119 Redfern Street

Parent Place or Precinct

26270 Sadlier and Redfern Street Heritage Area

Statement of Significance

The Sadlier and Redfern Streets heritage area is of:
Aesthetic Value
• As an aesthetically pleasing streetscape with a strong identifiable character, featuring an avenue of mature street trees, which frame views of the largely Inter War residences.
• For its collection of many good, representative examples of Federation and Inter War cottages and villas which collectively illustrate a range and evolution of detailing between the 1920s and the 1940s.
• For the cohesive streetscape created by a limited palette of materials and styles.
Historic Value
• As a representative collection of houses that illustrate the scale and standard of housing for the homes of unskilled workers to semi-professional and tradespeople, in the early twentieth century.
• For the evidence it provides about the manner in which the residence of semi-professional and tradespeople existed alongside the residences of working people and employees.
• For its association with the subdivision and rapid settlement of the area from the 1920s to the 1930s which demonstrates the rapid change of the district in this period.
Representativeness
• As a good representative collection of early twentieth century housing developed within walking distance of transport and services.
Physical Form in the Public Realm
• The houses, which (with the exception of three modern dwellings) were developed predominantly in the period 1920s to 1940s, have largely retained their original external detailing and form. The defined period and nature of development has resulted in a consistent palette of materials and form, enlivened by diversity of individual details, within a cohesive streetscape.

Physical Description

Single storey brick and terracotta tile house.
The house is obscured by a dominant carport in the front setback and planting to the front garden. The carport has been constructed utilising similar detailing to the main house but it obscures much of the detailing of the house.

The house appears to be of brick construction with fairfaced brick, no tuckpointing, to the lower section and roughcast render to the upper section.

Windows are timber framed casements with additional top-light windows. The entrance door ensemble consists of timber and glass panelled door, with matching side panels and fanlights above. All the glazing to the door ensemble is leaded with coloured glass.

The roof is gabled with a skillion verandah canopy, supported on timber posts. The deck cannot be seen. Terracotta finials adorn the roof with a chimney on the eastern plane.

The garden is enclosed by low brick wall with timber picket panels and tall brick piers. The driveway has brick pavers and timber picket style gates.

History

This portion of Redfern Street was subdivided for residential lots in 1891. However the lots were not taken up rapidly. In 1896, lots in the Redfern Estate, Subiaco were advertised in the local press as ‘Good Building Lots, near the railway line’. The subdivision was managed by Alfred Axon, the local branch manager for the NSW company, Intercolonial Investment Land and Building Company. Axon was also a significant individual investor in Subiaco property.

Despite the early subdivision it was not until the 1910s that the first lots were occupied in this portion of Subiaco. Analysis of Rate Books and PO Directories indicates that this place was likely constructed c.1924.

The Rate Books contain the following listings:
• 1929/30 Mrs Avonia Davies (home duties) – owner/occupier
• 1935/36 & 1936/37 Miss Davies (nurse) owner/occupier – A note in the Rate Books indicates that this was a War Service Home.
The PO directories list the following occupants:
• 1925 - Kinninmont, William Vernon
• 1926 – 1940/41 Davies, Mrs E
• 1941/42 – 1949 Davies, Miss E

From the above information it is probable that the house was first owned and occupied by Avonia Davies (c1885-1967). Avonia Davies was born in Gympie, Queensland and relocated to Western Australia with her family to the Goldfields and then trained as a nurse at Perth Public Hospital. She enlisted as a nurse to serve in the Australian Army Nursing Service in 1918, aged 32. She was not married and discharged in 1919. The reference to the property being a War Service Home is consistent with Avonia Davies’ service record. It may be that the house conforms to a standard design provided by the Public Works Department to the War Service Homes Commission.

In 1925, nurse Avonia Davies, was living at this residence which was described as the corner of Redfern and Bronte (later Sadlier) Streets. Avonia appears to have lived alone at the house until the 1960s although this is not confirmed.
Aerial photographs from the mid-20th century show the simple plan form of the tiled house which remained unchanged until c1984 when an addition was constructed across the rear of the residence. The roof line of the addition complimented the existing form. Since that time the form and extent of the place have not changed significantly.

Integrity/Authenticity

The carport in the front setback adversely impacts on the traditional streetscape setting and obscures views of the house from the street. .

Condition

Good

Uses

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.