House

Parent Place or Precinct

26002 Kershaw Street Heritage Area

Statement of Significance

The Kershaw Street Heritage Area is of cultural heritage significance within the City of Subiaco for the following reasons: • As an aesthetically pleasing streetscape with a strong heritage character, featuring a narrow avenue of mature street trees, which frame views of the largely intact Federation and early Inter-War vials. • For its retention of many good, representative examples of Federation Queen Anne villas (which collectively illustrate a gradual evolution in architectural detailing between 1904 and c.1918). • For the cohesive streetscape created by a limited palette of materials and styles. • As a representative collection of houses that illustrate the scale and standard of housing considered appropriate for the families of professional men, such as merchants, bankers and civil servants in the early twentieth century. • For the evidence it provides about the manner in which the residences of senior professional men and business owners existed side by side with the smaller residences of more junior employees in early twentieth century Subiaco. • For its association with the subdivision of this area by James Chesters, an investor from Melbourne, in 1892. In this context it also represents the status of Western Australia as a place of opportunity during the gold rush era of the late nineteenth century – attracting significant investment from the eastern states. • For its association with the efforts of James Chesters as a local land agent and property developer, following his move to Western Australia in 1905. • For its association with Joseph (Joe) Totterdell, who was responsible for the construction of many Subiaco houses (including some in Kershaw Street), and who, for a brief period (1916-17), lived at 25 Kershaw Street (one of his development properties).

Physical Description

26 Kershaw Street is believed to have been constructed in c.1918, but the extant detailing suggests that it was extensively remodelled in the early-mid 1950s. Physical evidence suggests that alterations at that time may have included the replacement of an original front verandah with a new projecting wing on the southern side of the main façade, the creation of a new entrance porch along the northern side of the house, and complete re-roofing. Extant original detailing includes the tall face-brick chimney along the southern side of the house and the triple awning windows to the northern side of the main façade (inclusive of the traditional moulded sill). The place now features a hipped, concrete tiled roof (painted grey) and plain rendered walls. The projecting front wing is of timber framed construction with battened, fibrous-cement panelling and a triple, fixed panel, window. Both sets of windows to the main façade are shaded by tiled, raked awnings, with plain timber angle brackets. The side entrance also has a tiled raked awning, this one supported on plain timber posts over a half-height masonry wall. The house is set back approximately 3m from the boundary and the front yard has been laid out with a modern cottage garden with one tall bottlebrush. A scalloped picket fence with ball-capped posts extends across the front of the garden.

History

James Chesters, an investor from Melbourne, purchased Perth Suburban Lots 249 and 250 in 1891. In the following year he had this area laid out as a new residential estate (Deposited Plan 504), which included the creation of Lot 178 (22 Kershaw Street). This was one of four allotments (103, 138, 146 and 178) that were amongst the early land sales by James Chesters, being purchased by John Hugh McLeod on 16 June 1895. However, these were speculative purchases and no development took place on Lot 178 for over 20 years. In 1918 it was purchased by Mrs Ruby Jones, who was the first person listed as living at this address (1919). In 1949 the occupation of the house was brought to the Perth Courts when the then owner, Mervyn Charles Cutten, sought the eviction of the tenant, Cyril Hartwell, to enable Mervyn to occupy the place with his wife. This appears to have been successful as Mervyn Cutten was living here in the 1950s (and was possibly the person responsible for the major alterations to the façade). Occupants of the property from its time of construction until 1949 included: 1919 Ruby M Jones 1920-1923 Frank Neetlee Bagot (Auctioneer) After 1923 Frank Bagot moved to 10 Kershaw Street. 1924 Charles Ashton 1925-1940 William Russell Bush (Fitter) 1942-1945 Mrs B Williams 1946-1949 Cyril Hartwell (Soldier)

Integrity/Authenticity

The extensive mid-twentieth century alterations have completely obscured the design of the place as one of the original (c.1904 to 1926) houses in Kershaw Street.

Condition

Good

Uses

Creation Date

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