House

Parent Place or Precinct

25394 Union and Redfern Heritage Area

Statement of Significance

The place has aesthetic significance because it contributes to the heritage integrity of the streetscape in terms of building style and uniformity, and reflects the architectural style typical of the area and period. It has historic significance reflecting the development and settlement of the area.

Physical Description

Brick and iron cottage with weatherboard two storey addition to the rear. The original section of the house has been completely renovated reinstating original details and undertaken the works in a traditional manner. The house contains a complex hipped and gable roof form with symmetrical gablets with sunburst detail (reinstatement of original detaill) and finials to the front elevation. A further gable projects from the side (east) elevation. An extensive verandah wraps around the front and side elevations with an iron bullnose canopy supported on turned timber columns with decorative carved timber frieze extending between the posts. The verandah has been reconstructed in recent times with the bullnose canopy replacing an earlier skillion style canopy and is the reinstatement of the original verandah canopy. Rendered chimneys with corbelling and terracotta flues complete the roof. Windows are timber framed sashes to the original part of the house. The house has been completely repainted with a colour scheme appropriate to the era of construction.

History

In June 1903, Sydney accountants William James Douglas and Frank Dyson purchased PSL 254 and portion of PSL 253. The land was subdivided into 36 lots and in August 1903, the pair divided the ownership of the lots evenly. Each owned half of the properties facing Rawson Street, Hamersley Road and Heytesbury Road. The lots were sold from 1904 onwards and the first home on Rawson Street, the subject area, was built by 1904. No. 1 Rawson Street was constructed in 1906/07 for George Wilkins (1868-1935) a civil servant who married Florence Savage in 1908. From 1912 onwards there were various tenants occupying the dwelling, including Town Clerk Chris Luth (see notes for 6 Rawson Street), until 1918 when it was bought by Alice and Ernest Matthews (boilermaker). They resided in the house until 1948 when Alan Beck is listed as occupying the house. Building plans for a two-storey addition were lodged with the City of Subiaco in 1982. A photograph of the house in 1985 for the Survey of the National Estate shows that the roof was tiled at that time and there was no chimney on the front elevation. Later photographs, 1995 and 2010, show a skillion verandah as opposed to the current bullnose canopy. The external works undertaken between 2010 and 2013 have added the sunburst detail to the gablets. A 1920s photograph shows the 2013 bull nose verandah and gablet detail is consistent with the original construction. Occupants 1907-1911 George and Florence Wilkins 1912 Mrs M Richards 1913 Arthur V H Rosman 1914 Andree C. W. Hayward 1915 Vacant 1916 Christopher Luth 1917 Ernst Fisher 1918-1948 Ernest and Alice Matthews 1949 Alan Beck

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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