Musbury Terrace Group

Statement of Significance

Musbury Terrace at No. 17-25 Ruth Street is a good example of an intact terrace in the Federation Italianate style, of which there are only a small number of extant examples in the state.

Physical Description

A single storey terrace of six dwellings, each with its separate decorated parapet, set between pilasters. Each of the dwellings has a bullnose verandah, separated from the adjoining verandah with a brick dividing wall, profiled to the verandah and parapet and capped with ball finials. The parapet has a string course and is centrally divided. The facade, now painted, originally had horizontal stucco bands. Each terrace is one room plus passage in width. Small garden setbacks behind various fences None apparent

History

The area bounded by Brisbane, Lake, Bulwer and William Streets, and including Amy, Ruth and Edith Streets, developed largely as workers' housing, with smaller blocks, smaller residences and a number of semi-detached and terrace dwellings. Ruth Street is the widest of these three parallel streets which all bear women's names. Ruth Street was originally named Mary Street but as there was more than one road with the same name in the area, it was changed to Ruth. A right-of way was constructed at the rear of Ruth Street which leads into Amy Street as per the original subdivision and later the eastern end of Ruth Street was re-aligned as was Edith to allow the through continuation of William Street. The row of six terraces at Nos 15-25 Ruth Street was constructed in 1897 with No. 25 being a mirror image of the other five. They appeared on the MWSS & DD plans of 18 August 1897 (Sheet 7) but Ruth Street was not listed in Wise's Post Office Directories until 1898. That year Nos 15-25 were also listed for the first time. They were occupied then by Mrs John Linton (No. 15), Allan Ferrie (No. 19) Nathaniel Cuthbertson (No. 21) and Peter Miller, a carpenter (No. 25). Allan Ferrie (No. 19) was born in Scotland in 1856 and arrived in Australia in 1883, disembarking in Victoria. He was a cabinet maker and wood carver who moved to Perth to work for Smith & Co in Goderich Street, East Perth. He died in 1936. In 1915, the houses were numbered 27-47 and the occupants were James Watts (No. 27), Charles Manuel (No. 33), Allan Ferrie (No. 37), Frederick C. Ashdown (No. 39), Nathaniel Cuthbertson (No. 41) and Sam Sethergosta (No. 47). In 1925 they were still numbered 27-47 and the residents were James Watts (No. 27), Mrs S. Manuel (No. 33), David Maeer (No. 37), Nathaniel Cuthbertson (No. 39), Chris Cuthbertson (No. 41) and Robert Liddle (No. 47). The numbering was the same in 1936 with some changes in occupancies but David Maeer was still at No. 37 and the Cuthbertsons in Nos 39 and 47. In 1949, the last year of the Directories, the numbers had still not been changed back and Moris Borushek was in No. 27, Mrs K.A. Wood (No. 33), Mrs Eileen Klauss (No. 33), David Maer was still at No. 37 but the spelling of his name had changed, Nathaniel and Chris Cuthbertson were still at Nos 39 and 41 as was Cornis J. Ryan, who had been living at No. 47 since at least 1936. The City of Perth building licence cards indicated that H. Forbes applied for permission for brick and iron additions to No. 17 in 1957 and in 1969 J. Zenis applied to construct a laundry for Nos 15-25. Mr Whitehouse also applied for additions to the group dwelling in 1988. According to Town of Vincent records the owner/occupier of No. 19 was given permission in 2004 to operate a home-based office. This was Aura International, a multi-media production business. Australian Theatre Director, Raymond Omodei, lived next door to the subject places at No. 13 Ruth Street from 1990 to 2006. During that time the house was extensively renovated and it was put up for sale at between $1m and $1.2m in 2006. Actors such as Angela Punch and Amanda Muggleton, famous for Shirley Valentine, which was brought to Australia by Modei, also practised there during his tenure.

Integrity/Authenticity

High

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update