HOUSE, 3 HERBERT STREET

Parent Place or Precinct

22385 North Fremantle Precinct

Statement of Significance

House, 3 Herbert Street, is an altered stone, brick and iron two storey cottage dating from the early 1900s. The place has aesthetic value for its contribution to the streetscape and the surrounding area. It is representative of the typical building stock located within the residential areas of North Fremantle. Historically significant as a representation of typical workers' houses in the North Fremantle area.

Physical Description

House, 3 Herbert Street, is a two storey (originally single storey) stone, brick and iron cottage with symmetrical facade which has been significantly altered. The roof is hipped corrugated iron, and incorporates a second floor into the steeply pitched roof, with windows in the gable end. Walls are limestone with brick quoins and reveals. The verandah has a separate bullnose roof, timber posts and a timber balustrade with central timber stairs. There is a limestone wall with piers and timber picket infill to the front boundary line.

History

Originally known as Mary Street, the majority of Herbert Street was developed between 1900 and 1910 (predominantly brick and stone houses), although some lots remained vacant until the immediate post-World War Two period (predominantly weatherboard houses). The street accommodated a mixture of owner/occupier residences and rental properties. Mary Street was gazetted as a public highway in 1905 and the name was changed to Herbert Street in 1922/23.

House, 3 Herbert Street was constructed between 1904 and 1907. It does not appear on a Water Supply Map dated 1904, but is listed in the Post Office Directory for 1907. Captain Thomas Smith owned the house and lived there with his family from c. 1907 until 1928. Captain Smith was an employee of McIlwraith, McEacharn and Co Pty Ltd, the shipping firm whose offices were located in Phillimore Street, Fremantle. Following his death, the house passed to Annie Smith, his widow, who remained in residence until her death in 1934. Subsequent to her death, John King moved into the residence, but the owner of the building at this time remains unclear. It is possible that the building was held by the Estate of Annie Smith for a substantial portion of time. Between 1936 and 1949, the place had a number of owners and tenants. At some time, Giuseppe Barberio purchased the property. He added a rear extension to accommodate a bathroom, dining room and kitchen in 1969. New owners purchased the property in 1991.

A 1939 diagram shows House, 3 Herbert Street as being a large house, with a centrally located front path and another path leading down the southern side of the house and around the rear. Outbuildings were located on the northern and southern fences.

This place was included in the "North Fremantle Heritage Study", prepared by Craig Burton, for the City of Fremantle, June 1994.

A description from a 2005 photograph stated that the house was single storey with a tiled roof, and the front verandah was extended with rendered brick and had a central front pair of French doors and two pairs of aluminium sliding windows either side. There was a set of concrete steps with an iron balustrade leading from the street level up to the verandah level.

Street view from 2014 shows an upper floor in the steeply pitched roof space, a new hipped iron roof and a separate verandah bullnose roof. There are new timber stairs.

Integrity/Authenticity

Medium degree of integrity (original intent clear, current use compatible, high long term sustainability, later unsympathetic alterations and materials).
Medium degree of authenticity with some loss of original fabric.
(These statements based on street survey only).

Condition

Condition assessed as fair to 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.