Holyrood Street Precinct

Statement of Significance

Holyrood Street Precinct has aesthetic value as a tree lined, almost complete and reasonably intact example of a late nineteenth and early twentieth century streetscape, notwithstanding the changes to fences, gardens and the modern finishes in the road reserve.

Holyrood Street Precinct, consisting of the western side of the street, 20 Holyrood Street and 77 Woolwich Street, has aesthetic and historic value as a predominantly late nineteenth and early twentieth century, formerly working class streetscape which demonstrates the core period of development of the Municipality and suburbanisation of the area in the years 1899-1914.

Holyrood Street has social value for the people of West Leederville as evidenced by its continuity of occupancy, and its continuing popularity as a residential street in its Federation scale and form.

Holyrood Street has social value as demonstrated by the decision by the Town of Cambridge to develop design guidelines to manage the future development of the street whilst managing its heritage values.

Physical Description

The Holyrood Precinct extends along both sides of Holyrood Street between Cambridge Street in the south and Woolwich Street in the north. The precinct is lined with mature Morton Bay Fig trees and the south east portion of the street abuts Holyrood Park. Within the largely grassed Holyrood Park is a playground and a community hall, the Holyrood Pavilion.

Building setbacks vary along the length of Holyrood Street, but all are well under 6.0 metres. Front verandahs are located as close as 2.4 and as great as 4.8 metres from the front boundary and some main structure walls as close as 4.6 metres from the front boundary, with houses at the northern end of the street typically being set back more than those at the southern end of the street. The majority of houses are set within the 4-5 metre range from front boundary to main house wall. Side setbacks vary with the width of lots but generally do not exceed 0.9 metres.

The building stock within the street is predominantly late nineteenth and early twentieth century, single storey residences and their associated buildings, with one or two residences that have been adapted in recent times to add a second storey. The residences are predominantly weatherboard with metal roofs although some brick residences and tiled roofs exist in the precinct. Those residences built in the Federation period demonstrate the style and detail of the period particularly on the front elevations.

Elements of Holyrood Street which are of high importance to the street include all of the original fabric of the house at 23 Holyrood Street and all houses on the western side of the street, number 20 Holyrood Street on the eastern side of the street, together with 77 Woolwich Street.

History

The area known as Leederville takes its name from William Leeder and his family, who selected land in the vicinity in the 1830s. In this period, and through until the late nineteenth century, the district was predominantly rural, and mainly used for agricultural and pastoral purposes.

The opening of the Eastern Railway from Fremantle to Perth in 1881, encouraged development along the line of small settlements in proximity to the line, which gradually grew into towns. In the 1880s, sub-division of the rural allotments to the north and west of Perth commenced, including the first sub-divisions in the Leederville district. However, there was little residential development in the Leederville area until the mid to late 1890s, when the suburbs of Perth expanded rapidly in the wake of the Gold Boom.

In June 1895, the Leederville Roads Board was officially gazetted, and due to the rapid expansion in the district, the Municipality of Leederville was declared on 1 April 1896. The construction of a railway station at Leederville (now West Leederville) and a dual track to Fremantle encouraged further development in the district, which grew rapidly in the late 1890s and early 1900s. The streets in proximity to the railway line and to Cambridge Street were the first to be developed for residential purposes, including Tower, Woolwich, and a little later, Derby Street, as Holyrood Street was named at that period. By 1903, all of this area had been sub-divided for residential purposes and a number of dwellings erected. As many of the lots in Leederville were smaller and cheaper than in some suburbs, together with the absence of restrictions or discouragement regarding the use of timber for construction, it was more affordable for working class people.

During this period in which the street was developed, 1899-1914, the Municipality of Leederville had grown rapidly. In December 1914, the Municipality was amalgamated with the City of Perth. Subsequently, in October 1915, Derby Street was re-named Holyrood Street, as part of a programme under which various streets in the City were re-named to overcome the confusion of two or more streets with the same name.

The name Holyrood either originates with the word for the Christian True Cross on which Christ was crucified (made up of holy and rood); or it relates to Holyrood House the official home of the monarch of Scotland since the 16th century. Since many road names in the vicinity have a Scottish association it is likely to be the latter origin.

Occupants of the residences in Holyrood Street during the early decades of the 20th century were largely trades or semi skilled workers and their families. In 1910, the following occupants were listed in the Post Office Directories and their occupations taken from the Electoral Rolls for that year. (Those even numbered properties are no longer extant and are now part of Holyrood Park)
2 - Alfred E. O'Loughlin, Printer
4 - David J Simcock, Fruiterer
6 - William C.W. Jamieson, Railway Employee
8 - Samuel Jackson, Railway Employee
10 - Miss M. Jennings, not found in Electoral Rolls
3 - Collins Family, members of the family worked as Fruiterer, bootmaker, dressmaker
5 - George Debnam 'Linton', Painter
7 - Patrick McCormack, bootmaker
9 - William Tipping, Locomotive Driver
11 - William Lewis, Railway Employee
13 - Henry Turner, Civil Servant
15 - Thomas H Stephens, 'Inniskillen', Civil Servant
17 - George Fletcher, Engine Driver
21 - George W. Birch, Clerk
25 - James Henry Buzza, Wheelwright
27 - James W. Watson, Railway Employee
29 - Miss L. Hill, Music Teacher and Emily A Campbell, widow

The above sample of occupants demonstrates a large proportion who worked for the Railways. The close proximity to the West Leederville station, or Leederville at the time made it an attractive place to settle for these workers.

In the latter part of the twentieth century, the demographic composition of the area underwent considerable change, with the influx of European immigrants from the 1950s, many of whom took up residence in the North Perth, Subiaco, and Leederville areas which were close to transport services and to the city. Subsequently, from the 1970s, with the purchase and up grading of a number of the residences by white-collar workers and professionals, the suburb has undergone further change and a change in demographics. Throughout most of their histories, the majority of the residences have been owner occupied.

The Town of Cambridge developed Design Guidelines for Holyrood Street in 2002 which have been valuable for development within the precinct.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High
Authenticity: Moderate

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

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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.