School House - Wyalkatchem

Statement of Significance

The association with Sir William Hesseltine and the age of the building is significant.

Physical Description

The School House is located in a residential section of Wyalkatchem on a corner block The land is flat and sandy in nature. A small native garden has been planted in the front yard. The lot is full enclosed by a cyclone mesh fence (approximately 2 metres high) on the western, northern and eastern sides. A 1 metre high mesh fence, with timber top and bottom rails, runs across the front (southern) of the property and along the southern portion of the western boundary. A wrought iron gate is centrally located along this fence. The house is a single storey, timber framed building clad with weatherboards to the front and sides. Asbestos cement sheeting has been used at the rear. The gable roof is covered with corrugated galvanised iron which has been painted red. At the front, the roof extends down to form a skillion roof for the verandah. A skillion roof is attached to the western side of the building forming a side verandah. This verandah hs been enclosed with asbestos cement sheeting to the lower section of the wall with louvre windows above. At the rear, the roof has again been extended down to form a skillion roofed extension, although this roof does not run across the full width of the house. This rear verandah area has also been enclosed and is clad with asbestos cement sheeting. A single brick chimney, with string course is situated towards the eastern side of the building. The interior has been divided into four rooms under the main roof with two additional rooms in the enclosed, western side verandah and a bathroom and laundry under the rear verandah. The front door opens directly into the main room (lounge) with centrally located doorways leading into the kitchen at the rear and thence to the back of the house. There is no central passage. The main bedroom opens direcly into the lounge room. A secondary bedroom is located immediately to the north of the main bedroom with a door opening into the kitchen. Access to the two rooms on the verandah are from the second bedroom and front verandah. The building has retained original tongued and grooved floorboards, casement windows to the front and eastern elevations, a double hung sash window in the seondary bedroom and original joinery. Some of the interior wall cladding has been replaced with plasterboard. The ornate timber mantle piece in the lounge is not original.

History

Built in 1926 at a cost of 475 pounds and was the first house built for teaching staff in Wyalkatchem. Mr W Heseltine was Headmaster at Wyalkatchem school from 1932 to 1934 and lived in this house. His son, Sir William Heseltine was private secretarty to Sir Robert menzies and then held the same position with Queen Elizabeth II. The building became a museum in 1984 and is maintained by the Shire.

Integrity/Authenticity

Good Degree. The building is very much as built and should be preserved.

Condition

Reasonable. But remedial work is required to the roof and gutters.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update