HOUSE, 23 BURNS STREET

Parent Place or Precinct

01563 Twelve houses

Statement of Significance

House, 23 Burns Street, is a typical stone and iron single storey cottage dating from the 1890s. 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. The place is a simple example of the Victorian Georgian style of architecture.

Physical Description

House, 23 Burns Street, is a single storey stone and iron cottage with symmetrical facade designed as a late example of the Victorian Georgian style of architecture. Walls are limestone with face brick quoins and reveals. Roof is hipped corrugated iron with no eaves. The verandah is under a separate bullnose corrugated iron roof supported by square timber posts with decorative timber brackets. Front elevation is symmetrical with two timber sash windows and a central front door. There is a high timber picket fence running along the front boundary. Two painted brick chimneys with brick corbels are intact.

History

Burns Street is a narrow residential street that bisects the triangle defined by Stirling Highway, Queen Victoria Street and the Swan River. The portion south of Tydeman Road was constructed in the 1990s and took its name from the existing road north of Tydeman Road. This section of Burns Street was originally part of a six-acre landholding (Lots 18 and 19) held by Mrs Andrew Burns in 1895. The land was subdivided for residential settlement in 1896 and Burns Road was gazetted the same year in honour of the original land owner. Although the street was still not constructed, buildings were present on the site in 1897. The street first appears on a map dated circa 1906.
Buildings constructed in Burns Street were single storey basic homes of brick, stone or weatherboard for people who worked in the vicinity. Many of the houses in Burns Street were investment properties leased to tenants. In 2004, Burns Street continues to be a residential street and the modest workers cottages are the dominant buildings in the street. At the north eastern end of Burns Street is the former ‘Weeties’ factory (which faces Harvest Road), a source of employment for local residents for many years.
The stone and iron house at 23 Burns Street was built between 1896 and 1912 for an unidentified owner. Bertha Anderson owned the five-roomed cottage between 1921 and 1926. The place was transferred briefly to another owner in 1926/27, before it passed to Olive Maud Smith. Ms Smith owned the property until 1984 and leased it out to a number of tenants, including William Hill, a wicker worker (1928-31), until 1968, when she moved into the property herself.
In 1940 the place retained its original form and had a timber structure and water closet at the rear. The property was sewered in 1952. By 1979, portion of the front verandah had been enclosed with louvers and fibro sheeting. At this time, a cyclone wire fence marked the front boundary of the property. By 1994, the place had undergone renovations revealing the front verandah and the installation of a picket fence on the boundary.
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") This place was also included in the 'North Fremantle Heritage Study' (1994) as a place contributing to the development and heritage of North Fremantle.

Integrity/Authenticity

High degree of integrity (original intent clear, current use compatible, high long term sustainability, restored, sympatheticalterations).
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

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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.