Pearse House (fmr)

Parent Place or Precinct

18626 Dongara Townsite

Statement of Significance

Pearse House (fmr), Dongara, comprising a single-storey masonry wall and corrugated iron roof residence built in Victorian Georgian style, underground cellar, and mature plantings, has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons: the place, one of the earliest extant residences built in Dongara and one of the most substantial in the town at that time, was built for early settler and prominent identity in the district, Francis Pearse, and is associated with the development of the town of Dongara and the Irwin district; the place, located on a prominent site on the banks of the Irwin River, includes a collection of mature trees, forms a distinctive part of the streetscape, and makes a positive contribution to the character of Dongara; the place is a good example of a number of Victorian Georgian buildings of the same era in the town, including the simple pitched roof form, verandah under separate roof, conservative detailing, double hung sash and French windows; the place is representative of a residence constructed for a prominent merchant in a country town in Western Australia in the second half of the nineteenth century; and, the place is in good condition, and has high integrity as it has been continually used as a residence. The garage is of little significance. RECOMMENDATION Each of the buildings [Place Numbers 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29] contribute to the unique streetscape of Hunts Road which should be considered as a heritage precinct with development considerations made accordingly.

Physical Description

Built on high ground close to the Irwin River, built in Victorian Georgian style, this is a large rendered ashlar stone building with a hipped steeply pitched corrugated iron roof. A separate verandah roof is supported on cast concrete posts. To the west there is a separate cellar entrance with a gable roof which extends from and slopes toward the main building. Windows are double hung 12 pane timber framed with french doors to the verandah. There are four large rendered stone chimneys. There is a lean to roof to the south east corner and a large Moreton Bay fig tree (ficus macrophylla) to the west of the building. 2004 The building has been maintained by the owners.

History

Pearse House was built for Francis Pearse in 1870. Built in two stages, originally it was a seven room house with a later three room addition. Pearse was born in 1847 and he retired from Dongara in 1901 after over 30 years as a merchant, grazier and farmer in the town. He was originally in partnership with Edward Newman but on Newman's death Pearse bought out the other partners. Pearse was the local agent for the Adelaide Steamship Co. He had the Western Australian Bank building (Place No. 24) constructed in 1894 and was a benefactor of the Wesley Church (Place No. 21). The War Memorial, which presently occupies the centre of the Memorial Park (Place No. 31), was donated by his family in 1919 as a tribute from him. (Sources: Bain, M. A., RWAHS, 1966, Vol 6 Part 5; Thiele P.W.H., "Twentieth Century Impressions", Perth, 1901) In 2003 the place was assessed for entry into the State Register of Heritage Places, check the assessment documentation for additional history.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High Original Fabric: Roof has been replaced

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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