House

Parent Place or Precinct

26335 Hamersley Road Group Heritage Area

Statement of Significance

The Hamersley Road Group heritage area is of: Aesthetic Value • As an aesthetically pleasing streetscape with a strong identifiable character, featuring an avenue of mature street trees, which frame views of the largely intact Federation and Inter War residences. • For its collection of many good, representative examples of Federation and Inter War cottages and villas which collectively illustrate a range and evolution of detailing between the 1890s and the 1940s. • For the cohesive streetscape created by a limited palette of materials and styles. Historic Value • As a representative collection of houses that illustrate the scale and standard of housing for the homes of unskilled workers to semi-professional and tradespeople, in the early twentieth century. • For the evidence it provides about the manner in which the residence of semi-professional and tradespeople existed alongside the residences of working people and employees. • For its association with the subdivision and rapid settlement of the area from the 1890s to the 1920s which demonstrates the rapid change of the district in the gold boom period and shortly thereafter. Representativeness • As a good representative collection of early twentieth century housing developed within walking distance of transport and services. Physical Form in the Public Realm • The houses, which (with the exception of two modern dwellings) were developed predominantly in the period 1898 to 1921, (and one in 1946) have largely retained their original external detailing and form. The defined period and nature of development has resulted in a consistent palette of materials and form, enlivened by diversity of individual details, with a cohesive streetscape.

Physical Description

Single storey brick and iron house with altered finishes and replacement roof. The house is of brick construction, originally with tuckpoint finish with twin rendered bands and a limestone plinth. The brick has been painted but the bands have been retained. The house has a traditional asymmetric planform to the façade, with projecting gable wing being the dominant aspect of the elevation. The projecting wing also contains a full height bay element with a three section window ensemble of timber framed casements and toplights with patterned film or etched glazing. The window sill is rendered with a decorative sill apron below. The recessed section of elevation contains the main entrance which consists of a traditional timber and glazed panelled door, panelled and glazed side lights and fanlights. The roof is hipped and gabled, clad in zincalume with a break of pitch to form the corner verandah canopy. The canopy is supported on timber posts. the deck is timber with replacement timber balustrade. The rendered chimney with twin terracotta honeypot flues remains extant. The house is located on a prominent corner site, with return frontage along Federal Street. Much of the side elevation is obscured from clear view due to the high brick boundary wall but the gable detail is visible and is the same as the front gable. The boundary treatment to the Hamersley Road frontage is a low stone wall with palisade panels.

History

The parcel of land of approximately four acres designated as Perth Suburban Lot 232 was purchase by NSW gentleman Issac Singlehurst Ponder in 1885. The plan for the subdivision of this portion of Hamersley Road was formally approved by the Department of Lands and Surveys in 1898. Eight lots on the north side of Hamersley Road west of Federal Street were purchased by local real estate agent Alfred Henry Kearns Axon in June 1898. Portion of Lot 26, the site of this residence, was transferred to Ann Athalia Hoare in 1905. It is probable that the residence was built prior to this as the rate books record that a house had already been built on this lot in 1903 and the owner and occupier is listed as Charles Hoare (carpenter). It is likely that Charles Hoare built the house. It is noted that additional land was added to the portion of lot 26 in 1902 with the sacrifice of land from Federal Street. This suggests the house was built c1902 when the land was secured. This residence and those at HN266 and 268 are on lots that are larger than those of the original subdivision and of the majority of the nearby properties. The 1906 Electoral Rolls record contractor, Charles Edwin Hoare (c1869-1937) and his wife Ann Athalia Hoare (c1873-1957) living at this house. By 1910 Charles Hoare, although still the owner, he was not occupying the place. The Rate Books list the following occupants: • 1910 G Cumming • 1912/13 R Murray • 1914/15 Robert Murray • 1915/16 J Knight In 1917/18 the house had been sold and W Kensitt was listed as the new owner and A Bennett as the occupier. By 1918/19 Walter Kensitt was the owner/occupier and the PO Directories list the following occupants: • 1918 Kensitt Walter • 1919 Bennett Alex • 1920 Walter Kensitt • 1921 – 1922 Pettit Albert • 1923 – 1949 Wilkins William The 1929/30 Rate Books listed William Wilkins (accountant) as the owner/occupier. An aerial photograph of the site in 1964 shows the form and extent of the original residence. Later photographs indicate the residence was roofed in red corrugated iron which was removed c1990. Additions were undertaken to the rear of the residence in the early 1980s and new structures have been constructed in the rear of the property.

Integrity/Authenticity

The property presents in a largely intact manner but the changes to the brick finish obscuring the original tuckpoint finish reduce its authenticity. The original design intent of the house is clearly visible.

Condition

Good

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

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