House

Statement of Significance

The place at 61-63 Aberdeen Street has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
The place is associated with the David Young and his son Andrew Young who were the original owners from early 1890s to c1940s, the Young family being who the district of Young’s Siding is named after.
The place is a significant as part of a group of historic houses/buildings in Aberdeen Street built from 1880s to early 1900s that have heritage value both individually and as part of a streetscape, comprising a complimentary mix of residential and institutional buildings many of which were converted very early to commercial use to form an important commercial business district of the historic town site.

Physical Description

Some of the notable features of this place include:
• Set close to the road – high streetscape value
• Symmetrical façade
• High pitched hipped roof with corrugated metal sheeting
• Separate verandah with skillion/hipped roof
• Three prominent tall chimneys with moulded tops

Some obvious modifications include:
• Metal window screens
• Timber weatherboard addition to rear (verandah infill)
• Brick single-storey skillion roof addition added c2008 to the northern side (noted as intrusive)
• Brick infill to balustrading on front verandah c1980s removed

History

The house at 61-63 Aberdeen Street was originally on Lot S104 – the same as next door at 65-67 Aberdeen St - which from the earliest rate book entry in 1892 shows it was owned by David Young. The entry also indicates there was a house extant by this time at this address, the tenant being Joseph Farley, police sergeant. The house - the same as the one that is there today - can be seen in a panorama photograph of Albany dated c1896-1898 (refer below) but not in a panorama of 1889. The house next door at 65-67 Aberdeen Street was built later, by 1912.

The rate book entry for 1912 shows Lot S104 now owned by Andrew Young. The tenant was William Forsyth, carpenter. Andrew Young also owned the house next door at 65-67 Aberdeen Street where he may have lived.

David Young was well-known as an early settler/farmer of the Young’s Siding and Marbelup districts in west Albany - Young’s Siding named after him and his family. David Young came to Western Australia from England in 1834 when he was 9 years old and moved to Albany as an adult. He married Margaret Muir (sister of Robert Muir) c1851 and they had nine children including John William, Andrew Muir, Harry, Will and Robert and a daughter, Mary (who married Thomas Knapp also a well-known family in the west Albany area).
In 1881 the Youngs famously hosted the young Princes Albert (later Duke of Clarence) and George (later King George V) sons of King Edward VII at their homestead at Marbelup (also referred to as Marbellup) when the Princes were midshipmen on the HMS Bacchant. Andrew accompanied the two young Princes on excursions around Wilson’s Inlet. David Young died 28 September 1908 at age 84.
Like their father, brothers John William and Andrew Muir initially pursued farming in the Marbelup/Young’s Siding area but then came to Albany and lived in Aberdeen Street, where both John and father David had bought various town lots. John took up the licence of the Albany Hotel in York Street until his death in 1908, and Andrew took up a position with Drew Robinson and Co. on Stirling Terrace where he worked until his retirement in the 1920s. He was married and had a son (David) and two daughters, Agnes and Olive (who became Mrs Millington and Mrs Grayson respectively). His wife died in 1921 aged 59. Andrew Young died in 1937 at age 82.
Subsequent owner of Lot S104 was Katarina Negri in the 1950s who owned both houses. It has been Steer optometrists for many years - Geoffrey Steer then his daughter Alison Ryan.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Moderate
Authenticity: High/Moderate

Condition

Fair

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.