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Durham House

Author

City of Perth

Place Number

02010
There no heritage location found in the Google fusion table.

Location

838-842 Hay St Perth

Location Details

Also Part of Central Perth Precinct P15846

Local Government

Perth

Region

Metropolitan

Construction Date

Constructed from 1916 to 1924

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type Status Date Documents More information
Heritage List Adopted 20 Dec 1985
Heritage Area Completed\Draft 12 May 2009

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type Status Date Documents
RHP - To be assessed Current

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type Status Date Grading/Management More information
Category Description
Perth Draft Inventory 99-01 YES 31 Dec 1999

Heritage Council
Classified by the National Trust Classified 04 May 1981

Heritage Council
Municipal Inventory Completed\Draft 13 Mar 2001 Category 2

Category 2

Considerable significance - Very important to the heritage of the locality.

Local Heritage Survey Adopted 28 Mar 2023 Category 2

Category 2

Considerable significance - Very important to the heritage of the locality.

Local Heritage Survey Completed\Draft Category 2

Category 2

Considerable significance - Very important to the heritage of the locality.

Statement of Significance

The place is a fine example of the Federation Free Classical style and contributes to the King Street Precinct streetscape, which comprises a number of two and three-storey retail and warehouse buildings from the turn of the twentieth century.
The place is representative of a type of two and three-storey commercial building constructed around the turn of the twentieth century in the inner-city area that comprised ground level shops with offices above and featured an associated warehouse.
The place has particularly strong social associations for its occupation by Wrightson’s Dance Studio in the post-World War Two years.
The place is associated with Sir James Connolly, a well-known Western Australian businessman and parliamentarian of the early twentieth century, and with the architects William Arthur Nelson and Frederick Upton.
The place is indicative of the development of the inner-city area over the last decades of the twentieth century as former commercial premises were adapted for new uses, including residential premises.

Physical Description

Two storey commercial building with battlement parapet and distinctive pediment crowning as arched fanlight window parapet. Street facade is embellished with pilasters and florid motifs but has lost original shop fronts at ground level.

History

Prior to the 1890's the area around King Street was characterised by workers' cottages with shops, coal yards, smithies and foundries located in the adjacent areas of Murray and Hay Street. In the mid 1890's some smaller businesses began to establish themselves in existing cottages and a number of larger enterprises erected substantial new offices and warehouses in the area. Earlier uses primarily served the local population, however this later development was more broadly based and was a direct response to the expansion of the city centre during the gold rush. The period from the 1890's to early decades of the twentieth century was characterised by a vigorous public works and corresponding expansion of commerce and trade. During this period, the character of the area around King Street was established. The property was owned by Stephen James Chipper who operated his coach building business from the Hay Street frontage which had a house and sheds in the 1870s. By the 1890s his son Donald had changed the business to undertaking and operated a business from part of the lot which had been subdivided. The brick building which fronted Hay Street was rented as a shop and boarding house. Many warehouses, importers and merchants were located in this part of Perth due to its close location to the train line, city markets and the retail areas of the city. In 1916 the ownership changed to Sir James Connolly who further subdivided the lot and a new two storey building was constructed, Durham House. The design has been credited to architect William Arthur Nelson and built by W. Leaster. The building had space for shops on the ground floor, rooms on the upper floor and a warehouse at the rear. The property went through to Murray Street which became a separate listing as Munster House. Shops were located at ground level and Joan Stacey's Dance School above. The building was extended along Munster Place in 1924 and then housed Sharpe's Dining Room. In 1929 the building was developed and a new entrance to the rooms on the upper floor was built, changes to the façade were also completed as designed by architect Fred Upton. In 1995 the property was developed into six residential apartments and further floors were added to the warehouse for new apartments. In 1953 the tenants purchased the property as a syndicate.

Integrity/Authenticity

High level of integrity.
Medium level of authenticity as it has lost original detail at ground floor level but intact above.

Condition

Good

References

Ref ID No Ref Name Ref Source Ref Date
Durham House, Perth Conservation Management Plan 2009
1.10/838 COP Heritage Place File City of Perth
Palassis Architects and Kalgoorlie Miner 24 September 1953, accessed via Trove https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/256939775?searchTerm=durham%20house
Draft Municipal Heritage Inventory (2001) Full Set City of Perth 2001

State Heritage Office library entries

Library Id Title Medium Year Of Publication
10101 CONFIDENTIAL Durham House, 838 - 842 Hay St, Perth : building inspection Report 2010
10100 CONFIDENTIAL: Durham House, Perth Heritage Study {Cons'n Plan} 2009

Place Type

Individual Building or Group

Uses

Epoch General Specific
Present Use COMMERCIAL Other
Original Use COMMERCIAL Other

Architectural Styles

Style
Federation Free Classical

Construction Materials

Type General Specific
Wall BRICK Rendered Brick
Wall RENDER Smooth

Creation Date

30 May 1989

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

28 Jun 2024

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.