The Residency

Statement of Significance

Aesthetic Value
The Residency is a place of importance in West Northam, and is valued by the community for that quality.

The Residency is significant for the composition of the roof forms and the balance of the asymmetrical facade, producing a fine example of the Federation Queen Anne style of architecture.

Historic Value
The Residency is a product of the establishment of the judiciary in Northam and the subsequent emergence of Northam as the regional centre of the Avon Valley in the early 1900s.

The decision to erect The Residency in Northam rather than York or Toodyay was the cause of controversy both locally and regionally. The circumstances whereby The Residency came to be are unique, and represent a significant set of events in the history of the region and the judicial system.

The Residency demonstrates significant associations with W.D. Cowan and the Cowan family. It has been associated with all the Resident Magistrates based in Northam.

The place demonstrates associations with the Government Architect of the day, Hillson Beasley, and is a fine example of his residential design.

Scientific Value
The Residency demonstrates a way of life for rural Resident Magistrates and their families.

Social Value
The Residency is socially significant for the cultural intercourse within the social and professional associates of the resident ju diciary that have taken place. The place is valued by the community as the home of the most senior Government official in the district.

The Residency contributes to the community's sense of place as it represents the presence of a Resident Magistrate in Northam.
Representativeness
The Residency demonstrates significant characteristics of the Queen Anne Federation style of architecture, and represents a fine example of the work of Hillson Beasley . The Residency reflects the social status and lifestyle of a Resident Magistrate.
The Residency represents a way of life for a class of person, and how it has changed over the years. Condition
The Residency has been regularly maintained over the years, but usually in response to a need, not on a basis of
preventative maintenance. However, the condition of the place is particu larly good, and little work can be identified as being necessary. The Residency is in very good condition.

Integrity
The Residency has been used continuously for the same purpose, and most adaptations and alterations have been a development of the functional requirements of the place. Some alterations are reversible, or valid in the evolution of the place, with few being intrusive to the original fabric. The place demonstrates a high degree of integrity.

Authenticity
The Residency demonstrates a high degree of authenticity despite many years of regular ad-hoc maintenance with marginal consideration to the heritage value of the place.

Physical Description

The Residency is located on a rise in West Northam. It occupies a comer location, but addresses Habgood Street, with the former tennis courts and orchards along the Throssell Street boundary. The entry to the property is on the north comer of the Habgood St frontage. The cottage garden provides an appropriate setting to The Residency. Several mature plantings on the property are worthy of further investigation; a Carob tree, Moreton Bay fig tree, and two Salmon Gum trees.

Throssell Street is the southern most boundary of the residential area of Northam. Between the Throssell St boundary and the residence, there are remains of the net posts of the tennis court, and some fruit trees still remain as remnants of the orchard which ran along the Throssell Street frontage. The West Northam Primary School is located on the north side of The Residency. and the school boundary abuts the west of The Residency property.

On the west boundary, the laundry building is extant, and a double carport is situated on the rear of the site on the north side.

The Residency is a brick and corrugated iron construction demonstrating many style indicators of the Federation Queen Anne style of architecture. The building is asymmetrical. A faceted bay protrudes on the south side of the front, and a verandah encircles the 'front' public rooms, with the entry door on the south side. The timber verandah posts and valance are austere in decorative detail, with a gentle curved line and small circular holes. The verandah has a concrete floor which has replaced the timber at some time in the past 35 years.

The roof is complex, with a separate roof formed for the front encircling verandah, a central spire rising from the centre above the faceted bay, and a central bracketed gable detail on the faceted frontage. A bracketed gable with roughcast infill and timber screen is featured on the west facade. The remainder of the roof fonns a simple hipped gambrel. Tall chimneys protrude from the roof.

The red face brick work is contrasted with a rendered string course at window sill and head heights continuing around the house except for the rear facade. There is no evidence of the north verandah having been enclosed.

Aluminium security screens have been fitted to the exterior of all the windows and doors in the place.

