DUPLEX, 70 SOUTH STREET

Statement of Significance

Duplex, 68 -70 South Street, is a typical limestone, rendered masonry and iron single storey duplex pair dating from c1899. The place has aesthetic value for its contribution to the streetscape and the surrounding area. It is representative of the typical workers' houses in the Fremantle area. The place is an example of the Victorian Georgian style of architecture.

Physical Description

68-70 South Street is a single storey, limestone and iron duplex pair with a symmetrical facade built in 1899 and designed as an example of the Victorian Georgian style of architecture. The walls are limestone with rendered quoins to no.68 and rendered masonry to no.70. The roof is hipped and clad with tiles to no.68 and no.70 has a corrugated iron roof. The dividing parapet wall is visible through the roof. The front verandah is under a separate tiled roof supported by double steel posts with a rendered masonry balustrade to no.68. The front doors are adjacent to each other, both have modern security screens. Both houses have double casement windows on the front façade. There is a low level rendered masonry wall to the front boundary line of no.68 and a brick and iron wall to the front boundary line of no.70.

History

Duplex, 70 South Street was built in 1899 for Philip Park, who had four cottages built on the lot in that year. All were leased to tenants. A Metropolitan Sewerage plan dated 1908 shows 64-66 and 68-70 South Street as two pairs of stone terrace cottages of similar plan form. There was an open area (not fenced from the street) between the pair at 64-66 and that at 68-70. All four cottages were long and narrow, although No. 70 was shorter than the other others. All had full length front verandahs, and weatherboard additions to the rear. The backyards of each pair were divided by fences and there were no outbuildings other than toilets located against the back fence of each terrace. By 1914/15, Laura Ing owned No. 68 and No. 70. At this time, they were numbered 120 and 122 South Street. Agnes McGuffie lived in #120 and John Cannon in #122. Edward Coleman. Edward Coleman was the owner of both duplexes in the early 1930s. Olive Cooney owned them in the early 1950s, but c. 1955 she sold No. 68 to Frank & Mary Katnich bought while she remained at No. 70. The Katnich family still owned Duplex, 68 South Street in 1981. At this time, No. 70 was owned by the Dix family. This place was included in the list of heritage places in the City of Fremantle identified by the Fremantle Society (1979/80) - BROWN -significant for making a positive contribution to the built environment of Fremantle.

Integrity/Authenticity

Medium degree of integrity (original intent mostly clear, current use compatible, high long term sustainability). Medium degree of authenticity with some original fabric remaining. (These statements based on street survey only).

Condition

Condition assessed as fair (assessed from streetscape survey only).

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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