House

Parent Place or Precinct

27310 Park Street Heritage Area

Statement of Significance

The place has cultural heritage significance:
• As a good representative example of the standard of modest rental accommodation built for people such as tradesmen, junior employees, labourers and single women/widows in Subiaco during the early twentieth century.
• As a good representative example of the application of materials and detailing which were derived from the Federation Queen Anne style, but which were applied in a more restrained manner for investment properties.
• For its association with the rapid development of Subiaco in the early 20th century.
For information on the significance of the Park Street Heritage Area refer to the Local Planning Policy for the Heritage Area.

Physical Description

Architectural style
This simple weatherboard cottage does not clearly illustrate any of the major architectural styles of the early twentieth century. It was designed to a scale and form generally considered suitable for occupiers such as office workers, retail employees and both skilled and unskilled tradesmen.
Plan form at the street frontage
• Asymmetrical facade. This has a projecting wing on the southern side and a verandah across the remainder of the frontage.
Roof form and materials
• Hipped-gabled roof clad with corrugated metal sheeting.
• Face of gable rendered and set with timber battens in a sunburnt pattern.
• Bull-nosed verandah roof, hipped at the northern end.
• No extant chimneys.
Wall materials and finishes to the main facade
• Rusticated weatherboards (bevel edged weatherboards to side elevations).
Other detailing to main facade
• Two double hung windows, one to the front wall and the other under the verandah.
• Raked window awning with vertical timber balusters to the side panels and curved timber brackets.
• Main entrance located adjacent to the projecting wing. 4-panel door with a highlight (no sidelights).
• Reconstructed verandah with turned timber posts, carved timber brackets and a frieze of square timber balustrettes.
Streetscape setting
• House set back approximately 3.4m from the Townshend Road frontage.
• Lot width approximately 10.1m.
• Side setbacks of approximately 800mm.
• Front yard enclosed by a limestone block plinth and limestone block piers farming a palisade fence.

History

Subiaco's population increased significantly in the 1890s due to an economic depression in the eastern states and the discovery of gold in Western Australia. During the 1890s property developers bought large landholdings for subdivision in the Perth metropolitan area. The original subdivisions in Subiaco were generally simple grid pattern developments with small lots suitable for occupancy by working families. However, the more elevated parts of the suburb, particularly towards Kings Park, also attracted business and professional men and some lots were later amalgamated to accommodate their larger homes and gardens. Mixed development occurred and within the Park Street Heritage Area this ranged from narrow, single storey terrace housing through to a large 2-storey house set in spacious grounds. The readily available evidence indicates that the number of houses within this area increased from around 24 in 1901 to 72 in 1906; 86 in 1910; 91 in 1915, 94 in 1920 and 13 by 1925. Development then stabilised, with 106 houses and 1 block of flats identified in 1949.
Perth Suburban Lot 221 was subdivided as Deposited Plan 1535 in 1896 and advertised as the “Salisbury Estate”. This comprised 42 lots, including 14 lots along the western side of Townshend Road between Barker and Bagot Road. Entries in the Subiaco Rate Books indicate that Lot 11 was developed with a house in 1912-1913, when James Riley was identified as the owner/occupier.
By 1913-1914 the property had been sold to Miss Jane Kelly. At that time the Electoral Rolls gave Jane’s occupation as office cleaner. Jane remained here until c.1934, sharing the house for at least part of this time with Mrs Elizabeth Newham, who died in 1927. By the time of her death in 1935, Jane had moved to St Kevin’s aged care home, Glendalough.
From c.1934 until at least the mid-twentieth century, 109 Townshend Road had a high turn-over of occupants, which suggests that it was primarily being used as a rental property. A review of the Post Office Directories at 5-yearly intervals (together with reference to contemporary Electoral Rolls) indicates that some of the primary residents included:
 1935: Reginald Sayle (retired)
 1940: Cyril Charles Stagg (gardener)
 1945 & 1949: Frank Harrison Wray (engineer)
An analysis of a historical Metropolitan Sewerage Plan (dated 1927, updated 1955) and historical aerial photographs indicates that this house has been altered and extended at the rear, but that the footprint of the front portion of the house has remained relatively unchanged.
109 Townshend Road was adopted on the City of Subiaco Local Heritage Survey in 2003. It has been assessed as level 3 (contributes to the heritage of the City of Subiaco).

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity - High: The place continues to be used as a private residence.
Authenticity - High: The original external detailing and form of the building (as viewed from the street) appears to be largely intact and/or sympathetically restored/renovated.
The streetscape setting is impacted by the visually prominent modern fence.

Condition

Based on a streetscape inspection the building appears to be in a good condition.

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.