House

Parent Place or Precinct

25912 Kings Road Heritage Area, Subiaco

Statement of Significance

Kings Road is of cultural heritage significance within the City of Subiaco for the following reasons: • The existing development along Kings Road continues to represent the rapid development of the higher parts of Subiaco (near Kings Park) with good quality Federation Queen Anne houses during the early the twentieth century (with a particular focus on the c.1901-1914 period). • The defined period and nature of development along Kings Road resulted in a complementary palette of materials and design idioms, enlivened by a diversity of individual details. Unlike many other local streets, the majority of the properties have retained a medium to high level of authenticity. Collectively they provide a good representative collection of middle-class Subiaco houses dating from the early twentieth century (extending from c.1901-1923). • The character of the Kings Road streetscape epitomizes the general character of what is now known as the City of Subiaco’s Triangle Precinct. • The history of the houses along Kings Road helps to demonstrate the original settlement of this part of Subiaco as a solid middle class area, in which the family residences of more senior white-collar workers existed side by side with the smaller, but still well-built, houses of more junior white-collar workers, retail employees and tradespeople. • The history of the subdivision and early sale of residential lots along Kings Road helps to illustrate the status of Western Australia as a place of opportunity during the gold rush era of the late nineteenth century – attracting significant interest and investment from the eastern states.

Physical Description

Architectural style • Federation Queen Anne. This is of a scale and form typical of a middle-class suburban villa of the era, but the detailing is relatively restrained. Plan form at the street frontage • Generally symmetrical façade (offset by the verandah return along the northern side. Roof form and materials • Hipped roof clad with corrugated metal sheeting, extending in a continuous line as a raked verandah roof. This features a pair of small decorative gables over the two window bays to the front facade. • Two painted (originally face-brick) chimneys with bulbous roughcast rendered caps and terracotta pots. Wall materials and finishes to the main façade • The main façades (east and north) have a projecting, rendered, single brick stringcourse at window head height. The walls have a roughcast rendered finish below this line and a painted (originally tuck-pointed face-brick) finish above. Detailing of main façade • Decorative gables over the line of the window bays to the main façade. These have robust timber battens with curved under-brackets, set forwards of flannel flower pattern pressed metal sheeting. • Central entrance with a five panel door; traditional moulded timber architraves; highlight; narrow sidelights; and stained glass panels. • Entrance flanked by the two shallow rectangular window bays, each of which has a set of triple casement windows; square highlights; and a simple moulded sill. • Traditional French doors at the end of the first section of the return verandah. • Extended side verandah stepping out to the north and continuing towards the rear of the house. • Turned timber verandah posts with simple carved timber brackets. Streetscape setting • Front verandah set back approximately 6m from the front boundary. • Front boundary defined by a modern timber picket fence. General condition • Based on a streetscape inspection the building appears to be in good condition.

History

This part of Subiaco had been laid out as a residential subdivision by September 1891, but there was only one resident listed along the street in the Western Australian Post Office Directory of 1901 (referring to Park Street) and 2 in 1905 (referring to King’s Road). This was followed by a rapid period of development and by 1910 there were 14 houses within the Study Area, being 73 Bagot Road (now known as 3 Kings Road), #s 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 19, 21 Kings Road, 12 Hamersley Road (now 28 Kings Road) & 14 Hamersley Road (now 25 Kings Road). Steady infill continued after that time and the street was fully developed by the mid 1920s. An analysis of information in the Rate Books, Western Australian Post Office Directories and Electoral Rolls indicates that 19 Kings Road was developed in c.1904 and occupied for over 20 years by Sidney (Sid) Joseph Barker, jeweller (manager Stewart Dawson Co Aust Ltd), and his wife Eleanor. Online family trees and newspaper notices suggest that Sidney (c.1879-1940) had married Eleanor Stockdale (c.1878-1931) in Leederville in c.1904 and that they had two children: Eleanor Ivy “Lel” (born c.1906) and Clariss Jean (c.1909). The next known owner was Geoffrey Lauderdale Burgoyne (managing editor of the Daily News, and later a member of the editorial staff at The West Australian), who lived here with his wife, Aimee, from c.1927 until c.1939, when the property was advertised for sale: SUBIACO. 19 Kings-road, between Bagot-road and Hamersley-road. 2min. Thomas-street and Bus Service. Eight-room Brick Residence with all conveniences, electric light, gas. Power, sewered. Land 99ft. frontage with sufficient area to build a further residence. Completely renovated and painted inside and outside. This property is excellent buying at the price of £1,750. Terms £300 cash, balance weekly payments. One year later it was advertised to let: SUBIACO near WEST PERTH Boundary. 99ft. frontage, 19 King’s-road, near Thomas-st. and bus and tram services. Good family home, comprising 8 rooms and all conveniences, including power points, gas stove, large bathroom; house in good repair. Rental £2/5/ per week. By 1942, 19 Kings Road had become the family home of Frank Rosman, manufacturer, and his wife, Florence. Frank Rosman had established the Franklyn Hosiery Mills in c.1939, occupying the former premises of Swantex Knitting Mills at 263 Hay Street, Subiaco. Government contracts helped to underpin the success of the Franklyn Hosiery company in its early years, including a contract in 1939 to supply 12,517 pairs of socks to the ordnance store of the Defence Department and another in 1940 to supply 32,250 pairs of khaki woollen socks, valued at £3,200. Franklyn Hosiery Mills were still operating at 161-163 Hay Street, Subiaco, in c.1949 (the last year in which the Post Office Directories were published) and advertisements for workers continued until at least 1953. Following Frank’s death in August 1954, 19 Kings Road continued to be occupied by Florence and one of their sons, Raymond, for another decade. Reference to an inter-war era Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Department plan, plus a review of historical aerial photographs dating from 1964 and 2016, indicates that the building envelope of the front part of the house has remained largely unchanged. Major rear additions were undertaken in the mid 1980s and all of the trees within the front yard date from since that time. Other alterations at that time included the redevelopment of Lot 69, which originally formed part of the large grounds for 19 Kings Road and remained as an open side yard until the present house at 17 Kings Road was constructed in 1985. An analysis of the readily available information suggests that the primary occupants of the property from its time of construction until c.1963 included: 1905-1926 Sidney (Sid) Joseph Barker, jeweller (manager Stewart Dawson Co Aust Ltd), and Eleanor Barker, home duties 1927-1939 Geoffrey Lauderdale Burgoyne, journalist, and Aimee Louise Burgoyne 1940-1941 Vacant 1942-1954 Frank Rosman, manufacturer (Franklyn Hosiery Mills), and Florence Gertrude Rosman, home duties 1954-c.1963 Florence Gertrude Rosman, widow, and Raymond Victor Rosman, window dresser

Integrity/Authenticity

Medium to high authenticity The authenticity of the main facade has been diminished by the painting of the original face-brick panel to the upper section of the main façades.

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