Bouladeros Building

Statement of Significance

The place is of aesthetic significance as an example of a commercial building constructed during the period of economic affluence and increased development that followed the gold boom. The place is of historic significance because it reflects the expansion and development of commerce and trade in the City of Perth in the early years of the twentieth century. The place is a representative example of a commercial building constructed in Perth during the period of development and consolidation following then gold boom.

Physical Description

Two storey commercial building with combination of arched and rectangular windows at first floor level surrounded by prominent mouldings. Front parapet and pediment conceal the roof. At ground floor level shop fronts have been altered. Awning not original.

History

Until the 1880s the town centre was characterised by the establishment of small cottages, shops and small businesses and was rural in character. The expansion of commerce following the discovery of gold in the 1890s put pressure on land in the centre of Perth with the result that many of the residential buildings located in the inner city were replaced with commercial buildings during this time, and the centre of Perth was substantially rebuilt. Murray Street was established along with St. Georges Terrace and Hay Street as one of the main streets of Perth from the time of colonisation in 1829 when the Perth Town Lots were surveyed and planned out. Post Office directories show that Y. Boladeras was a dealer situated at 23, 25 and 27 Goderich Street from 1893. The numbering changed from odd to even numbers after 1897, and also confusingly, from 130-134 in 1898; to No. 126-130 in 1902; and then again to Nos.124-126 in 1908, which is the current numbering for this building. The year of construction is on the building’s façade: 1898, as is ‘Boladeras Buildings.’ While Boladeras had been trading for many years, the increased business due to the gold boom and general economic prosperity of this time would most likely have enabled him to commission a building. Newspapers show that in March 1898 the architect, J. Talbot Hobbs F.R.V.I.A. called for contractors to tenders for the building of four shops and dwelling houses in Murray Street, for Ygnatius Boladeras. The Bicentennial Dictionary of Western Australians records that Ignatius [sic] Boladeras (born 1826 in Barcelona) was a monk who migrated from Spain in 1849 with the Benedictine party that eventually settled in New Norcia. He left the order and entered commercial life and became very successful in business. In 1859, he married an Irish migrant, Mary Flynn and they had twelve children. Boladeras was a general dealer in Perth from the 1860s. He died in Perth in 1902 and is buried in the Roman Catholic section of East Perth Cemetery. His wife Mary died in 1918. In 1903 the building was occupied by the Perth United Friendly Societies Dispensary, Mrs Darcy’s ‘fancy emporium’ and Smedley’s Hydropathic and Russo Turkish Baths. The shops have had numerous and varied tenants over the years. The Metropolitan Water Supply Survey plan (1943) shows there were four shopfronts, 120-122, 124 and 126 in the Boladeras Building. In 1949, the last publication of the post office directory the tenants were Cliff Derby, tobacconist (122); Shanghai Café, restaurant (124); and Matt Cohen, pawnbroker (126). At 2022 the two storey commercial building has a combination of arched and rectangular windows at first floor level surrounded by prominent mouldings. This suggests the easternmost shop was built slightly later than the others, as it has different window heads. The front parapet and pediment conceal the roof. At ground floor level there are three separate shops with altered frontages and the awning is not original.

Integrity/Authenticity

High level of integrity. Medium level of authenticity. Has lost original detail at ground floor level but intact above.

Condition

Good

Uses

Creation Date

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