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

Single storey brick property with zincalume roof which replaced the original tiled roof. The house is of brick construction with tuckpoint finish to the lower section of the elevations and roughcast render to the upper sections. The house presents with a traditional asymmetric planform incorporating a projecting gabled wing to the western side of the elevation. The details of this feature cannot be seen due to the presence of a mature garden tree. The recessed section of the elevation contains a pair of replacement casement windows. The entrance to the house is located on the east elevation but cannot be seen from the limited street view. The roof is hipped to the main section of house, gabled to the projecting wing and is clad in zincalume. A separate skillion verandah canopy is positioned below eaves level wrapping around the recessed section of façade and along the east elevation. The timber posts and balustrade are not original. The underside of the canopy is lined with timber boards. The deck is timber and is accessed by concrete steps from the garden path. The garden is enclosed by a rendered masonry low wall with 1.8m piers and contemporary palisade panels.

History

The plan for the subdivision of this portion of Hamersley Road was formally approved by the Department of Lands and Surveys in 1891. However the lots were not taken up rapidly. In 1898, Lots in Hamersley Road were advertised for £35. Rate Book research indicates that this place was constructed sometime between 1919 and 1929 – there are no rate books available for this period. It first appears in the 1924 PO Directories so it is likely to have been constructed c1923. Certificates of Title information shows this lot was purchased by local builder Harold Norman Oglesby in January 1923. He also purchased the adjacent two lots (lot 80 and 81). Oglesby was a Subiaco resident who is noted in the local press for undertaking many projects in Subiaco during the 1920s. It was not uncommon for builders to take on small speculative projects within a relatively confined district. It is probable that he oversaw the construction of the three properties at 238, 240 and 242 Hamersley Road. The PO Directories list Howard Eastwood as the occupant from 1924-1949 and Howard Eastwood (clerk) is listed as the owner/occupier in the 1929/30 Rate Books. Howard Archibald Eastwood (c1892-1980) and Ethel Veronica Eastwood, nee Currie (c1897-1972) were married in 1923 which suggests this residence was their first family home. The couple lived at this house until their deaths, Ethel in 1972 and Howard in 1980. An aerial photograph of the property in 1964 shows the form of the original residence. The rear of the lot includes the original WC. The property remained largely unchanged until c1990 when a new structure was built in the north east corner of the lot. In 2006, major works were undertaken to extend the residence. A large addition was constructed at the rear, the roof line was altered and the tiles replaced with zincalume. The structure has not changed significantly in form or extent since that time.

Integrity/Authenticity

The original design intent of the house remains visible however the changes in details to the windows, roof and verandah impact on the authenticity of its presentation.

Condition

Good

Uses

Creation Date

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