House

Parent Place or Precinct

26335 Hamersley Road Group Heritage Area

Statement of Significance

The Hamersley Road Group 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 intact Federation and 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 1890s 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 1890s to the 1920s which demonstrates the rapid change of the district in the gold boom period and shortly thereafter.
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 two modern dwellings) were developed predominantly in the period 1898 to 1921, (and one in 1946) 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, with a cohesive streetscape.

Physical Description

Single storey brick and tile residence in a slightly elevated position.

The property presents with a traditional asymmetric planform to the façade, with a dominant projecting gabled wing, a recessed entry feature and a slightly more recessed section of elevation. The lower third of the façade has a tuckpointed finish whilst the remainder of the elevation is roughcast render.

The roof is hipped and gabled, tiled with terracotta tiles and adorned with terracotta finials. The sweep of the main hip continues down to create the corner verandah canopy, at a slight break of pitch. This canopy also extends across the face of the gabled section to create a canopy for the window. The verandah canopy is supported on paired timber posts on top of tapered masonry piers. The deck cannot be seen but is likely to be concrete, accessed via five steps.

The windows to the gable wing are casements with highlights. Two small windows are positioned in the recessed section of elevation. The entrance arrangement is a typical door, fanlight and sidelight. The details of which could not be seen from the street.

The garden is enclosed by a timber picket fence.

History

The plan for the subdivision of this portion of Hamersley Road was formally approved by the Department of Lands and Surveys in 1891. The 15 acres of land between Hamersley Road, Bagot Road, Hensman Road and Federal Streets were designated as Perth Suburban Lots 232a, 233 and 234. The Lots were purchased by the Intercolonial Investment Land and Building Company Limited of NSW in 1891. It was a common occurrence for eastern state land developers to purchase large parcels of land for subdivision for the growing population in Perth. However the lots were not always taken up rapidly or developed. In 1898, lots in Hamersley Road were advertised for £35.

In 1896, lots 82, 83 and 84 (HN244, 246 and 248) were transferred to William Gardiner, a bank manager of Bourke in NSW. In 1917, the three lots were transferred to Lucy Middleton of Sydney and in 1919 to Archer Clifton Lushey, a joiner of Lawler Street Subiaco.

In 1920, this lot was transferred to the War Service Homes Commissioner.
It is assumed the house was built by the War Service Homes Commission although there are no details of the construction in the readily available records. It was the usual practice for the War Service Commission to rent out premises to ex-servicemen. The War Service Commission owned the property until 1949 and the Certificate of Title does not contain any details relating to the construction of the residence.

Rate Book research indicates that this place was constructed sometime between 1919 and 1929, however there are no rate books available for this period.

From the available information this residence was built c1923 and the first occupant was William Henry Garvey (c1867-1949) and his wife Emma Jane (c1870-1957). No records were found relating to any war service by William Garvey and he recorded his occupation as a labourer.

In 1944, the property was transferred to Grace Ruth Shand , who lived next door at 244 Hamersley Road. Emma Garvey continued to live on in the house after the death of William Garvey in 1949, until her death in 1954.

The property remained in the Shand family until the mid 1960s.

An aerial photograph of the property in 1964 shows the form and extent of the original residence. In the back yard there were several buildings and structures and what appears to be a garage accessed from the rear laneway.

From the early 1980s there have been a series of additions to the rear of the building, the most recent in 2007.

Integrity/Authenticity

The house presents with a high degree of authenticity, having retained much of its original fabric and detailing.

Condition

Good

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.