8 Terrace Houses

Statement of Significance

Price Street Terraces, a group of 8 single storey brick houses, has local cultural heritage significance for the following reasons: the place is a significant element in th e Price Street streetscape and the residentia l precinct located to the south of the main Freman tle centre; the place is associated with the residential expansion of Fremantle, which occurred as a result of the discovery of gold in Western Australia in the I 880s and 1890s and the huge increase in popu lation due to the goldrushes, the place is representative of the houses constructed from the I 880s to the 191Os for the purpose of providing residential accommodation for workers; the place has associations with prominent businessman and member of Fremantle's merchant elite J. W. Bateman, who was responsible for the place's construction; and, the place is valued by the community for its contribution to Fremantle's bu i lt environment as is evidenced by i ts inclusion in the City of Fremantle Municipal Heritage Inventory and its Recording by the National Trust of Australia (WA). AESTHETIC VALUE Price Street Terraces, a group of eight single storey brick terrace houses, collectively form a significant element in the Price Street streetscape and its style and form contribute to the residential precinct located to the south of the main Fremantie centre, which developed in the gold rush period HISTORIC VALUE Price Street Terraces is part of the suburban residential development associated with the expansion of Fremantle, which occurred as a result of the discovery of gold in Western Australia in the 1880s and 1890s and the huge increase in population due to the goldrushes. (Criterion 2.2) Price Street Terraces is associated with the subdivision of the outlying areas of Fremantle in the 1890s and 1900s to accommodate Fremantle's growing population of workers and their families. (Criterion 2.2) Price Street Terraces has associations with prominent businessman and member of Fremantle's merchant elite J. W. Bateman, who was responsible for the place's construction as well as build ing other residential accommodation for workers. (Criterion 2.3) SCIENTIFIC VALUE SOCIAL VALUE Price Street Terraces is valued by the local community for its contribution to the built environment of Fremantle, and as a resu lt contributes to this community's sense of place. Its value to the community is evidenced by its inclusion in the City of Fremantle Municipal Heritage Inventory and its Recording by the National Trust of Australia (WA). (Criteria 4.1 & 4.2) RARITY REPRESENTATIVENESS Price Street Terraces are representative of the terrace housing that was developed from the 1880s through to the 1900s during the gold rush period and subsequent residential expansion in Fremantle to provide residential accommodation for workers and their families.

Physical Description

The terraces are comprised of eight single story brick buildings. The eight terraces are joined under one long, hipped roof of corrugated iron sheeting with separately roofed front verandahs, and small frontages/individual gardens behind low brick fences. (The fence treatment is different to some of the terraces.) The original brick chimney stack is still extant at 6, I 0, 12, 14 and 16 Price Street. A laneway ru1U1ing to the rear of the property is located on the western side of 2 Price Street. The front facades of all of the single terraces appear to have been rendered and/or painted at some stage. Units 1O and 12 have timber verandah posts and detailing, which appears to have been added later. Units 14 and 16 also have timber posts but have iron lace detail. Trus iron lace does not match and it is not known which unit has the original detailing if any. The terraces comprise four pairs of mirror images (hall to hall plan). A brick wall separates each terrace at the verandah, and this line continues over the roof in the form of capping. The front facade of each unit contains one window and a front door entry. Each ten-ace comprises a long, main corridor along the length of one side of the building, and off this are two main rooms with and an interconnected fireplace. Further along are another two rooms (the midsection) and each has a window looking out onto a Jong narrow courtyard, which is located on the opposite side of the corridor. (This courtyard would have been built for ventilation and lighting purposes.) And to the rear of this what would have been origina1Iy the kitchen , bathroom and laundry areas. Some of the individual terraces retain original fixtures such as cast iron fireplaces, cornices, skirting, doors, flooring, and ceilings. The space from the midsection to the rear has changed by way of additions in a number of the individual units over the years. When viewed from the rear, extensions and alterations can be seen especially at Units 2, 4, 10 and 16. Some of this work has been completed in materials and character not matching the existing and is considered to be intrusive. Recent works to the various terrace units has not only included alterations, but also restoration. In general, Price Street Terraces appear to be in a fair to good condition. However, the brickwork to some units such as 2, 6 and 16 Price Street is in need of monitoring and repairs.

