House

Statement of Significance

The place at 37 Crossman Street has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons: The place is associated with Abraham Krakouer and his wife Elizabeth who came to Albany in the 1880s working as a storekeeper, hotel licensee and importer. The place was designed by well-known building contractor Josiah Norman who also served as Councillor on the Albany Road Board and part of the Norman family who were early settlers to Albany and who were prominent in its civic and commercial life. The place is an unusual and relatively rare example of an iron clad residence in the Albany townsite and presenting a simple but well-articulated Federation Bungalow with some Victorian regency influences that has maintained a high level of authenticity and has landmark value.

Physical Description

Some of the notable features of this place include: • Prominent location - high streetscape value • Corrugated iron walls and roof • Projecting gabled wings on front and side elevation • Timber bargeboard and finial on front gable • Projecting window with six panes on front elevation • Large chimneys • Small verandah protecting front door and window • Timber posts and decorative brackets

History

Crossman Street was originally known as Cross Street. The 1890 Rate Book entry for Lot 47 shows that it was owned by Abraham Krakouer. There is a faint entry on the listing which might indicate a house has been erected. Krakouer, storekeeper and importer came to Albany in 1888 with his wife Elizabeth and they lived on Perth Road (now Albany Highway. He was also a hotel keeper/licensee and applied for the licence for Round Swamp Hotel on Perth Road (about 100kms out of Albany) in 1888 then later moved to Perth where he had Gordons Hotel (later called Wentworth Hotel). The house was designed by Josiah Norman & Co. Norman was born in Albany in 1854. He was the older brother of John Norman who was the long-serving postmaster of Albany, and uncle to brothers John and Arthur Norman who established the successful stationers business in Stirling Terrace. In 1878, Josiah married Tamsen Thomas who was also born in Albany in 1854. They had eight children, including sons Ernest, William, Thomas, and Arthur. Josiah was a leading building contractor in town having (see Shipping Customs and Forwarding Office York Street and Albany Road Board Office Stirling Tce). Norman also served as a Councillor. He died 1938. In 1946 Cross Street was renamed Crossman Street after Lieut. William Crossman who was stationed in Albany from 1852 to 1856 and responsible for many public works, including the Point King lighthouse and the first bridges over the King and Kalgan Rivers.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High Authenticity: High

Condition

Fair

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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