Terrace Houses

Statement of Significance

The terrace group at 4-10 Grant Street is one of the few single storey Federation Georgian style terraces remaining in Western Australia. The terraces were built for the owner, Mark Day, who occupied the largest unit. These modest places neighboured the Highgate Primary School and were very close to public transport. The terrace formed a similar function to the flats of the Interwar period. The terrace demonstrates a pattern of settlement no longer practiced.

Physical Description

Four modest single storeyed attached dwellings in the Federation Georgian style, reminiscent of the pre Goldboom era. No 4 has a wider frontage than the other three, which have similar width frontages. No 4 has a central front door with a room either side, whereas the others are single fronted. The terraces are of brick construction with dividing firewalls. The roof is hipped on its free ends and stepped in the middle. There are separate skillion and bullnose verandahs. The Federation Georgian style is very rare in Western Australia as the Georgian style is more common to the Old Colonial and Victorian eras of which little physical evidence remains. 4-10 Grant St are very late examples of the use of this style. High front brick wall None apparent

History

Grant Street is a small 'no through ' road running from Bulwer Street to the rear of the Highgate Primary School. The terraces at Nos. 4-10 were built on the eastern side of the street in 1906 for Mark Day. The dwelling at No. 4 with a wider frontage and greater depth than the other three had the rear of four separate blocks bordering it on the Bulwer Street. It was initially occupied by the owner himself. In 1906, No. 6 was vacant, and police constable John Sergeant, and ironmonger Mark Keddy occupied No 8 and No 10 respectively. The attraction of the area for the tenants would have been the transport facilities (the Beaufort Street trams had been operating since the early 1900's), although many preferred to walk into the City; and the existence of the school at the end of the street. Highgate School although built in 1895, had already expanded with a separate infant's scholl being established in 1900. Churches of both the Roman Catholic and Anglican denominations were also close by (Sacred Heart and St Albans) and a shopping strip was beginning to develop along Beaufort Street. According to Wise's Post Office Directories in 1915, Mark Day was no longer in residence. The tenants at this time were Ernest Haigh (4), George McCartney Allday (6), Mrs Mary Haynes (8) and Thomas W. Ball (10). There were no other houses on the east side of the street, and only two on the west side at this time. By 1925 there were eight houses altogether in the street and No. 4 was occupied by Albert E. Serrell, No. 6 by William Osborne, No. 8 by Reginald A. Eastwood and No. 10 by Frederick Washborne. In 1949 William Osborne was still at No. 6, but the other occupants had changed: Edward Guy at No. 4, Alex Clamp at No.8 and Arthur H. Green at No. 10.

Integrity/Authenticity

Mostly intact

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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