The 'front' rooms comprise the hall, drawing room with the faceted bay, and the dining room. Each of those rooms have French doors onto the verandah. The rooms are interconnected by a set of full height timber folding doors (detailed in the plans), and each room has a fireplace and jarrah mantelpiece. The jarrah mantelpieces and folding doors have been painted white. Both of the rooms have twelve inch skirting boards, c.1960s light fittings and art deco style cornices. Similarly, the hall has art deco designed cornices. The original leadlights are in place in the front door and sidelights although the fanlight has frosted glass in place. The hall transition into 'private' spaces is delineated by an elaborate plaster moulded archway, and the passage is at right angles to the hall.

A large bedroom on the north side has the same cornices and light fittings as the two front rooms, and a door intervention accesses an ensuite bathroom. A large fireplace and mantelpiece are evident Ceiling roses are in place, each of different design, and each room has a corner fireplace. The second of the two rooms has picture rails still in place. The bathroom on the north side has been altered to form a small bathroom and the ensuite to the main bedroom. This bathroom has a large lined skylight through to the roof covering, with a flywire screen level with the ceiling height. Evidence of the original dado line still remains.

The kitchen is fully fitted with cupboard and benches encircling the room. The fireplace has been retained. The door to the pantry has been in.filled, and the scullery is now the laundry. The third bedroom on the south side has a door accessing the former servant's room which still has an original comer shelf bracket (wardrobe) and the ripple iron ceiling lining on the rake of the roof, as does the scullery, pantry and back porch. The back door and sidelights have contemporary stained glass windows fitted.

The passage is wide, and the original floorboards are exposed.

The external WC is still insitu, and the laundry building functions as a storage shed.

The carport posts and beams are detailed in the same manner as the residential verandah.

The Residency is structurally sound and regularly maintained. Security is a significant issue, as is fire safety, and egress from the build ing. A Conservation Plan should be prepared to ensure that appropriate maintenance and repairs are undertaken with full consideration of the heritage value of the place, and to ensure the future conservation of The Residency.




The Residency is located on a rise in West Northam. It occupies a comer location, but addresses Habgood Street, with the former tennis courts and orchards along the Throssell Street boundary. The entry to the property is on the north comer of the Habgood St frontage. The cottage garden provides an appropriate setting to The Residency. Several mature plantings on the property are worthy of further investigation; a Carob tree, Moreton Bay fig tree, and two Salmon Gum trees.

Throssell Street is the southern most boundary of the residential area of Northam. Between the Throssell St boundary and the residence, there are remains of the net posts of the tennis court, and some fruit trees still remain as remnants of the orchard which ran along the Throssell Street frontage. The West Northam Primary School is located on the north side of The Residency. and the school boundary abuts the west of The Residency property.

On the west boundary, the laundry building is extant, and a double carport is situated on the rear of the site on the north side.

The Residency is a brick and corrugated iron construction demonstrating many style indicators of the Federation Queen Anne style of architecture. The building is asymmetrical. A faceted bay protrudes on the south side of the front, and a verandah encircles the 'front' public rooms, with the entry door on the south side. The timber verandah posts and valance are austere in decorative detail, with a gentle curved line and small circular holes. The verandah has a concrete floor which has replaced the timber at some time in the past 35 years.

The roof is complex, with a separate roof formed for the front encircling verandah, a central spire rising from the centre above the faceted bay, and a central bracketed gable detail on the faceted frontage. A bracketed gable with roughcast infill and timber screen is featured on the west facade. The remainder of the roof fonns a simple hipped gambrel. Tall chimneys protrude from the roof.

The red face brick work is contrasted with a rendered string course at window sill and head heights continuing around the house except for the rear facade. There is no evidence of the north verandah having been enclosed.

Aluminium security screens have been fitted to the exterior of all the windows and doors in the place.

The 'front' rooms comprise the hall, drawing room with the faceted bay, and the dining room. Each of those rooms have French doors onto the verandah. The rooms are interconnected by a set of full height timber folding doors (detailed in the plans), and each room has a fireplace and jarrah mantelpiece. The jarrah mantelpieces and folding doors have been painted white. Both of the rooms have twelve inch skirting boards, c.1960s light fittings and art deco style cornices. Similarly, the hall has art deco designed cornices. The original leadlights are in place in the front door and sidelights although the fanlight has frosted glass in place. The hall transition into 'private' spaces is delineated by an elaborate plaster moulded archway, and the passage is at right angles to the hall.

