HOUSE, 4 STAPLES STREET

Parent Place or Precinct

22385 North Fremantle Precinct

Statement of Significance

House, 4 Staples Street is a typical brick and iron single storey cottage dating from 1928-1929. The place has aesthetic value for its contribution to the streetscape and the surrounding area. It is representative of the typical building stock located within the residential areas of North Fremantle. Historically significant as a representation of typical workers' houses in the North Fremantle area.

Physical Description

House, 4 Staples Street is a single storey brick and iron cottage with symmetrical facade constructed in 1928-1929. Walls are face brick. The roof is hipped corrugated iron with no eaves. The verandah is under a continuous corrugated iron roof supported by square timber posts. Front elevation is symmetrical with two timber sash windows with rendered sills and a central front door. The verandah is at ground level and has been tiled. There is a limestone wall to the front boundary line. There is a rear extension and alterations.

History

Bounded in the west by Stirling Highway and in the east by Rule Street, Staples Street is divided by Thompson Road. The area forms part of an original land grant to the Pensioner Guards (lots P57 and P66). On 31 May 1895, Lot P66 was subdivided, while Lot P57 was not subdivided until 26 February 1897. The street was listed as Davis Street in the Post Office directories between 1898 and c. 1915, and then as Davies Road until 1962. The street name was officially changed in June 1962 in honour of Ronald John Staples who served on the North Fremantle (1940-61) and Fremantle (1961-73) councils. Staples was born in Harvest Road, North Fremantle, in 1910; attended North Fremantle Primary School and Fremantle Boy’s School and worked in clerical occupations. Staples Street was developed between 1904 and 1920, although some lots remained vacant until the 1940s. The street was predominantly working class, with many male occupants employed on the nearby waterfront, the railways or in the construction industry as sawyers or bricklayers. Buildings in the street are characterised by small, modest cottages on small lots, with building materials ranging from weatherboard and asbestos or fibro cement to brick. House, 4 Staples Street was built 1928/29 for owner Edward Oldfield, a bricklayer. It replaced an earlier house on the site. The house has had a number of owner/occupiers over the years, including William Houlahan (driver), Arthur Onley (labourer) and Leslie Onley (tanner). A 1939 plan shows 4 Staples Street as being the largest house in the street, with a greater street setback than neighbouring properties. The brick house had a full length front verandah and brick outbuildings in the rear yard. A paved path led to the centrally located front door. The place was identified in the North Fremantle Heritage Study (1994) as being of cultural heritage significance to the development of North Fremantle. By 2004, extensive renovations had been completed to the house, including conversion of a well into a wine cellar, accessed through a trapdoor in the floor of the formal lounge. At this time, the house had three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a natural stone storeroom under the rear of the house.

Integrity/Authenticity

Medium degree of integrity (original intent clear, current use compatible, high long term sustainability, some later unsympathetic materials). Medium degree of authenticity with some loss of original fabric. (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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