House

Statement of Significance

The fine, large residence, at 125 Charles Street, is rare and an exemplar of a Federation Beaux Arts bungalow. It demonstrates the confidence of the early developers in the future of this area with its raised topography and views to central Perth, Parliament House and Kings Park. The place has social significance for its associations with the Wholley family, the Anglican Church and the Greek Orthodox community.

Physical Description

The single storey dwelling is elevated at the front, with a raised verndah to the front and side. Main access is provided by sweeping curved concrete staircase with low rendered balustrades and pillars at the base. The place is a clever balance between the symmetry of the house and the assymmetry of the verandah, which is resolved with a formal geometry denoting Beaux Arts priciples of composition. The body of the house is symmetrical, with a high pitched hipped roof that features a centre top gablet and twin gables over the rectangular bay windows that flank the central front door. A bullnose verandah runs the entire width of the frontage. It is supported by turned timber posts with a spindled valence. The entry is aediculated. The verandah is constructed on a face limestone retaining wall. The front wall is face brick with a horizontal rendered band. The windows are pairs of double hung sashes. Elevated from the front boundary behind a brick pier and palisade fence with lawns and minimal plantings in setback. None apparent

History

In 1904, a building permit was issued for No 125 Charles Street to P. Wholley, of the business of Wholley and Walsh. The residence appears in the 1905 Post Office Directory but it was numbered as 173. In 1915, Mrs Beatrice Wholley was listed as the occupant and by 1916 the number had changed to 143. The residence was situated in a rapidly developing area, with a new State School around the corner on Newcastle Street (West Perth Public School at No. 480 Newcastle Street), and the Methodist Mission Chapel and Church in the same street block. On the opposite side of Charles Street, a galvanised iron building had been constructed in 1897, as St Paul's Anglican Church. Sometime shortly before 1916 (it was listed in Wise's Post Office Directories for the first time that year), a new church building was constructed on the corner of Charles and Carr streets, adjoining No 125, which was purchased as the presbytery. No rector was listed in 1916 but the following year, Reverend Llyod Wilson (BD) was listed as the incumbent. He was followed by Reverend George R. Holland in 1920. IN 1949 Reverend C.A Walsh was in situ. He later became a Canon and transferred to St Luke's Anglican Church in Cottesloe. In the 1920's and 1930's, Greek migrants to Perth, many of whom came from the island of Castellorizo (megisti), settled in Northbridge. They established the Church of St Michael and St Helene in Parker Street in 1936 with funds raised from within the Greek community. Following World War II, a new wave of migrants came from Greece. Many of these were also Castellorizians, and among them was a family who brought a religious icon with them. This was the Icon of the Annunciation of Our Lady, which had originally been installed in the church of that name in Antifelo in Asia Minor, only kilometres from Castellorizo. Following the Greco-Turkish War of 1921 the Icon was removed to Castellorizo where it remained for 25 years before being brought to Perth. The new Greek migrants wanted another church where the icon could be installed. In March 1958, a committee established for the purpose, purchased the Anglican Church of St Paul's and its presbytery (No. 125 Charles Street). Following some alterations to the building, the first liturgy was held in the new Church of the Annunciations of Our Lady on 6 December 1958 and the Church was consecrated on 9 August 1959. The building was extensively renovated in 1970 so that it took in the stylistic features of the typical Greek Orthodox Churches. In the following years, another two houses in Charles Street were bought to cater for the needs of the community as well as those of the Hellenic Christian Ladies' Unions and the Greek Orthodox Youth League of WA. A school was established in 1971 in a transportable building in the church grounds. The residence on the west side of the Church at No. 59 Carr Stret was later purchased for use as a Greek School. By 2007 the church owned all the land from No. 121 on the corner of Prospect Place to No. 129, the last Charles Street address before the church on the corner of Carr, the address of which is No. 59 Carr Street. In March 1958, St Paul's Church, and its presbytery, were purchased by the Greek Orthodox community. The church was reconsecrated as the Greek Church of the Annunciation of Our Lady.

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