A large bedroom on the north side has the same cornices and light fittings as the two front rooms, and a door intervention accesses an ensuite bathroom. A large fireplace and mantelpiece are evident Ceiling roses are in place, each of different design, and each room has a corner fireplace. The second of the two rooms has picture rails still in place. The bathroom on the north side has been altered to form a small bathroom and the ensuite to the main bedroom. This bathroom has a large lined skylight through to the roof covering, with a flywire screen level with the ceiling height. Evidence of the original dado line still remains.

The kitchen is fully fitted with cupboard and benches encircling the room. The fireplace has been retained. The door to the pantry has been in.filled, and the scullery is now the laundry. The third bedroom on the south side has a door accessing the former servant's room which still has an original comer shelf bracket (wardrobe) and the ripple iron ceiling lining on the rake of the roof, as does the scullery, pantry and back porch. The back door and sidelights have contemporary stained glass windows fitted.

The passage is wide, and the original floorboards are exposed.

The external WC is still insitu, and the laundry building functions as a storage shed.

The carport posts and beams are detailed in the same manner as the residential verandah.

The Residency is structurally sound and regularly maintained. Security is a significant issue, as is fire safety, and egress from the build ing. A Conservation Plan should be prepared to ensure that appropriate maintenance and repairs are undertaken with full consideration of the heritage value of the place, and to ensure the future conservation of The Residency.

History

Assessment 1998
Construction 1909
Principal architect Public Works Dept Hillson Beasley
Builder Mr DF McDonald
The Residency is the home of the incumbent resident magistrate. It is located on a hill in West Northam, on the comer of Throssell and Habgood Streets, and may be the longest continuously lived in residency in Western Australia

After the initial establishment of Northam as a centre in the Avon Valley in the 1830s and 40s, the town developed dramatically in the goldrush period of the 1890s as it evolved as a major railway and agricultural centre. Toodyay and York, to the north and south of Northam respectively, were overshadowed by the regional centre of Northam. The residential areas of Northam developed with specific characteristics to the west, east and north of the Northam town centre.

To the east, the Morrell's and Dempster's subdivision became known as 'Chinatown' or "Sandtown ', and was an area unpopular with Europeans.2 In West Northam, the railway station and yards centred in the Gregory, Habgood and West Northam Station Estates, with many of the residents being railway and mill workers. West Northam developed as the 'working class' area in Northan1.3 The Leake Estate was developed on the northern side of the Avon River. Subdivided by George Leake's descendants, it became a 'middle class' suburb.4

Northam's 'Nob Hill' developed on the hiJI immediately east of the Northam town centre and evolved in the 1890s and l 900s as the prestigious area of Northam.5

The difference in socio-economic factors between the east and west of Northam was also reflected in the political differences and subsequent power factors in Northam. The West Northam railway and mill workers fonned an early stronghold in the labour political movement in Western Austrnlia.6

The east and west differences were a significant local issue in 1903, in regard to the siting of the proposed resident magistrate's house.

By 1898, the growth of the Northam district had outstripped that of York and Toodyay, each of which had a resident magistrate, and Northam was given a separate magistracy. John Adam had been the Resident Magistrate in Newcastle (Toodyay) since 1885, and took up the appointment in Northam in 1898, to become the first incumbent magistrate, only to retire in 1900 due to ill health. He died in 1901.7 FR Bartee took over the position when Adams retired.

In August 1902, The Government reunited the York, Toodyay and Northam residencies, and after considerable controversy, the York Resident Magistrate, William Dyer Cowan, was appointed to the position of Resident Magistrate for the entire area in February 1903,8 with Bartee (of Northam) and the Newcastle incumbent magistrate retired from duty.9

The position of Stipendiary Magistrate constituted being the Licensing magistrate and Coroner for the Northam and York districts, and Magistrate of Local Courts in Northam, York, Pingelly, Beverley, and Newcastle (Toodyay), in addition to being the Treasury paymaster. I 0

The situation was inconvenient as the Magistrate was required to reside in York since there was no official Magistrate's residence in Northam.

