HOUSE, 21 RUSSELL STREET

Statement of Significance

House, 21 Russell Street, is a typical limestone and iron single storey house dating from c1880s. The place has aesthetic value for its contribution to the streetscape and the surrounding area. It is representative of typical workers houses in the Fremantle area. The place is an example of the Victorian Georgian style of architecture.

Physical Description

21 Russell Street is a single storey, limestone and iron house with a symmetrical facade designed as an example of the Victorian Georgian style of architecture. The walls are limestone. The roof is hipped and clad with corrugated iron. The facade has a central front door with fanlight flanked either side by double hung sash windows. The verandah has a broken back corrugated iron roof and is supported by chamfered timber posts. There is a low level limestone wall to the front boundary line.

History

House, 21 Russell Street was formerly numbered 33 Russell Street; the renumbering occurred in 1935/36.
This house is one building that was part of a larger landholding on which the owners built several dwellings. Most of the dwellings were occupied by tenants. The rates books for this period do not distinguish the location of each cottage on the lots therefore it is difficult to determine the exact date of construction of individual cottages.
From the available information this house is estimated to have been built in the early 1880s for the owner and occupier Jesse Elijah Hammond who is recorded as a builder and later as a mason. He occupied a cottage of 5 rooms that was located on the site, other cottages of 2 and 3 rooms were located on the site but they are recorded in later documents as being in the rear of the lot. In 1886, the property was shared between James Cornish and Jessie Elijah Hammond.
In 1890, the property was transferred to George Cornish and in the following year the ownership was shared with Charles Sherwood. By 1896 there were four houses on the lot and the owners were George Cornish and Joseph Lloyd. By 1907/08, the owner of the cottage at 21 Russell Street is recorded as Charles Lloyd. He leased out the house to tenants as did a later owners Catherine May Healy. In 1940/41 the property was transferred to Ivan Parentich who owned and occupied the place until the early 1950s.
The 1908 sewerage plan of the site shows this stone house had a verandah across the full width of the front façade. At the rear of the house were two separate dwellings
This place was identified by the Fremantle Society in 1979/80 as being of cultural heritage significance. (Coded: Red: "Significantly contributing to the unique character of Fremantle") A photograph of the place taken in 1978 shows that the house had a tiled roof and the brick wall on the front property boundary and the wall enclosing the front verandah were of a recent construction. The verandah supports are pillars which are not original. Portion of the front verandah has been enclosed with asbestos sheeting and a casement window.

Integrity/Authenticity

High degree of integrity (original intent clear, current use compatible, high long term sustainability).
High degree of authenticity with much original fabric remaining.
(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.