HOUSE, 43 ATTFIELD STREET

Statement of Significance

House, 43 Attfield Street, is a limestone, brick and iron single storey house dating from pre 1880. The place has aesthetic value for its contribution to the streetscape and the surrounding area. It is representative of an extended workers' house in the Fremantle area. The place is a late example of the Victorian Georgian style of architecture.

Physical Description

43 Attfield Street is a single storey, limestone, rendered masonry, brick and iron house with a symmetrical facade designed as an example of the Victorian Georgian style of architecture. The walls are limestone with rendered masonry and face brick quoins. The roof is hipped and gabled and clad with corrugated iron. The gable end has decorative timber elements. There is a projecting front room beneath the central gable with leadlight casement windows. A half length verandah under a broken back roof of corrugated iron, supported by ionic columns runs either side of the central projecting front room. There is a door with a fanlight and a pair of timber french doors under one side of the verandah and a door with side and fanlights and a casement window under the verandah to the other side. The edge of the verandahs and projecting front room are situated on the front boundary line. There are three chimneys with elaborate rendered corbelling. In 2007 the place is under renovation.

History

House, 43 Attfield Street was formerly numbered 45 Attfield Street. Numbers changed in 1934/35.
House, 43 Attfield Street was built prior to 1880, as it is recorded in the earliest available City of Fremantle rates books. Shemelds was a pensioner guard and owned several properties in this location. In 1885, the cottage was recorded as four rooms. It was added to after this as the plan from 1908 shows a much larger house.
The 1908 sewerage plan of this site shows this brick house has two verandahs at the front separated by a projection of the central part of the building. At the rear of the house is an ‘L’ shaped verandah surrounded by the wings of the building. In the back yard are a large timber shed and a brick closet. A stonewall is evident on portion of the north west boundary.
By 1890 the place was occupied by John McNeece, a carpenter and architect who married one of Shemelds’ daughters. McNeece was an influential architect in Fremantle and was probably responsible for the design and construction of the extension of the house. McNeece occupied the house until at least the early 1920s. In 1935/36, the property was owned by Lizzie Barker and occupied by Elizabeth Mills.
A photograph of the house taken c.1980 shows that the house was rendered and had a corrugated iron roof. The verandah supports were pillars that were not original and the front windows are not original.
This place was identified by the Fremantle Society in 1979/80 as being of cultural heritage significance. (Coded: Brown: "Positively contributing to the built environment")
A photograph c.2000 shows that the house had been reroofed and the front façade painted. Internally the house was apparently refitted in the 1950s and in 2004 much of this detail was still in evidence.

Integrity/Authenticity

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

Condition

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

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This data is provided by the City of Fremantle. While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of this data, the City of Fremantle makes no representations or warranties about its accuracy, reliability, completeness or suitability for any particular purpose and disclaims all responsibility and all liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages (including indirect or consequential damage) and costs which you might incur as a result of the data being inaccurate or incomplete in any way and for any reason. Under no circumstances should this data be used to carry out any work without first contacting the City of Fremantle for the appropriate confirmation and approval.