Commercial Premises

Physical Description

A single storey shop of brick construction that has been painted to the front façade. The building has no front set back and adjoins the footpath. The replacement aluminium framed double front entry doors are located slightly off centre, just to the right, and are surrounded by sidelights and fanlights with a small convex awning only covering the entry sequence. The openings to either side of the door have been boarded up and some parts covered with signage. It has a stepped parapet with a banded moulding and a shallow signage projection that is not currently utilised. The parapet conceals a shallow pitched corrugated metal gabled roof.

History

Settlement in Maylands had slowly occurred since the late 1890s when the name first appeared on real estate plans produced by developers, Gold Estates of Australia. This company held the majority of the land in the future suburb of Maylands and the plan for this portion of Guildford Road near Eighth Avenue was approved for subdivision in 1899. Development of the town centre followed the construction of the Maylands Railway Station in 1900 which was built largely to support the Mephan Ferguson Factory, established c1898 to manufacture pipes for the Kalgoorlie Water Scheme. From the readily available information the date of construction and sequence of occupancy of the group of commercial premises on the north side of Guildford Road between Seventh and Eighth Avenue are difficult to establish. It is clear that there was a long association between the properties at 181 and 185 Guildford Road and McWaters Produce Store in the first half of the 20th century. Clarence McWaters served with the 10th Light House during World War One and he and members of the extended family operated stores at 181 and 185 Guildford Road. This store appears to have been constructed c1939 and the business shifted from the premises next door at 185 Guildford Road until the late 1940s. The signage on the side of this building 'Wrights Produce Store' appears to originate from the 1950s or later. Further research may determine the occupancy of this premises. Aerial photographs indicate the building was extended to the rear with a flat roofed addition in the 1980s however the form and extent of the original construction is readily apparent. The extent of the front elevation alterations are not clear given the boarding over the former openings.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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