Knapton's Guesthouse

Statement of Significance

Knapton’s Guesthouse (Fmr) is significant for its aesthetic and historic values as a good example of an early twentieth century mining town boarding house. Knapton’s Guesthouse (Fmr) is of aesthetic value as an early twentieth century guesthouse. It is long-term landmark to the community. Knapton’s Guesthouse is of historic significance as an early boarding house in Greenbushes, catering particularly for Government employees; and as the home and business of Mrs Mary Knapton, otherwise known locally as Granny Knapton. As a guest house from the early twentieth century (possibly as early as 1907) until the inter-war period, Mary Knapton’s Guesthouse was of social value to its numerous residents. Knapton’s Guesthouse (Fmr) is representative of what would have been, in its day, a relatively well appointed weatherboard boarding/lodging house serving public servants and other relatively transient workers in a thriving mining community.

Physical Description

Knapton’s Guesthouse (Fmr) has a simple symmetrical facade with timber weatherboard walls, a pair of timber-framed doublehung windows to either side of the main entry and a centrally placed front door with highlights and narrow sidelights. The roof is hipped with small gablets (presumably former gablet vets) to either end of the ridgeline. The original face-brick chimney, which remains in situ at the north-western end of the building, has a simple corbelled cap. The front verandah, which has a dropped raked roof and square timber posts, is set close to the front boundary. In June 2011 the roof and battens were replaced with Zincalume (including gutters and downpipes) while in May 2012 the house was repainted inside and out.

History

Members of the Knapton family had settled at Greenbushes by the mid 1890s when W Knapton was advertising horse teams for hire in this district. This was probably William Clarence Knapton, a miner whose wife, Mary Knapton (nee Payne) (c.1846-1936) (also known as Granny Knapton, Minnie/Minna or Mrs Knapton Snr) operated a boarding house in Greenbushes for many years. From at least 1902 (when she applied for an eating, boarding and lodging house licence) until 1906, Mary ran the Temperance Hotel in Walter Street, Greenbushes. This place, which was owned by Denham and Draffin, was situated where the Exchange Hotel now stands on Lot 6 & 7 Blackwood Road (then Walter Street), Greenbushes. Mary still held the eating, boarding and lodging house licence for these premises in September 1906, but by that time her son inlaw, William Johnston had purchased the property and applied for a provisional certificate for new hotel on this site. As part of the ongoing application for a hotel licence December 1906 it was stated that “…the Temperance Hotel [which was separately reported to have six bedrooms for guests] was kept by Mrs Knapton and people were repeatedly turned away. It had been full for the last twelve months” In the February 1907, Mr Johnston was granted a permit by the Greenbushes Road Board to move the Temperance Hotel (boarding house) to ‘the other side of the street’ in preparation for the construction of his hotel, which he promptly did. By March 1907 construction of the new hotel was well underway. No further information has been confirmed regarding the former Temperance Hotel following its relocation. However, the building on Lot 23 Blackwood Road (across the road from the Exchange Hotel) may well be this place. In Wise’s Western Australia Post Office Directory of 1906 there was a single line entry for ‘Knapton Wm, miner’, but by 1907 a separate line entry was included ‘Knapton Mary, boarding hse’ which suggests that Mary had established her own premises by that time. Mary continued to be listed as a boarding house proprietor until 1936, the year in which she died in hospital at Manjimup (where her daughters lived). It is not known exactly when Mrs Knapton took up residence and began running her lodging house from Lot 12 Jephson Street, Greenbushes. However, when her husband passed away in 1910, she was left with a sum of £350 and a number of lots in central Busselton, which would have well afforded her to buy or build a boarding house on this parcel. By 1914 there is a reference to Mary hosting at her residence, a farewell gathering for a Mr Clarence Delaney, who had ‘been attached to the staff of the Greenbushes Post Office for 12 months’. This suggests he may have been a lodger with her at this time, as she is reported to have provided accommodation particularly for school teachers, bank staff and post office employees. In December of 1918, Mrs M Knapton lodged an appeal against rate charges on Greenbushes Lot 12, which indicates that the boarding house had been established on this site prior to that time. In addition to her role as a boarding house keeper, Mrs Knapton was an active woman of the Greenbushes community, especially within the St Barnabas Anglican Church. Talison Lithium purchased the guesthouse in September 2007 and it continues to be used as a private home.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Knapton’s Guesthouse has been a private home from around 1920, but its original use can still be readily interpreted. Authenticity: Knapton’s Guesthouse cottage has been maintained with very few changes to the exterior.

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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