Commercial

Parent Place or Precinct

26003 Rokeby Road & Hay St Conservation Area

Statement of Significance

The place represents the historic development of Rokeby Road as a commercial street from the 1890s and early 1900s and contributes to the heritage character of the streetscape.

Physical Description

147-149 Rokeby Road is a two-storey brick building in the Federation Free Classical style. It was originally designed as two shops with associated residences to the first floor.
The main feature of the façade is a tall, decorative parapet, which is divided into three sections and framed by simple capped piers. The narrower central section is framed by curved stucco brackets, and has a raised central panel with three arch-headed blind niches. This is topped with a broken triangular pediment that supports a short spiked pyramid motif. The wider side sections of the parapet each have four simple recessed square panels. The northern pier is capped by an original decorative stucco urn, but the southern urn is missing.
At first floor level, the front wall has a rendered finish with three painted brick pilasters. These pilasters define the separate premises and frame a single, full-height, double-hung window to each bay. At ground floor level the shopfronts have been fully replaced since the mid-twentieth century.
Physical evidence suggests that the place originally had a verandah/ balcony, but this has been removed and the footpath is now covered by a suspended boxed awning.

History

A plan dated c.1904 shows a pair of attached buildings on this site (abutting Victoria Hall). No other buildings were located between Lot 48 and Barker Road and it therefore seems likely that these were occupied by Thomas W Hetherington and A J Connolly, storekeeper, in 1904, and by James Brett, bootmaker and Miss Maud Stephens, confectioner, in 1905.
147 & 149 Rokeby Road were not listed in the Post Office Directory of 1906. It has not been determined if these premises were simply omitted in that year (something that occurred in the PO Directories from time to time) or if the site was redeveloped in late 1905/early 1906.
Over time, some of the occupants of the property included:
147 Rokeby Road
 1907: Henry E Stephens, confectioner (Hawthorn Tearooms)
 1910: Not listed in the Post Office Directory.
 1915: Leonard William Jackson, fruiterer & greengrocer
 1920: Sydney Kent, fruiterer
 1925: Arthur Ernest Bennett, fruiterer
 1930: Arthur Ernest Bennett, leather bag maker
 1935: Robert Charles Stuart, grocer
 1940: Domenico Rechichi, fruiterer
 1945 & 1949: Abraham Lore, mixed business (occupying 147-149)
 2012: Smales, Swiss watch centre
 2022: The Cat Cafe
149 Rokeby Road
 1907: Bennett & Burnside, grocers
 1910: Not listed in the Post Office Directory.
 1915: Miss Mabel Lydia Moore, milliner (The Elite)
 1920: Mrs Annie Hay, draper
 1925, 1930, 1935 & 1940: Miss Alby Bishop, draper
 1945 & 1949: Abraham Lore, mixed business (occupying 147-149)
 2012: Athletes Foot
 2022: Shop for lease
In 1929, when the property was offered for sale as part of the deceased estate of M. R. Blair, it was described as follows:
Lot 48 of Perth Sub. Lot 225 having a frontage of 50 links to Rokeby road, Subiaco, by a depth of 168ft. along a 15 links r.o.w., also 10ft r.o.w. at rear …. Two-storey brick building, containing 2 double-fronted shops (Nos. 147 and 149), each with living room and kitchen on ground floor, also 3 bedrooms and bathroom on each first floor, large balcony. The whole property is sewered, and gas and electric light is installed. Double G.I. garage at rear. Both shops are let on a monthly tenancy at £3 each weekly, but have been occupied by the present tenants for many years.

Integrity/Authenticity

The parapet and first floor façade have a medium to high level of authenticity.
The awnings and shopfronts have a low level of authenticity.

Condition

The main facade appears to be generally in fair to good condition commensurate with the age of the building (based on streetscape inspection 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.