Catholic Women's League Building

Statement of Significance

The land in which the Catholic Women’s League building now stands was part of the original 1891/3 residential subdivision of Highgate Hill by Matthew Gibney, Catholic Bishop of Perth. The building was originally called ’La Mascotte’ and was owned and occupied by tobacconist Alfred Benjamin Mayer. Since 1972 the building has been home to the Catholic Women’s League and re named ’Downey House’ after Mrs Carmel Downey, former State and National President of the Catholic Womens’ League. The building is an unusual example of the Federation Bungalow style because of the width of its principal frontage and its irregular lot configuration.

Physical Description

This single storey building has a long principal façade set parallel to the long street frontage. The façade has a prominent bay window, marked by a gablet, an eastern glazed entry door with leadlighted sidelights and fanlights. The western corner and main entrance is truncated and maked by a diagonal gablet. The roof is hipped with a ridge gambrel marking the junction with the roof to the rear wing. Original chimneys are located on the outer east and west walls. The house has a bullnose verandah along the entire front which returns, with a diagonal corner, onto the west facade. Short garden setback behind a low limestone wall None apparent

History

In 1892, land in Highgate Hill was acquired by Catholic Bishop Matthew Gibney and subdivided as the Mount Heart Estate. A two-acre site for church and school, known as Alacoque Square, after the Sacred Heart of Jesus, St Margaret Mary Alacoque, was set aside in the centre of the subdivision. In 1897, Bishop Gibney engaged the architect Michael Cavanagh to design 20 houses for the Highgate subdivision. The residence at No. 49 Vincent Street was first named 'La Mascotte' and it was numbered 47 Vincent Street until 1917. It was constructed on Lot N149 about 1902 and its original owner was Alfred Benjamin Mayer. Mayer was believed to have arrived from Switzerland during the 1890s gold rush. He taught French and German from his home where he resided with Mrs C. Mayer, possibly until his death in 1917. In addition, Mayer had a tobacconist shop in Hay Street Perth where he also ran a hairdressing business and in 1907 a wig and costume hire business. Alfred Mayer, who died on 31 July 1917, was buried in the Jewish Orthodox section of Karrakatta Cemetery and it is believed the house was then rented out. In the 1926 edition of Wise's Post Office Directories Jacob Meyer was listed as the occupant; in 1937 it was Miss Angelina Langdon and in 1949 Mrs Mary Kenney. The City of Perth building licence cards indicated S. Burnes was the owner between at least 1965 and 1970 when applications were received for a brick laundry (1965) and a garage (1970). Another resident was Mrs Carmel Downey and it was she that recommended it to the Catholic Women's League. The house was purchased by the Catholic Women's League in 1972 with the help of a loan from the Archbishop of Perth and personal loans from members. It was named Downey House after Mrs Downey, who was both a State and National President. The League was founded in England in 1906 by Margaret Fletcher. The first meeting of this non-political association in Australia was held in Adelaide in 1914. It was established in WA in 1937 by Archbishop Prendiville and its first president was Mrs J.P. Maxwell. In 2008 the two sections were used as a residential unit and an office/meeting room with associated facilities. In 2010 the property was subdivided resulting in the excision of the western portion of the property.

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