Three Houses

Statement of Significance

This intact group of three Federation / Georgian Style dwellings present aesthetic value to Smith Street. The dwellings have historic values as good examples of the types of dwellings constructed during the Gold Rush phase of development in Perth, in particular in the Highgate Hill area.

Physical Description

No. 41 Smith Street is a late Colonial Georgian dwelling with a brick single room street frontage, which features two sash windows along the southern portion of the facade. A bull nose verandah runs the length of the facade and is supported by three timber posts. A decorative cast iron frieze runs along the underside of the verandah beam between each timber post. The gable end is painted brick with a wooden fascia and decorative finial at the apex. No. 43 Smith Street is constructed in the Federation Bungalow Style. The dwelling is elevated and accessed via a set of steps along the north-eastern corner of the bullnose verandah. The residence has a hipped roof form with a projecting hipped gable over the single front street facing room, which features a small additional projecting gable. The small gable end features a timber fascia and a decorative timber finial. No. 47 Smith Street is constructed in the Federation Bungalow Style and very similar in terms of bulk and form to No. 43 Smith Street. Located in close proximity to high rise flats the three dwellings have maintained their original character and have a strong presence within this section of Smith Street. No. 41 has been modified with the brick addition to the front.

History

Smith Street formed part of the Highgate Hill subdivision which was developed in 1874 for surveyor, Charles Crossland and was named after his birthplace in London. The subdivision of Highgate Hill was one of the first suburbs on the north side of Perth. It consisted of a small isolated cluster of homes erected in the hollow at the east side of Beaufort Street. The three dwellings at Nos 41, 43 and 47 Smith Street formed part of this subdivision and were constructed during the gold boom period of the 1890s-1919. The brick weatherboard and iron place at No. 41 Smith Street was constructed before 1895 in the Late Colonial style. The place was built in two stages, initially built solely of timber, additions were made circa 1897 when an additional front bedroom of more elaborate style in brick was constructed. They all appeared on the 1897 PWD City of Perth & Suburbs sewerage plans (Sheet 7, 18.8.1897). During the gold boom period the place was owned by R.E. Davies a tailor who for many years lived next door and rented No. 41, known as 'Davies Cottage', to Joseph Hilder, a compositor. No. 43 Smith Street was also constructed circa 1895. The first person to be recorded living in the dwelling was J. Jefferson. No. 47 Smith Street was constructed circa 1902 and the first person recorded as living in that dwelling was Richard Maynard. According to Wise's Post Office Directories the numbers of these dwelling changed several times in the early years. In 1898 No. 41 was No. 9 and rented to Joseph H. Hilder. However, Richard Maynard was listed as being the resident of No. 17, which may well have been No. 47. No. 43 was not listed until 1902 when the houses were numbered 21, 25 and 27. By 1910 the subject places had today's street numbers and the residents were still Joesph Hilder (No. 41), John T. Thompson (No.43) and John Jefferson at No. 47. In 1920 the residents listed in the Directories were Mrs Cath E. Roe (No. 41), Samuel J. Thomson (No. 43) '“ possibly a relation of John T. Thompson, and Robert W.P. Challen at No. 47. ring Beryl. In 1935 they were William Carr (No. 41), still Samuel J Thompson (No. 43) and No. 47 was vacant. Mrs Lucy Farbquharson was the resident at No. 41 in 1949 and Samuel J. Thomson at No. 43 (indicating that possibly the Thompson family had inhabited No. 43 from at least 1910) and Mrs Jessie A. Nimmo at No. 47. An Art Deco tower was built on the corner of Smith and Lincoln Streets in 1941 to vent sewerage fumes into the atmosphere. However, complaints from local residents regarding unpleasant smells led to its closure soon afterwards. The tower later became part of the police wireless communications network. According to the City of Perth building licence cards the front verandah of No. 41 was reconstructed for M. Newton in 1958 and a reconstruction was carried out to the rear of No. 47 in 1963 for Mrs E. Rose. The kitchens and bathrooms of all three were modernised in 2003 and they were strata titled that same year. A modern three-level apartment block was built at the rear of Nos. 41-47 in recent times and one of these apartments (No.8) was advertised for sale in 2005 for $300,000 to $335,000.

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