Greenbushes Club Rooms (fmr)

Statement of Significance

The Greenbushes Club Rooms is significant for its high social value as well as aesthetic and historic values. Aesthetic Value Sited on the main street, the Greenbushes Club Rooms is aesthetically significant as a fine example of a residence/clubroom of the late 19th century in Greenbushes and most likely one of the more substantial homes in Greenbushes at that time. The appearance of this house has been altered by the addition at the street frontage, but its original design as a turn of the century weatherboard residence can still be readily understood. In its design as a relatively substantial house for the settlement at that time, it helps to illustrate the transition of Greenbushes from a mining camp to an established town. Historic Value This building has historic value for its use as the Greenbushes Club Rooms (c.1900-1909), and for its use as a residence for local Doctors and Mine Manager. Research Value NA Social Value The Greenbushes Club Rooms played an important social role in the Greenbushes community as a support network for its members.

Physical Description

The Greenbushes Club (former) is a yellow painted jarrah weatherboard cottage, with a green iron roof (the majority of which remains short sheet). The external window and door surrounds, as well as guttering and verandah posts, are painted green. The high pitched gabled-roof portion of the building at the front appears to have been an early addition to what is an otherwise traditional turn of the century cottage with wrap around verandahs.

History

The Greenbushes Club Limited commenced with 22 members around August 1899, for the most part by the efforts of F Hancock, with Maynard Hugh Jephson having made application for a liquor license as secretary for the new club, situated at Lot 64 Tourmaline Street, which is now Lot 384 (19) Tourmaline Street. “APPLICATION FOR CLUB CERTIFICATE. I, MAYNARD HUGH JEPHSON, being the Secretary of the Greenbushes Club, Limited, established in Greenbushes, do hereby make application for a certificate for the said Club under The Wines, Beer and Spirits Act, 1880, Amendment Act, 1893. The premises Occupied by the Club are situate in Tourmaline Street, Residence Area Lot No. 64, Greenbushes aforesaid, and the number of members of the Club at present is twenty-two. MAYNARD HUGH JEPHSON, Secretary Greenbushes Club Limited. Dated at Greenbushes this 18th day of August 1899.” At about the same time a one line reference in the Bunbury Herald of 18 August 1899 simply stated that “a Greenbushes club has been formed” By 1903 the rooms appear to have been relocated to ‘Walter Street’ (The West Australian 29 August 1903 p 2) “APPLICATION for CLUB CERTIFICATE I JAMES HUDSON WILLIAMSON being the Acting-Secretary of the Greenbushes Club, established in Greenbushes, do hereby make APPLICATION for a Certificate for the said Club under “The Wine's, Beer, and Spirit Sale Act, 1880, Amendment Act, 1893.” The premises occupied by the Club are situated in Walter-street Greenbushes aforesaid; and the number of members at present is twenty five (25). Dated at Greenbushes aforesaid this 19th day of August 1903 J. H. WILLIAMSON, Acting-Secretary of the Greenbushes Club.” At this time, ‘Walter Street’ was what is now Blackwood Road, hence this can be assumed to have been the premises at Lot 55 (33) Blackwood Road. A large room at the ‘Walter Street’ premise was used by the Greenbushes Club as a billiards room for the gentlemen. While another room contained a library. The premise also housed the caretaker. An article in the Sunday Times 20 January 1907 p 3 indicates that it was what would have been considered a “gentleman’s club”, with invited membership and suggested that the Greenbushes Club Ltd was “a retreat for the local bloods who, like all bloods, look upon themselves as the cream of the earth, and far too good to associate with the common, horny-handed horde, the beastly-fellow, y' know, that works.” The Club collapsed into liquidation in 1909 and vacated the Club House. In June 1909 W H Gale, the landlord of “the premises of the Greenbushes Club Limited”, advertised a planned sale of the contents of the building “under distress for rent”. The premise was later used as a private residence for a Doctor, and around the early 1950’s was occupied by Mine Manager and Engineer Eric Schwenke and family.

Integrity/Authenticity

Medium The building continues to be used as a single storey residence, (which appears to have been its original use). Medium It retains many of its original features and out houses.

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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