Shop

Parent Place or Precinct

25581 Claremont Crescent Commercial Heritage Precinct

Statement of Significance

Claremont Crescent Shops Heritage Area represents a way of life and has demonstrated a resilience to accommodate changes of use, to still be relevant in contemporary society. The extent of Inter-War development is significant and is a rarity of commercial heritage areas. The form of some of the shops has changed and demonstrates historical connections. The Area also represents a sense of place for generations of residents who have utilised the various services over time, coming together in informal meetings at the ‘shops’, close to the Swanbourne Railway Station.

Physical Description

Single storey painted and rendered masonry on the street frontage and truncated corner with face brick evident on secondary street. The masonry parapet is simple with ball topped pilasters delineating the front and truncated sections, with a triangle apex over the truncation. The truncated corner entry has the original terrazzo flooring and tiling to dado height with Art Deco motifs on the main elevation. There is a flat boxed suspended verandah awning over the pavement; but not over the corner of laneway.

History

This is a shop with attached residence accessed on the side laneway. It is on the site of a 1902-03 weatherboard house built for E. L. Davies around 1904, valued at £225. The house was rented out in the 1910s and in 1920 it was owned by Mrs Cavalier and occupied by Mrs Maynard. In 1930 it was the home of Edward Cox but within three years the shop had been built, housing A. H. Mercer's newsagency, with Post office and Commonwealth Bank agency. Mr. Mercer is recorded as the postmaster. The place possibly comprised two shop spaces originally.
No.119 has remained a newsagency throughout its occupation, although the post office agency has moved location several times. In 1949 the business was run by Charles Wegner and in 1960 by J. D. Nichols. It has traded as the Swanbourne Newsagency for over 30 years. The residence has two bedrooms, lounge, kitchen and bathroom, enclosed verandah and outdoor living area. In 2009, the property was on the market for $3.3 million. With a rear access to Rob Roy Street, it was advertised as having rear development potential.
Area
Claremont Crescent developed from the late 1880s with a mixture of brick and weatherboard houses and middle class and working class residents. The Swanbourne railway station, initially known as the Congdon Street station, opened in 1904 and directly opposite it a group of shops were established on the Crescent, some replacing earlier weatherboard houses. A photo of the shops, dating from c.1920s-1930s, shows a neat homogenous group with a timber floored verandah running their length. The Swanbourne Hotel (Inter-War Art Deco) was located on the adjoining corner of Franklin Street. Over the years the shops have undergone changes and rebuilding.

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.