Wisteria Cottage

Statement of Significance

Wisteria Cottage, at 12 Monmouth Street, is a fine and representative example of the Federation Georgian style, still in use well into the Gold Boom era.

Physical Description

The single storey brick dwelling has a hipped roof with a separate skillion verandah across the front, the frontage is slightly assymmetrical with an offset front door flanked each side by a double hung sash window. The verandah is supported by turned posts that have filigree angle and valence details. Low brick and palisade fence with pillars. Garden in small setback. None apparent except new roof sheeting

History

Monmouth Street was originally named Robinson Street, and was part of the Forrest Hill Estate developed in the mid 1890s. The development was given streets named after Sir John Forrest and his first five cabinet ministers, Shenton (now Wasley Street), Burt, Marmion, Venn and Robinson. There were two Robinson Streets in North Perth in the early 1900s so this one was renamed Monmouth in 1916 and the other was changed to Gill Street. There were no rear laneways in the subdivisions and many of the lots in the subdivision have since been divided in half, creating narrow frontages. The house at 12 Monmouth Street has no street setback and is positioned on a relatively narrow lot frontage of 10m. This lot configuration is identical to that adjacent at No. 10 Monmouth Street. The MWSSDD Sewerage Plans show a small weatherboard cottage at No. 10 Monmouth Street, which has since been demolished and remains vacant under the ownership of the Town of Vincent. The subject dwelling was built circa 1902 for Charles Wheeler, and was named 'Wisteria Cottage'. Wheeler was listed for the first time in 1903 and there were five other houses but there were no numbers and no cross streets were identified. The following year the cross streets were included but still no numbers. At that time there were seven other residents in the street but Wheeler's was the only house on the right-hand side of the street between Clifton Street and Government Road (later Anzac Road). No numbers were given. By 1910 the numbers had been allocated and No 12 was occupied by Mrs Armitage and in 1915 by John Smith who was still there in 1920. The entries at this time match the houses on the 1920 MWWSS & DD sewerage plan, which also indicates that there was a well at the rear of the dwelling. In 1930 the house was vacant but the following year (1931) it was occupied by Mrs Phyllis Sugg. In 1940 the resident was Mrs Binch and in 1949 it was Don Smith.

Integrity/Authenticity

High

Uses

Creation Date

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