House

Parent Place or Precinct

25394 Union and Redfern Heritage Area

Statement of Significance

The Union and Redfern Street heritage Area 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

Brick and iron house in asymmetric plan form. The house does not incorporate a verandah but does have an awning above the window to the projecting wing. The large window in the remainder of the façade is positioned directly under the wide overhanging eaves which affords some shading and protection to the window. The three section window to the projecting wing is timber framed casements whilst the large window to the east of the front door is a replacement aluminium framed opening. Both windows have angled brick sills. The front door is recessed in a porch which provides protection from the elements in lieu of a verandah. The roof form is hipped, to both the main roof and the projecting wing. A brick chimney is located to the rear of the roof along the eastern edge of the property.

History

n 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 house was built in 1940 for Mrs Lillian Bowcock following the death of her husband Frank Leonard Bowcock in 1939. The couple and their daughter Isobel had previously being living in Nicholson Road, Subiaco. Occupants 1940-1949 Mrs Lillian Bowcock

Integrity/Authenticity

Note: The alterations and additions have obscured much of the original design and detail. As one of the later residences in the street it is not consistent with the dominant streetscape character.

Condition

Good

Uses

Creation Date

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