Sweetman's House

Statement of Significance

Sweetman's House, 9 Russell Street, is a typical limestone, brick and iron single storey house dating from c1880s. The place has aesthetic value for its contribution to the streetscape and the surrounding area. It is representative of typical workers houses in the Fremantle area. The place is an example of the Victorian Georgian style of architecture.

Physical Description

Sweetman's House, 9 Russell Street is a single storey, single room width, limestone, brick and iron house with an asymmetrical facade designed as an example of the Victorian Georgian style of architecture. The walls are limestone with brick quoins. The roof is hipped and clad with corrugated iron. The facade has a front door with fanlight flanked to the side by a double hung sash window. The verandah has a separate corrugated iron bullnose roof and is supported by chamfered timber posts with a simple timber balustrade which sits on the front boundary line. there are brick corbelled chimneys evident.

History

House, 9 Russell Street was formerly 45 Russell Street; the renumbering occurred in 1935/36. This house is closely associated with the houses at 5 and 7 Russell, which were originally owned by William Sweetman. The house was recorded in 1899 in the Post Office Directories and is likely to have been built in the 1880s when William Sweetman acquired the adjacent properties. A 1900 survey map of Russell Street shows that the front portion of the house and it was labelled ‘Sweetman’s House’. The house had a front veranda, which finished on the front property boundary. The 1908 sewerage plan of the site shows this stone house with the access steps to the verandah on the eastern side of the block. The rear of the house has a verandah, which is partially enclosed. A water tank was located close to the rear of the house and a timber shed and brick closet were evident in the back yard. A photograph of the house in the early 20th century shows the front façade of the house was pointed limestone with brick tuckpointed quoins around the windows. The verandah balustrades were timber and included a gate to the verandah. This place was identified by the Fremantle Society in 1979/80 as being of cultural heritage significance. (Coded: Purple: "Of architectural and historic significance in its own right.”) A photograph of the house in 1978 shows the balustrades had been replaced with brick wall and the house was in relatively poor condition. A photograph taken in 1981 shows the house had been restored and the original style of balustrade had been installed. The roof had also been replaced. The house was classified by the National Trust of Australia (WA) in 1981.

Integrity/Authenticity

High degree of integrity (original intent clear, current use compatible, high long term sustainability). High degree of authenticity with much original fabric remaining. (These statements based on street survey only).

Condition

Condition assessed as good (assessed from streetscape survey only).

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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