History

Assessment 2002 Construction: 1899 The discovery of gold in the Kimberley, Murchison and Eastern Goldfields regions in the 1880s and 1890s had a significant impact on the development of Western Australia. Like other areas throughout the State, Fremantle was transformed as a result of the gold boom and the huge increase in population due to the goldrushes. 1 Although the majority of immigrants passed through Fremantle on their way to the goldfields, a large number stayed on, finding work on the wharves and in the factories and foundries that were being established in the outlying areas of Fremantle.2 Outlying areas of Fremantle, including South Fremantle and East Fremantle, developed as residential areas primarily for workers and their fami lies. The larger land locations were subdivided to small blocks on which the homes of these people were constructed.3 Rate books indicate that prominent businessman John Wesley Bateman purchased the vacant Lot 644 from J. J. Higham in 1892.4 For the first time, in 1899, four cottages were recorded as being located on Part Lot 17 of Lot 644 (these being terraces 2 - 8 Price Street), and four cottages on Part Lots 19 and 20 of Lot 644/645 (being terraces 10 - 16 Price Street). At the time, the property was still in the ownership of Bateman, who appears to have been directly responsible for the construction of the cottages or rather terrace houses most likely for the purpose of providin g housing for local workers.5 Bateman was a well known merchant in Fremantle at this time, and also held such positions as Fremantle Councilor (1880 - 1882) and President of the Fremantle Chamber of Commerce (1895 - 1900).6 Rate books also record the tenants of Price Street Terraces and their occupations. The l isted occupations indicate people from such diverse backgrounds as agent, clerk, railway employee, cellarman, storekeeper, and smelting works employee. A 1908 sewerage plan of the place 1ists the address as 28 - 42 Lord Street. Each terrace is shown as a long brick building with a verandah at Price Street. A verandah and bath are at the rear of the building and attached to this is a water tank. A galvanised iron structure and a brick closet are located in the rear yard.8 Lord Street was renamed Price Street in 1908/ 1909. By the early 1920s, Bateman was no longer the owner of the property. In 1920/ 1921, Charles Henry Barber is recorded as the proprietor.9 Price Street Terraces continued to be used for residential purposes, and this function remains in the present day (in 2002). In the 1990s, the place was Strata-titled . The following changes to Price Street Terraces were revealed to the Curtin students after accessing the Council files (provided by John Kirkness) and in conversations with residents: Unit 2 - This place was unoccupied for a number of years in the 1990s and became derelict. I n preparation and to meet Strata regulations in I 999, the place was repaired and renovated. The chimneys have been removed, and the place extended at the rear. Unit 4 - In December 1993, the Council granted approval for alterations and additions to the place. Unit 6 - A resident recalled that the place was altered in the 1960s, and a plan on the Blue File shows the replacement of the old verandah with a new structure. In 2000/2001, the kitchen function was relocated to the bathroom, and this was in tum relocated to the laundry and toilet. The former kitchen area was converted into a living area. Unit 8 -Unknown Unit l 0 - The first alterations appear to have been carried out to the place in the early 1970s. Jn c. 1990, the third room was part ly demolished ; the outline of the internal wall is apparently still visib le on the floor. The house was also extended, and the kitchen has been modernised. This is likely to have been part of works approved by Council in 1998. Unit 12 - Unknown Unit 14 - Unknown Unit I 6 - When the place was purchased by new owner Mrs. Esser in the early 1970s, the windows were replaced, verandahs changed, an internal wall removed and a chimney demolished. Compa rative Information The Rate Books show that Bateman also owned the houses from 18 to 28 Price Street, 3 - 5 and 9 - 15 Grey Street, and a stable at 24 Price Street. The six-room timber cottages were bui lt at 9 - 13 Grey Street in 1893 and the four­ room timber cottages at 18 - 28 Price Street in 1896.10 A rear lane is said to have connected all of the properties to this stable, and two of the current owners claim that there were no fences separating the back of the houses allowing the entire back yard area to function as a community area with groves of olive trees and vegetable gardens. 11 Price Street Terraces are distinct from these other houses built for Bateman as the place is constructed of brick not timber, and is in the form of terrace housing rather than single detached dwellings.

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