House

Parent Place or Precinct

26001 Chesters Subdivision Heritage Area

Statement of Significance

The place has cultural heritage significance:
• As an excellent example of a well designed and detailed “gentleman’s villa” of Subiaco dating from the early 20th century.
• For its aesthetic value as a good representative example of a well-designed Federation Queen Anne villa of the early 20th century, designed to a style and scale suited to the professional/business classes.
• For its aesthetic contribution to a largely intact group of early twentieth century houses.
• For its association with the ongoing development of Subiaco in the early 20th century period.
• For its association with prominent Western Australian business man, and local politician Lionel Boas and his family.

Physical Description

• Substantial corner single storey house of Federation Queen Anne style.
• The house is of asymmetric plan form with a projecting wing along the Chester Street frontage containing a pair of bay windows with awnings above each supported on timber brackets. Each bay contains sash windows.
• The entrance to the house faces Chester Street and is located at the northern end of the verandah.
• Brick construction with tuckpoint finish and rendered bands.
• The verandah wraps around the south and west elevations and forms a canopy to the bay window along the Heytesbury Road frontage. The verandah canopy is the continuation of the main roof albeit with a break of pitch and is supported on turned timber posts with timber balustrade.
• Hipped roof with vented gablets and a faceted hip to the bay at the Heytesbury Road frontage. The tall rendered and decorative chimneys have been retained. The house has been reroofed with white colorbond.
• The windows are timber framed sashes.
• The gardens are enclosed by timber picket fence.

History

James Chesters, an investor from Melbourne, purchased Perth Suburban Lots 249 to
252 in October 1891. In the following year he commenced selling residential lots in a
newly subdivided estate laid out as Deposited Plan 504 (extending across Perth
Suburban Lots 249 and 250).
Lots 139 & Part Lot 140 were transferred from Chesters to Clara Allan in February
1907. By this time Clara appears to have been estranged from her husband, Alec
(who lived in the eastern states), and the purchase of the property followed the
death of their son, Dr Leslie Stuart Allan (at the age of 30 years), from whom Clara
inherited £952. With this relatively large inheritance (and based on the quality of the
design) it seems likely that Clara commissioned Percy Harrison, Architect, to design
her new house:
TENDERS are invited until 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 22, for the
ERECTION and Completion of Brick Villa Residence, corner
Heytesbury-road and Chester-street, Subiaco. Deposit, £25. The
lowest or any Tender not necessarily accepted. P. W. HARRISON,
F.R.V.I.A., Architects.
22 Heytesbury Road remained Clara’s family home, known as “Stuartholme” in
honour of her son, until her death in 1934.
The house was then occupied as the long-term family home of Lionel Boas and his
second wife, Florence, who had been married in December 1934.
Lionel Tobias Boas (1875-1949) was elected a councillor of Subiaco in 1906 and
served for thirty-six years, including a term as Mayor from 1917-1920. He was also
closely associated with the Young Australia League from its inception in 1905 and
served in various roles, including General President. Following his death in 1949,
Florence Boas stayed on in the house until the late 1950s.
A plan of the site prepared in 1927 and reviewed in 1954 for the purpose of planning
sewerage and water supply services shows that the property has not changed
significantly in extent and aerial photographs confirm this. The extent and form of the
original residence are still clearly evident.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity -
Authenticity -

Condition

Based on a streetscape inspection the building appears to be in excellent condition.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

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.