Former shop and attached house

Statement of Significance

The place has some aesthetic value as a good example of a corner shop and attached house constructed in the Federation Free Classical style of architecture with its distinct parapet with precast ball motifs. The strong presence of the place on the corner of Forrest and Monmouth Streets has some aesthetic value through the contribution to the quality of its setting. The place has some historic value through illustrating the popular rise of local shops and attached housing in the newly established suburbs north of Perth in the early part of the 20th century and the later conversion to residential use in the post WW2 period. The place has some rarity value as a former shop and attached house anchored on the corner of Forrest and Monmouth Streets constructed c1912 in the Federation Free Classical style of architecture with its distinct parapet with precast ball moti

Physical Description

The former rendered brick and iron shop and attached house was constructed c1912 in the Federation Free Classical style of architecture on the corner of Monmouth Street and Forrest Street, Mount Lawley. The former shop is truncated on the corner of the two streets with a moulded parapet wall extending part way along the two street elevations respectively. Two precast ball motifs are positioned on the parapet on the corner truncation. The original entry to the shop on the corner truncation has been bricked up, however the steps and an indentation of the outline of the entry to the former shop is still extant. The southern elevation comprises two sections. The first leads from the corner intersection and comprises a moulded parapet wall that conceals an iron hipped roof. There is one precast ball motif positioned at the end of the parapet. There are two window openings along this portion of the facade, one a small flush window and the second being a double hung sash window. The section along the southern elevation comprises a skillion addition with a small window opening. The eastern elevation of the former shop and attached house addresses Monmouth Street. The former shop section is rendered the same as the southern elevation outlined above and has one small window opening that has been covered by a security grill. A recessed entry to the shop is located to the northern end of the parapet wall. The entry is recessed at a right angle to the street and two precast ball motifs are positioned on the parapet above the entry. Two rendered flower beds are located either side of the entry, the one to the north contains a bougainvillea that has extended partially across the facade of the attached house. It is assumed that this is now the main entry to both the former shop and the attached house, which are now used as the one private residence. A description of the attached dwelling is restricted to a street viewing with the facade being partially obscured by a head high corrugated fence and a bougainvillea. The gable end of the protruding roof section of the attached house features a timber bargeboard and is rough cast with timber battens. Two double hung sash windows that are partially visible from the street beneath the gable and a face brick chimney is extant on the northern elevation of the roof line. An internal site visit was not undertaken in the preparation of this assessment which limits any further information relating to the physical characteristics of the place. Corner location of Monmouth and Forrest Street. Moderate

