Four Houses

Child Places

• 08768 House
• 08765 House
• 08766 House
• 08767 House

Statement of Significance

The four workers houses at No. 31-37 Wade Street are an early group of handed Federation Bungalows which are similar in style, character and accommodation, that were consciously designed as a townscape group.

Physical Description

Modest single storey dwellings, No 31 mirrors its neighbour at No. 33 Wade Street and, similarly, No 35 mirrors its neighbour at No. 37. All four dwellings have hipped roofs with a feature gable over the projecting front room and a verandah across the rest of the frontage. Each projecting front room has an awning over the window. The walls are tuckpointed and have two heavy stucco bands at window sill and door head height. The chimneys are corbelled. For the pair at No. 31-33, the gable is half-timbered with a rising sun motif, contrasted on 31 and painted out on No. 33. Both 31 and 33 have separate skillion verandahs. The verandah is supported by turned timber posts, which is detailed with a lattice valance at No. 31. For the pair at No. 35 & 37, the gable of No. 35 is treated as a shallow arched bottom chord, linking return eaves, and prominent gable finial. No. 37 is decorated with a circular air vent set high in the gable. No. 35 has a separate bullnose verandah, supported by turned timber posts, and originally had a cast-iron frieze. No. 35 has a separate skillion verandah. All four houses have a small front garden. Along the front boundary at No. 31 & 33 is a low timber framed cyclone fence, while No 35 has a low brick fence, and No 37 a high brick fence. None apparent

History

The four dwellings at No. 31-37 Wade Street were built in 1899 and appear on the 1900 PWD sewerage plans. The first residential listings for the properties appear in the Wise's Post Office Directories in 1909 for Nos. 29 and 33 and in 1910 Nos. 35 and 37 appear. The four dwellings are situated on the west side of Wade Street, in the space created by the bend in William Street (formerly Clifton Street) where, after traversing the reclaimed area of Lake Thomson, it was redirected to join Clifton Street on the east side of Hyde Park. Wade and Lane Streets developed as workers housing on the western side of Lake Poullet (later known as Birdswood Square). In 1920, Chinese market gardens were still being worked on the lake bed at the corner of Beaufort and Bulwer Streets. In the 1920s, the lake area was developed as Birdswood Square with adjoining residential subdivision on Baker Avenue. The large blocks on Baker Avenue resulted in larger homes overlooking the Square, in contrast to the smaller lots and modest houses on Lane and Wade Streets. The Wise's Post Office Directories list the occupants in these four dwellings over the years, including Walter E. McDiarmid, William J. Hocking and James Quan-Han at Nos. 29-31; Edward J. Fox, Hugh J. A. Fox, Allen Abbott, Danile E. Bevis, Mrs Francis and Stanley M. Lake at No. 33; Reuben Johnston, John Burns, William Hancock, Mrs Anne Burns, Mrs Minnie Tate, Richard Reed, George H. Bullard, Mrs Lillian Davey and Frank Cullen at No. 35 and Samuel H. Sommers, H. W. Blackburn, Mrs A. Burns, Lieb Sainken, Mrs Ethel M. Warner and Mrs McKendry at No. 37. Grace Emma Fox was shown as the owner of No. 33 in 1951 on a Certificate of Title. The frequently changes of the residency indicate that the dwellings were believed to be tenanted.

Integrity/Authenticity

High

Uses

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.