HOLDSWORTH HOUSE 1 BATEMAN STREET

Statement of Significance

Holdsworth House is significant for its north-western facades, which have two storey verandahs with intricate timberwork to the balustrades and brackets. Holdsworth House is significant through its association with Lionel Holdsworth a prominent ticket of leave man, who built the house. He owned property in Fremantle and had Holdsworth Street, Fremantle named after him. Holdsworth House has environmental importance as one of a group of significant houses fronting Bateman Street, Knutsford Street and Ord Street. Two storey timber constructed houses are rare in Western Australia.

Physical Description

The house is set amongst a group of houses of similar age and style. These are Nos . 10 to 24 Ord Street, 8,12 and 14 Knutsfort Street and 1to 8 Bateman Street. The house is built on sharply sloping land and is single storey facing Bateman Street and two storey facing the rear-west boundary. There is a two storey verandah on the north and west facades and a single stored verandah on the east facade. The verandahs have intricate timberwork on the first floor verandah and to the brackets at the top of the verandah posts at each level. The vera ndah roofs are bullnosed corrugated iron. The house roof has a U shaped hip roof with a box gutter running west to east. The house is timber framed and clapped with timber weatherboard externally. A carport has been added to the east facade with access to Bateman Street.

History

Assessment 1995 Construction c. 1895 Alterations/Additions: converted to flates 1910. Renovated and restored to single dwelling c. 1983. According to Council rate records Lot 919 Subdivision 21 was vacant in 1895 and owned by Lionel Holdsworth. A year later a 12-roomed weatherboard dwelling was erected on the lot for Mr. Holdsworth. The first occupier was James Duncan. Lionel Holdsworth (1826-1901) was convicted in 1867 for scuttlin g a vessel, the "Severn", and was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment. He arrived in W.A. aboard the "Hougoumont" on 10/01/1868. On 07/11/1876 he was granted a ticket of leave, and on 28/0111887 a conditional pardon. Lionel Holdsworth was a mercantile clerk and accountant by profession, and married Margaretta Oliver (1824-15/05/1886). He also owned property in Ord Street (i.e. Lot 919 subdivision 20) Holdsworth Street bears his name. The dwelling is shown on Public Works Department maps dated 1897, 1898, 1902, 1904, 1914 and 1916. On a Metropolitan Sewerage plan dated June 1908 the wooden dwelling with front and side verandahs is clearly shown. A stone wall is also visible running along one side and rear of the property. Plans from the Water Authority indicate that work commenced on the sewerage connections to Nos. 1,3,5 and 7 Bateman Street in October 1913. From the rate records it appears that the dwelling was converted into flats 1937/38. Although in a Fremantle Society handout produced for a housing inspection tour on 24/1111985 tl1e date of conversion is given at 1910. The former date, however, is supported by the Post Office Directories which list three occupants at No.I in 1935-36. On 27/04/1962, a Health Order (NO. 4355) was placed on the property. The owners were required to :- a) cease using the premises as a lodging or boarding house. b) apply to the City of Fremantle for registration as a lodging house . c) cause all flats to be made completely self contained (except that the laundry may be communal). No registration to use the property as a lodging house appears in the Health Department records.

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