A bitter battle ensued between the towns of York and Northam, over tile Residency and the subsequent prestige of becoming the leading town in the Avan district. I I

In 1903 the Parliament provided an estimate of £1500 in the budget for the provision of Resident Magistrate's quarters in Northam. I 2 The York lobby failed in ru1 attempt to cancel the budge provision.13

The allocated site for the residence in East Northam was objected to by the Magistrate W.D. Cowan, who recommended a site high on the hill in West Northam, overlooking the town. A bitter debate between the east and west political Wld class factions ensued over the privilege of having the Resident Magistrate's quarters in their area.
The matter of the Magistrate's Northam residence was raised in Parliament in July 1903, and said to be under consideration.14 The funds allocation subsequently lapsed during the protracted arguments over the site, and the Magistrate continued to reside in York, despite the far greater volume of court business being conducted in Northam.15

The situation was not resolved until the end of I 907 when, in an all-night sitting of Parliament, a sum of £1000 (£500 less than the 1903 agreed amount) was voted, for the construction of the Resident Magistrate's quarters in Northam. The Public Works Department determined to proceed with the construction without further consideration of the east-west dispute, in the need to establish a proper administration ofjustice in Northam.16

From May through to September 1908, plans were prepared in the PWD Office under the direction of the Principal Architect, Hillson Beasley 17. It was anticipated that the construction of the Residency would commence in 1908, at a cost of £ I, 140, with the successful tenderer being Mr D.F. Macdonald, a local builder.18 The plans included an interior bathroom in a central position in the house, and a servant's bedroom. After construction had commenced, changes were made to the floor plan of the house, involving the addition of another bedroom, and the relocation of the servant's room.19

By January 1909, the residency had been constructed on the site in West Northam, as chosen by the Magistrate W.D. Cowan, and was complete, but unoccupied.20 The final cost of the construction was £1414-3-J.2 I

W.D. Cowan was the first magistrate to occupy The Residency. Cowan was the son of Walkinshaw Cowan who had been the private secretary to Governor Hutt, the second Governor of the Swan River colony. In 1848 W. Cowan senior was made the Native Protector of York, and Justice of the Peace. He relocated to "Grassdale" (York) with his family (five children), and after seven more children, including William Dyer in 1854, Cowan was made a Magistrate. When Walkinshaw Cowan retired in 1898, William Dyer Cowan succeeded to his father's position as Magistrate of York, after entering the Government Service in 1870. By 1910, when the Residency moved to Northam, W.D. Cowan had six children and William Halley (Jim) was born after they moved to the residency in Northam in 19I0.22

Jim Cowan was in the inaugural graduation of students from Muresk Agricultural College in 1930, and took over his brother Clarence's farm east of Narembeen, at Mt Walker in 1933. The eldest of Jim Cowan's family of twelve is Halley Cowan, the current President of the Narembeen Shire council, and his second son is Hendy Cowan, the Leader of the National Party of Western Australia, and Deputy Premier.23

Jn 1937, under the direction of PWD Principal Architect A.E. Clare, a WC and back verandah enclosure were added at the rear of the servant's room.24

In 1948, the original washhouse and coach-house were demolished, and a new laundry and woodshed were constructed. Plans noted the re-flooring of the front verandah and enclosed verandah on the west side. Rabbit prooffences were shown as being in place on the eastern and southern boundaries, where six feet high closed picket fences had been shown on the Block Plan dated 16 May 1908. The west boundary also had a six feet high closed picket fence, while the Habgood St frontage had a four feet six inch high open picket fence. The 1948 Plans also proposed a new open picket fence along the north boundary. This plan indicated that the site had been reduced by half with the removal of an equal sized block on the south along the Throssell St frontage.25

In 1961, some repairs and renovations were drawn.26 In 1965, under the direction of W.L. Green, PWD Principal Architect, the bathroom was modernised with WC installed, and the scullery included a laundry facility in addition to the kitchen preparation area.27

The Residency bas been in continual occupancy by the Resident Magistrate of Northam, since W.D. Cowan took up residence in 1909-1910.

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.