House

Parent Place or Precinct

24362 Shenton Park Conservation Area

Statement of Significance

The place is a good representative example of an early twentieth century timber house constructed for the working classes. It is a good representative example of the type of housing constructed in the section of Shenton Park to the south of Onslow Road as part of the early consolidation of the suburb following the opening of the West Subiaco Railway Station in September 2008.

History

By c.1897 Perth Suburban Lot 316 had been laid out with 66 residential lots with frontages to Onslow Road (southern side), Smyth Road (northern half), Karrakatta Road (later renamed Hopetoun Terrace, northern half); and Commercial Road (northern half). However, initial development was slow and Commercial Road was first listed in the Western Australian Post Office Directories in 1905, when there was only one resident. After strong lobbying by the local community, additional residential development of the area was encouraged by the opening of the West Subiaco Railway Station in September 1908. There were still only 4 residents listed for the street in 1910, but this had increased to 17 by 1915 (#s 3, 4, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 16, 22, 28, 34, 36, 38, 45, 48, 49 and 54). Steady development followed, with 20 houses by 1920; 26 by 1925; and 36 by 1930. Little information is known about the people who constructed most of these houses, but builder/developers are known to have been active in Shenton Park in the late 1920s. Lists of building licences published in the West Australian confirm that at least 8 of the 10 houses erected in Commercial Road in the period 1925 to 1930 were built by three developers: Dudley & Dwyer:  Weatherboard residence, Commercial Rd, £500 (Dec 1928)  2 x four room residences, Commercial Rd, £500 each (April 1929) John William Hollier  Brick residence, Commercial Rd, £400 (July 1925)  2 x weatherboard residences, Commercial Rd, £1,100 (Sept 1926) Oliver Milton Mizen  Four room weatherboard residence, Commercial St, £400 (Dec 1928)  Four room weatherboard residence, Commercial St, £400 (March 1929) Only 4 additional houses were built during the 1930s, after which the total number remained at 39 until at least 1949. A historical aerial photograph dated 1953, shows that a number of these houses were set on spacious double allotments, providing the opportunity for later infill development. In 2015 there are 53 houses along the street.

Integrity/Authenticity

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Creation Date

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