House

Parent Place or Precinct

25394 Union and Redfern Heritage Area

Statement of Significance

The Union and Redfern Street is significant for: Aesthetic Value: The area contains aesthetically pleasing streetscapes with a strong heritage character. In particular, cohesive streetscapes have been created by a limited palette of materials and styles. The area contains many good, representative, suburban examples of Federation Queen Anne houses and Federation Bungalows. These include both gentlemen’s villas and modest suburban houses, and collectively illustrate a gradual evolution in architectural detailing of these places between 1899 and the early Inter-war years. Historic Value: The residential subdivision of this area represents the early development activities of Sydney and Melbourne based real estate agents and property developers. In this context it helps to illustrate the status of Western Australia as a place of opportunity during the gold rush era of the late nineteenth century – attracting significant interest and investment from the eastern states. The collection of houses in the heritage area helps to demonstrate the manner in which the family residences of professional men and business owners (such as senior civil servants and merchants) existed side by side with the smaller houses of semi-professional and tradespeople. The collection of houses in the heritage area helps to illustrate the scale and standard of housing considered appropriate for these families in the early twentieth century. The area was a place of residence for a number of people who were prominent in the local business community or were otherwise public identities of the early to mid-twentieth century.

Physical Description

A single storey rendered brick and iron dwelling, planned in the traditional asymmetrical plan form. The main section of the roof is hipped with a vented gablet whilst the roof to the projecting wing is gabled with patterned rendered surface. The bullnose verandah canopy is located below eaves height and is supported on simple turned timber columns with a filigree lace bracket and frieze. The feature window in the bay is a single timber framed sash window with rendered decorative quoining around the opening utilising the same decorative render as seen on the gable. The other window opening to the façade consists of a pair of casement openings with an additional window above. The front entrance door consists of a 5-panel arrangement with two timber panels to the lower section, a large leaded light glazed section to the middle portion of the door and two small leaded lights above. There is a fan light above the door opening.

History

In June 1903, Sydney accountants William James Douglas and Frank Dyson purchased PSL 254 and portion of PSL 253. The land was subdivided into 36 lots and in August 1903, the pair divided the ownership of the lots evenly. Each owned half of the properties facing Rawson Street, Hamersley Road and Heytesbury Road. The lots were sold from 1904 onwards and the first home on Rawson Street, the subject area, was built by 1904. From the available evidence Douglas and Dyson never visited the properties in Subiaco and the sale of the land was managed by local land agents, Ebernezer Allen & Co. This property was constructed for Mary and Allan Tillotson (a plasterer) in 1908/09. No occupants are listed for the place in the Post Office Directories until 1912 which suggests it was occupied by the Tillotsons. The house is recorded as being leased to various tenants until 1931 when the Tillotsons took occupancy. In 1944 the place is listed as being vacant with Viet Dhue occupying it shortly after for a couple of years. Vic Dorrington resided there from 1947 and was recorded as being the last occupant at the time the last Post Office Directory was published in 1949. In 1952, the house was occupied by Mr and Mrs V. F. Atwill. Occupants 1912-1913 Mrs Mary Durkin 1914-1915 Francis Scott 1916 Mrs M A Jones 1917 Walter A Grier 1918 Claude Ginbey 1919 Mrs Bessie T Francis 1920 Harold Oglesby 1921 Stephen French 1922 Mrs Mary Clark 1923-1925 Mills H Carter 1926-1943 Miss Mary Emma Louize Tillotson 1944 Vacant 1945-1946 Viet Dhue 1947-1949 Vic H Dorrington 1952 Mr and Mrs V F Atwill

Integrity/Authenticity

Note: This place retains a high level of original external detailing and is a good example of the development of Rawson Street in the 1910s. The open railing of the front fence enables the house to be viewed and to contribute to the streetscape.

Condition

Good

Uses

Creation Date

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