Three Cottages

Statement of Significance

The place has interest as a well detailed Federation Queen Anne style of residential building. The place forms an integral part of a group of residential buildings and contributes to the historic character of the area. The place reflects colonial urban residential settings prior to the gold rush period. The place reflects the expansion and development of residential and commercial buildings on the city fringes during the rapid population increase if the 1890s gold boom and the early years of the twentieth century.

Physical Description

Modest three cottages with solid walls and steep hip roofs with a basic 4 room layout. They have lathe and plaster ceilings and small paved double hung windows. The additions made just prior to the turn of the century provided the basic cottages with a more prestigious front. The additional rooms are high with moulded skirtings and architrave's, cornices and simpler double hung windows. At some stage the front walls were tuck pointed. For more detailed discussions on the Physical Evidence refer to Ronald Bodycoat, Architect, ‘Three Cottages, Aberdeen Street, Northbridge’ prepared for the Ministry for Planning in December 1997 and revised in September 2001, following their restoration in 2000.

History

No. 62, originally a c1860s worker's cottage which was extended and refurbished in the late 1890s. The place had a succession of residents over the decades. No. 64, originally a c1860s worker's cottage which was extended and refurbished in the 1890s. The place had a succession of residents over the decades. During the early 1900s, Mr Ah Moy operated a greengrocers from the premises, possibly from a building on the site that no longer exists. The place was a lodging house during the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. No. 66, originally a c1860s worker's cottage which had a succession of residents over the years. It was extended and refurbished in the late 1890s. During the early decades of the twentieth century, residents included an auctioneer, a nurse, and various residents of Chinese descent, including Mr Bor Daerping, a Chinese herbalist. The archaeological examination and study carried out by the Centre for Archaeology at University of Western Australian in 1993 records that Henry Gibbs held title to the land at the time of his death in 1897 at which point his family subdivided the land. The characteristics of the simple cottages - the standard and layout of the houses, and the level and detail of decorative elements - indicate a working class use of the site. The additions of the late 1890s, probably after 1897, in the Victorian architectural style then in vogue for small residential buildings in Perth, were applied in the same general character to the front of all Three Cottages, improving the standard of accommodation and upgrading their presentation to the street environment in accordance with regulations and social expectations then in place. Archaeological evidence has established that the structure, now lost, which originally filled the gap between Cottages at 64 & 66 Aberdeen Street, was constructed about the time of subdivision in 1897; that structure is recorded as being demolished in 1950. Two of the Cottages were in residential use until the 1960s when they are recorded as being abandoned; the third was occupied until 1982. Since then, all Three Cottages were in a dilapidated state until they were fully restored by the EPRA. They are now used as professional offices.

Integrity/Authenticity

Medium authenticity. Buildings have been restored.

Condition

62 - Fair, 64 - Good, 66 - Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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