House

Statement of Significance

House, 22 Wellington Street, a single storey weatherboard and iron house, has cultural heritage significance because:
the house was designed by local architect Frederick Steere as his own family home and is a good example of his work. Steere designed many buildings in Bunbury;
it is an example of an Inter War Californian Bungalow with elements of the arts and crafts style.

Physical Description

House, 22 Wellington Street is a single storey timber and iron house designed in the Inter War Californian Bungalow style of architecture with arts and crafts elements. The walls are timber weatherboard and the roof is hipped and gabled and clad with corrugated iron. The house has exposed timber elements as decorative features and sits behind a low wall to the front boundary line.

History

House, 22 Wellington Street was built c 1920 for prominent local architect Frederick Walter Steere, who designed the house himself.

Steere was born in Richmond, England in 1868 and immigrated to Brisbane where he took up a position with the Public Works Department in 1889. He later moved to Melbourne and arrived in Western Australia in 1897. By 1898, he was in practice in Bunbury.

House, 22 Wellington Street was the second house in Bunbury designed by Steere for his family. He had earlier designed another house at 22 Wellington Street (1907). The Steere family is also known to have lived in a row house in Wellington Street (between Victoria Street and Wittenoom Street).

Frederick Steere served in World War I, enlisting a few months before his 19 year old son, Stanley, was killed in Belgium. His address at the time of his enlistment (April 1917) was White Road, Bunbury. Frederick Steere was a long serving local councillor, and was Mayor in 1909-1910. He was also a justice of the peace, chair of the Bunbury Harbour Board, chairman of the Bunbury Chamber of Commerce, founder and president of the Bunbury Benevolent Society, and helped establish the first municipal library. He was also secretary of the Bunbury Building Society, a First Lieutenant and Registrar in the military forces, commanding the senior cadets and a prominent Freemason.

Buildings in Bunbury designed by Steere include:
- Carr’s Chemist, corner of Wellington Street and Victoria Street (1903)
- St Joseph’s Roman Catholic School, Wittenoom Street (1920)
- Rechabite Hall, Prinsep Street (1898)
• House, 153 Stirling Street (1907)
• House, 33 Wellington Street.

Annie Steere was listed as the owner of House, 22 Wellington Street in 1931 and Frederick Steere as the owner. In 1941, ownership of the house was transferred from the estate of Annie Steere to Edith Steere. It was a rental property at this time, with tenants being Reg Clamp and then J Peacock.

In 1951, Edith Steere sold House, 22 Wellington Street to Maxwell Turner. Occupants at this time were Charles Jensen and then Jane Webster.

At some stage, the house was converted for use as commercial offices.

Integrity/Authenticity

Medium degree of integrity (original intent mostly clear, current use compatible, high long term sustainability).
Medium to high degree of authenticity with much original fabric remaining.
(These statements based on street survey only).

Condition

Condition assessed as fair (assessed from streetscape survey only).

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.