Cottages

Statement of Significance

The houses at Nos. 7, 9 and 13 & 15 Cowle Street demonstrate the rapidity of changing forms and styles of inner city workers housing during the transition from Late Colonial to the Federation Period.

Physical Description

"The abutting dwellings at No. 5 and No. 7 Cowle Street are identical in design with the name 'Lena Cottage' inscribed on the the stepped pediment of No. 5 'Ivy Cottage' on No.7. The two dwellings feature front verandahs with a bullnose roof supported by by turned timber posts and filigree angles and valance. The front windows are a pair of spaced double hung sashes. The abutting dwellings at No. 5 and No. 7 Cowle Street are a pattern book model borrowed from the eastern states where detatched dwellings were often constructed in similar details to form rows or terraces.

Internally the dwelling at No. 7 Cowle Street features a hallway which extends along the eastern portion of the dwelling with three rooms projecting to the west of the hallway. The rear of the dwelling features the bathroom and open kitchen and living area of which is likely to have been constructed in the 1970's. A small courtyard is featured to the rear of the dwelling. It can be assumed that the internal design of No. 5 Cowle Street is similar.

No. 9 Cowle Street is a brick and iron dwelling constructed in the Late Colonial Georgian style of architecture, featuring the typical symmetrical features of this style with a central doorway and casement windows either side.

No. 9 Cowle Street is a detached cottage located between parapet side walls. The dwelling has a single room frontage and the front entrance and hallway extend along the eastern boundary of the dwelling. The dwelling features a bull nose verandah supported by timber turnposts.

Minimal setback from the street with a brick and palisade fence with a garden evident. "

History

"Colwe Street was named about 1870 after James Cowle, a government surveyor who surveyed the allotments in the area. It borders Dorrien Gardens, a recreation area development on the former Lake Henderson. Market gardening activities were carried out on the bed of Lake Henderson after it was drained in the early 1870's, the drain running through Dorrien Gardens, Robertson Park and beyond. The European gardeners were followed by Chinese market gardners who operated until the early 1920's.

The earliest residence in the street date from 1884, and at least 10 existing places are shown on the 1897 PWD sewerage plans. In the 1950's, the Perth City Council acquired the vacant land behind the residences on the north side of the street and established a soccer ground, Dorrien Gardens Reserve, on the former lake bed.


Lot Y198 encompassing what are now Nos. 5, 7, 9 and 13 & 15 Cowle Street was sold on 6 October 1875 for 9 pounds. John Elsegood, the original owner of this land also owned Y199 and Y201. Mr Elsewood was contracted to erect the Perth-Albany-Eucla telegraph line in the 1870's. In 1897 he was the proprietor of the City Hotel on the corner of Murray and King Streets and in the 1880's he established the Guildford brickworks.

The subject dwelling at No. 5 Cowle Street 'Lena Cottage' first appears in the City of Perth Rates book in 1900 with the owner being Mr John Campbell a Railway employee, who built the two cottages at No. 5 and No. 7 Cowle Street. Campbell, a plumber resided at No. 5, and rented out No. 7 or 'Ivy Cottage' (rented to Mrs Collins in 1900). Campbell sold both of the properties in 1913. This information correlates partly with the information in the Wise's Postal Directory which shows that J.C Campbell resided at No. 5 (numbered No. 3 in the Wise Postal Directory in 1900) and Joseph Collins at No. 7 (listed as No. 5). This is the only reference there to a Mr Campbell residing in Cowle Street during the early part of the 20th century.

The Wise's Post Office Directories also indicate that both Nos. 5 and 7 Cowle Street were generally leased, with rapid turn overs in tenancies. In 1909 No. 5 and No. 7 Cowle Street are listed for the first time as the numbers by which they are known today, with the occupier of No. 5 being Mrs Margaret Foley and Mr William Opie residing at No. 7 Cowle Street. Prior to 1909 the numbering of the two dwellings is irregular with No. 3 being listed as what is now No. 5 and No. 5 listed as what is now No. 7 Cowle Street.

As mentioned above, throughout the first part of the 20th Century the Wise's Post Office Directories reveals a wide variety of tenants to have residing at the subject dwellings at No. 5 and No. 7 Cowle Street. The longest occupant to have resided at No. 5 Cowle Street was Mrs Annie O'Conner (a dress maker) from 1941 until at least 1949 and the longest one at No. 7 Cowle Street was Mr John Baker from 1923 until at least 1949. The Bakers had four children - Bill, Jack, Ronald and Joyce. Bill, a footballer, played for West Perth and was a member of their 1941 Premiership team. After h joined the Amry during World War 11 he played with an army team and coached the younger enlised men. Harold Mundy, a neighbour from No. 28, said that as young boys, he and Jacky and Billy Baker would 'walk right down the river to the foreshorelike Spring Street. Right around, picking up bottles that the yachtsmen had thrown out. We got a sugar bag and carried them all the way back up there to get a halfpenny for them.. each. It was worth it. Better than nothing.'(Harold Mundy).


The residence at No. 9 Cowle Street appears on the 1897 PWD sewerage plans, and it is first listed in the City of Perth Rates Books that year. The house was built in 1896 by Michael Park, a retired civil servant who resided there until 1904. The Post Office Directories list him there early on and then some turnover until the Ferrie family in the 1930's. One of their daughters married 'Checker' O'Keefe, another West perth footballer, and the other married Doug Irvine, also a well-known sportsman. By 1949 No. 9 was occupied by Mrs Catherine Irvine.

No. 13 & 15 (No. 11) Cowle Street was constructed by Pierce Mangan in 1912 and rented to Cecil Farley that year. A number of changes in tenancy followed: in 1930 it was occupied by Alred Mills and in 1949 by Jack Lynch. Mr Mangan owned a number of other properties in the area, including No. 15 Cowle Street and the family home at No. 48. On his death the properties passed to his children and were eventually disposed of in 2000."

1891 - 1919 - Population and Settlement: Residential Development

Integrity/Authenticity

Moderate to High

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.