reflecting the development and settlement of the area.

Physical Description

Brick and iron dwelling with a centrally placed gablet above the main entrance. The house presents as symmetrical with the entrance door being flanked by timber framed windows. The brickwork is enlivened by twin stringcourses. The verandah incorporates a bullnose canopy supported on turned timber columns with decorative timber brackets. The canopy is a separate roof from the main house roof, positioned approximately 2 brick courses below the eaves. The gablet has a roughcast render texture with timber details. Two chimneys are located to the east and western sides of the food behind the main ridgeline. They are of brick construction with painted concrete corbelling.

History

In June 1903, Sydney accountants William James Douglas and Frank Dyson purchased PSL 254 and portion of PSL 253. The land was subdivided into 36 lots and in August 1903, the pair divided the ownership of the lots evenly. Each owned half of the properties facing Rawson Street, Hamersley Road and Heytesbury Road. The lots were sold from 1904 onwards and the first home on Rawson Street, the subject area, was built by 1904. From the available evidence Douglas and Dyson never visited the properties in Subiaco and the sale of the land was managed by local land agents, Ebernezer Allen & Co.

No.15 Rawson Street was constructed for James Irvine, an accountant, in 1906/07 and their home was named ‘Haventhorpe’. James and Harriett Irvine and their three girls were active in the community and James was a Justice of the Peace. Following James’s death in 1933 his wife and daughters continued to reside at the house until 1948. Mr G Congress was recorded as occupying the property in 1949 at the time of the publication of the last Post Office Directory.



Occupants
1909-1933 James and Harriett Irvine
1934-1948 Hazel Irvine
1949 G Congress

Integrity/Authenticity

Note: This place retains a high level of original external detailing and is a good example of the development of Rawson Street in the 1910s. The open railing of the front fence enables the house to be viewed and to contribute to the streetscape.

Condition

Good

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.