SHOP & HOUSE (FMR), 31 SAMSON STREET

Statement of Significance

31 Samson Street has cultural heritage significance:
- constructed c1917, has aesthetic and historic significance as a typical example of a corner shop and attached house
- It is an example of a way of life that is not often still practiced. The single storey brick shop and residence is representative of the early 1900s corner shops.
- for the contribution that it makes to a intact late nineteenth and early twentieth century
streetscape; and
- The place is significant as a representation of working people’s living and working
conditions in the Fremantle area and the typical local neighbourhood shop in the
Fremantle area
- The place is associated with the Sowden family, butchers who opened several butchers shops in the Fremantle area
- The place contributes significantly to the surrounding streetscape.

Physical Description

Single storey painted tuck pointed brick and tile brick house and former shop which fronts the street corner. The shop (fmr) has a truncated corner and a corniced parapet and a pair of timber paneled doors and a transom window.
The following places form a significant group and contribute to the streetscape of Samson Street; 23, 25, 26, 28, 31, 30, 32, 34, 35, 41, 43, 45, 49, 51, 55, 57, 59, 61, and the Norfolk Pines.

History

31 Samson Street was originally 65 Samson Street.
Constructed c1916 the corner shop and attached house was first occupied by William W Williams as recorded in the Post Office Directories.
James Sowden had been born in Cornwall in 1869. It has not been determined when he arrived in Australia, but he married Sarah Ann Salter in South Australia in 1891. The couple moved to Fremantle the following year and James opened a butcher shop on the corner of Hampton Road and South Street in 1894. Other family members also became butchers
and the family had various butchers shops around Fremantle. By 1920 William JR Sowden of Sowden and Sons was the occupier of 65 Samson Street and ran a butchers shop from the corner store.
By 1925 Lawrence Oxwell, butcher is listed as the occupier of the shop and attached residence and remained so until c 1937. In 1937 Mrs Rose Rebecca Ingram is noted as the resident of the place with home duties listed as her occupation. Rose Ingram remained at 31 Samson Street until her passing in 1970.
The 1917 Sewerage Diagram clearly shows a brick shop and attached residence as per the current building. There is a set back verandah to the residence and a verandah wrapping around the truncated corner shop.
Nos. 53, 55 and 65 changed numbers to 23, 25 and 31 in c1940 as the numbers in the street jumped from 7 to 67 over 3 lots.
31 Samson Street was not included in the original Fremantle Municipal Heritage Inventory when it was adopted in 2000.
At the 27 February 2022 OMC Council resolved to add 31 Samson Street to the Fremantle Heritage List and the Local Heritage Survey as a category Level 3 place.

Integrity/Authenticity

Moderate

Condition

Fair / Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This data is provided by the City of Fremantle. While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of this data, the City of Fremantle makes no representations or warranties about its accuracy, reliability, completeness or suitability for any particular purpose and disclaims all responsibility and all liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages (including indirect or consequential damage) and costs which you might incur as a result of the data being inaccurate or incomplete in any way and for any reason. Under no circumstances should this data be used to carry out any work without first contacting the City of Fremantle for the appropriate confirmation and approval.