House

Parent Place or Precinct

25394 Union and Redfern Heritage Area

Statement of Significance

The Union and Redfern Street Heritage Area is significant for: Aesthetic Value: The area contains aesthetically pleasing streetscapes with a strong heritage character. In particular, cohesive streetscapes have been created by a limited palette of materials and styles. The area contains many good, representative, suburban examples of Federation Queen Anne houses and Federation Bungalows. These include both gentlemen’s villas and modest suburban houses, and collectively illustrate a gradual evolution in architectural detailing of these places between 1899 and the early Inter-war years. Historic Value: The residential subdivision of this area represents the early development activities of Sydney and Melbourne based real estate agents and property developers. In this context it 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. The collection of houses in the heritage area helps to demonstrate the manner in which the family residences of professional men and business owners (such as senior civil servants and merchants) existed side by side with the smaller houses of semi-professional and tradespeople. The collection of houses in the heritage area helps to illustrate the scale and standard of housing considered appropriate for these families in the early twentieth century. The area was a place of residence for a number of people who were prominent in the local business community or were otherwise public identities of the early to mid-twentieth century.

Physical Description

Tuckpointed red brick and iron cottage with two rendered and painted stringcourses enlivening the brickwork. Four tall timber framed double hung sash windows punctuate the front elevation, with the sills almost being at ground level. The entrance door is to the side. The front garden is open to the pavement with no form of boundary, and is heavily planted with mature trees.

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. From the available evidence Douglas and Dyson never visited the properties in Subiaco and the sale of the land sale was managed by local land agents, Ebernezer Allen & Co. The house was constructed in 1906 for Francis James Robbins, a bricklayer and local builder. Robbins appears to have been a property developer on a small scale, building and selling houses in the vicinity. In 1912, after moving to Olive Street Subiaco, he advertised a home in Union Street for sale: Subiaco, Union St – close to tram – New five roomed brick villa. E. L. tiled h earths and grates, every convenience, land 44 x 140, terms, F. Robbins, Builder. Mr J Pointon, a draper, acquired the house in 1909 and resided there until the mid-1920s with his wife Annie and two children. Mr Charles McCaul, an electrical and signalling engineer for the WA Government Railways, purchased the property from Mr Pointon and remained there until his death in 1930. There were various occupants between 1931 and 1938 when Mrs V Halpin took occupancy. Mrs Halpin was still living there when the Post Office Directories ceased being published in 1949. Occupants 1906 F and Agnes Robbins 1909-1925 J Pointon 1926 Vacant 1927-1930 Charles A McCaul 1931-1932 Wilfred George 1933-1936 Charles A McCaul 1937-1949 Mrs V Halpin

Integrity/Authenticity

Note: This place retains a high level of original external detailing and is a good example of the ongoing development of Rawson Street in the 1910s. Whilst trees largely obscure the front elevation the glimpses of the place make a positive contribution.

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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