Australian Red Cross

Statement of Significance

Australian Red Cross, 52 Wellington Street, has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:

• The place displays some aesthetic heritage value through its modest Inter-war period detailing that positively contributes to the Wellington Street streetscape.
• The place is representative of the important role of Bunbury as a regional centre providing services for the surrounding rural areas.

Physical Description

Australian Red Cross, 52 Wellington Street is a single storey rendered masonry building with a concealed corrugated steel roof displaying characteristics from the Inter-War Stripped Classical style of architecture.

The building has a zero building line set back from the street with a simply detailed parapet. The parapet has rendered pilasters at either end of the front facade. A cantilevered boxed awning extends across the front facade with a mini orb lining to the underside.

The street elevation is rendered masonry that is painted a terracotta red to the parapet and white to the street frontage. The shopfront has a central recessed aluminium framed double door with a fixed highlight. The westernmost front glazing extends floor to ceiling while the easternmost glazing sits atop a rendered masonry plinth with a central structural pier.

The western wall features a painted mural while with a laneway extending between No.52 and the adjacent No.50 Wellington Street.

History

At the beginning of the 1890s, Bunbury had a population of only 572. By the end of that decade, the population had risen to 2,970 – reflecting the rate of increase experienced by the colony as a whole following the discovery of significant gold deposits. This was matched by improvements in infrastructure, including the opening of the Perth to Bunbury railway line in 1893 and significant development of the port. From this time on the town developed not only as an important regional centre, but also as a seaside tourist resort. Despite the adverse impact of war and depression, Bunbury continued to experience residential and business development during the Inter-War era, and the population reached around 6,000 in 1939. The ongoing development and consolidation of the town over time continues to be reflected in its local heritage places.

As the town developed through the early twentieth century the number of prominent two storey buildings increased within the main business centre, with hotels, banks, offices and emporiums creating local landmarks. However, the majority of shops and offices continued to be housed in relatively modest single storey buildings, typically with simple stepped parapets and recessed entries flanked by large windows. While they attracted little attention in the public records, these small premises offered a wide range of important services and were essential to the local community.


Within this context, the section of Wellington Street that linked the main commercial centre (Victoria Street) with the Railway Station provided a prime location for small shops and offices. By 1926/27, Town Lot 86 was owned by Elder Smith & Co and occupied by two offices:
• 3 Wellington Street (now #52) – occupied by Joseph Carroll (manager Elder Smith & Co)
• 5 Wellington Street (now #50) – occupied by John Lewis Prichard (dentist)

Elder Smith & Co had evolved from a firm of trading and commission agents established in South Australia in 1840. Over time this firm expanded to specialise in agricultural production, services and trade, with branches and affiliated firms across Australia.

Joseph Carroll had been the Bunbury representative of the Western Australian firm Elder, Shenton & Co from 1911. He became their manager when they opened a Bunbury branch in c.1918, and continued in this role when the firm came under the main umbrella of Elder Smith & Co.

In October 1919, it was announced that Elder Smith & Co had purchased a site in Wellington Street with the intention of erecting new offices. This building was under construction by February 1920 when it was reported that it was being erected by Mr. Totterdell (a Perth builder), using locally made Buswells’ wire cut bricks.

In 1936, Bunbury underwent a major reallocation of street numbers which resulted in the property changing from 3 Wellington Street to its present address of 52 Wellington Street.

52 Wellington Street continued to be owned and occupied by Elder Smith & Co until at least 1951, when Colin Kingsley Malcolm was the firm’s local manager.

Since at least 2008, the building has been occupied by the Australian Red Cross.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity:Medium
Authenticity: Medium
Date of survey:2/1/2022

Condition

Good

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.