History

Monmouth Street, which runs at an angle between Forrest and York streets, was originally named Robinson Street. It was changed to Monmouth in 1916. Population increases, the result of the Western Australian gold boom, led to the suburbanization of the areas north of Perth. However, prior to the introduction of the tram service in the later part of the 1890s, development to the north of the city was slow. W.E. Bold recalled '˜there was little settlement north of Bulwer Street North, Perth, it was non existent, except for a small settlement known as Woodville and beyond Walcott Street was bushland'. In 1896 there was public discussion on the introduction of a tram service with one line that would go along Beaufort Street up to Highgate Hill. There is evidence from the Land Titles Office of a flurry of re-subdivision of land into smaller lots in the inner areas near the proposed routes, in anticipation of the introduction of the tram services. Subdivision of the Crown land and farmland began to occur in response to the demand for housing in Mount Lawley '“ north of Vincent Street and along the railway line. The first of these was Highgate Hill, which took place in the area bounded by Walcott, Burt, Harold and Curtis Streets. Building began in 1889 on the eastern side of Beaufort Street, which had recently been extended as far as Walcott Street. The first house was a small cottage on the corner of Barlee and Beaufort Streets erected by John Marriott. Mr Marriott set up a dairy at the rear of the dwelling which operated for some years. Various other subdivisions included the East Norwood Estate, the North Perth Estate, the Hyde Park Heights Estate and Forrest Hill Estate. The location of the former shop on the corner of Monmouth and Forrest streets formed part of the Forrest Hill Estate. The northern boundary of this estate was Walcott Street and it included the south side of Government Road (renamed York Street subsequently) plus Forrest, Shenton (renamed Wasley in 1917), Burt, Marmion, Robinson (re-named Monmouth in 1914) and Venn Streets '“ the streets being named after members of Sir John Forrest's cabinet. Sir John Forrest was Baron Forrest of Bunbury and Western Australia's Premier from 1890 to 1901. One of the main attractions of this estate was the nearby '˜terminus of the tram and present bus route'. Trams had replaced horse-drawn buses in 1900. The tramway ran along Beaufort Street almost to Walcott Street and a further extension was proposed. This was to connect the existing Fitzgerald and Beaufort Street routes via a small section of Walcott and Forrest streets but it was not carried out. Instead, the route was extended west along Walcott Street to York Street in 1906. The cost of this extension was subsidized by J. Robinson and S. Copley, the developers of the Mount Lawley Estate, which was within what is now the City of Stirling. In the period dating from the 1890s until the end of the World War I the population of Mount Lawley was largely centred within close proximity to the railway line and it gradually spread along Guildford Road and Walcott and Beaufort streets. The Beaufort Street shopping strip developed during this period to cater for the needs of the local residents. This growth in residential development was coupled with a growth in services to cater for the everyday requirements of the growing population. Many of these services were located primarily along public transport routes or close to train, bus or tram stops. Services, however, were also dispersed within the growing residential areas as well, one such example being the corner store. Such shops, often with residences attached, were common in an era of poor storage facilities when shopping was usually done on a daily basis. After World War II, however, the increases in car ownership and the mass production of refrigerators followed by the advent of supermarkets meant the majority of these shops were no longer viable. The former corner shop and attached house was constructed on the triangular-shaped Lot 237 on the corner of Monmouth and Forrest streets circa 1908. Being on a corner location the building has held the address for both Monmouth and Forrest streets at various times. The former shop, however, was first listed as No. 1 Robinson Street (as mentioned above Monmouth Street was first named Robinson Street until it was changed in 1916). The first residents to run a business from the shop at No. l Monmouth Street were Annie and John Turner who were listed in Wise's Post Office Directories from 1909. There were no numbers listed in the Directories for 1908 but A.D. and H.F. Letch were the first residents listed on the left-hand side (odd numbered) and the shop may have been operating then. In 1912 Alfred Wood and Mrs J. Wood were listed and they ran the shop from then until 1917. In 1918 William Pearson, a boot maker, resided at No. 1 Monmouth and Mrs Edith Kew was listed as running the store in 1919. Between 1920 and 1922 the Directories indicate Mrs Pat Doherty resided at the house and ran a greengrocer's. Robert Kerss is listed as running a mixed business from the former shop in 1923, Mrs E.J. Baldock and Robert Baldock in 1924, Mrs Quilty in 1925 and then Mrs Phyllis Sugg from 1927 until 1931. In 1923 the street address for the former shop and attached houses changed from No. 1 Monmouth to No. 12 Forrest. The listing as No. 12 Forrest remained until at least 1949 when the Directories ceased. Throughout the 1930s the shop was listed as being run as a mixed business, with a relatively high turnover of occupants. These included Mrs M.E. Worner who resided at the attached house and ran a mixed business in 1934 and Jesse Slack in 1935. In the early part of the 1940s the former shop and attached house remained vacant. From 1944 both were occupied by Noel and Lucy Ward, who ran a mixed business. However, in 1949 only Lucy was listed and there was no mention of a mixed business. No further information has been obtained to how long the subject place continued to run as a shop. In more recent times it was converted to residential use and according to the City of Perth building licence cards additions to the dwelling and a garage were added in 1985. Further changes occurred in the 1990s. In 1994 architect David Breen designed modifications (a second storey) and the addition of a second storey unit. There was very strong opposition from nearby residents and the first application was refused. Work was carried out in 1996 on the construction of a second unit but the first remained a single storey. At the Orindary Meeting of Council held on 10 July 2007, the Council approved the development of an additional two-storey singe house and alterations and additions to the existing building. The plans were prepared by architect James Taylor.

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