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

A single storey brick and terracotta tiled residence with altered finishes and windows. The house occupies a prominent corner position along Hamersley Road at the western side of the junction with Federal Street. It is of brick construction which was originally tuckpointed to the lower section of the elevation and roughcast rendered to the upper section. The tuckpoint finish has now been obscured due to being painted over the same colour as the render, removing some of the distinctive aesthetic of the architectural style. The roof is hipped, clad in terracotta tiles. The verandah canopy is the continuation of the main roof at a slight break of pitch. A small gable projects through the roof above the bay window to the Hamersley Road frontage. Terracotta finials and a rendered chimney enliven the roof. The verandah canopy is supported on turned timber posts and the canopy is lined to the underside. The deck is timber. The Hamersley Road frontage has a projecting bay window close to the eastern edge of the façade, incorporating a pair of multi-paned casement windows. The windows are in keeping with the style of the house but are replacements. The entrance is located in the recessed section of the Hamersley Road elevation. But cannot be clearly seen. The west elevation has an open relationship to Federal Street and presents with three sets of multi-paned casement openings and a further entrance with timber and glazed side panels and fanlight above. The garden is enclosed by timber and mesh fencing.

History

This portion of Subiaco bound by Hamersley Road, Derby Road, Heytesbury Road and Federal Road was designated as Perth Suburban Lot 260. This large landholding of five acres was acquired by the Intercolonial Investment Land and Building Company Limited in 1890. This company was based in New South Wales but was very active in the development of Perth’s metropolitan area in the 1890s. The plan for the subdivision of this portion of Hamersley Road was approved by the Department of Lands and Surveys in 1904. However, the land had been subdivided for residential sale some years previously as the Certificate of Title for this site shows that the three lots on the south west corner of Hamersley and Federal Street (lots 6, 7 and 8) were transferred to labourer John Darby of Wilcannia, NSW in 1893. In 1901, the three lots were transferred to Alfred James Ratcliffe, a newsagent living in Subiaco. In 1903, lot 8 was transferred to Henry Wigmore. Rate Book research indicates that lot 8 was undeveloped until sometime between 1919 and 1929. As there are no rate books available for this period it is difficult to determine the exact date however it is likely to have been constructed c1924 as a residence first appears in the 1925 PO Directories with Henry Taylor listed as the occupant. Henry Arthur Taylor (c1871- 1958) was a school teacher. He and his wife Agnes (c1869-1955) lived at the residence until 1943 and during that period Henry Taylor was the owner of the property. Post Office Directories record that Patrick McKenny occupied the place from 1944 to 1949. The 1964 aerial photograph of the property shows that the original form of the building was basically symmetrical and at that time a simple skillion roof was located across the rear of the building and a large shed was located in the rear of the property.

Integrity/Authenticity

The original design intent of the property remains visible but the finishes to the place have been altered which impacts on the authenticity of presentation.

Uses

Creation Date

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