House

Parent Place or Precinct

25394 Union and Redfern Heritage Area

Statement of Significance

For information on the significance of the Union and Redfern Heritage Area refer to the Local Planning Policy for the Heritage Area.

Physical Description

17 Union Street was almost certainly designed as a modest example of the Federation Queen Anne style, although the alterations undertaken since the mid-twentieth century have obscured some key elements. Historical evidence suggests that the original design would have matched the adjacent house at 19 Union Street, with subtle variations to the detailing. Major changes include: Rendering of the main façade (concealing what would have originally been tuck-pointed brickwork with rendered stringcourses, possibly with a deep rough-cast rendered panel above door height) Recladding of the roof with what appear to be concrete tiles, painted green (replacing what would have been red terracotta tiles). Replacement of the original window awning to the projecting wing with a slatted metal awning. Key elements include: Simple asymmetrical plan, with a projecting wing on the southern side of the main façade. Gabled-hipped roof. Tall face brick chimney with slender rendered moulding to the top and bottom of the slightly projecting cap. Prominent gable to the projecting wing. The face of the gable is finished in roughcast render divided by three vertical timber battens. Triple casement windows with square highlights and chamfered timber mullions to each of the two front rooms. These windows have plain raked sills, but would have originally had moulded projecting sills. Entry verandah, abutting the projecting wing and extending across the remainder of the façade. The raked roof of this verandah continues as an unbroken extension of the main roof line. The square timber posts have chamfered edges, which finish below two square-profile grooves (located near the springing point for the original timber valance). The current detailing includes lacework valance panels and brackets. The main entrance to the house is located under the verandah, adjacent to the projecting wing. The door is framed by highlights and high-waisted narrow sidelights, all with stained glass panels with floral motifs. The house is set back approximately 4m from the front boundary, which is defined by a timber picket fence, backed by a low hedge. On the southern side of the block a driveway leads to an attached single garage. This is set slightly behind the alignment of the main façade and has a dropped half-hipped roof.

History

Perth Suburban Lot 255 was purchased by the Intercolonial Investment Land and Building Company Ltd of Sydney in August 1890. Two years later it was transferred to James Chesters of 155 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, estate agent, and by 1894 Chesters had subdivided this land as Deposited Plan 899, with 42 lots laid out around Queen Street (soon renamed Union Street). The allotments to the west of Union Street were numbered 1 to 21, with four of these facing Hamersley Road (Lots 1 to 4) and four facing Heytesbury Road (Lots 18 to 21). An early subdivision plan showed 13 lots facing Queen Street but, prior to sale, these were re-subdivided as nine slightly wider lots (Lots 5 to 13 on Diagram 4432). Lot 11 was transferred from James Chesters to Ethel Banfield on 17 February 1916. The house on this lot appears to have been built to the same design as 19 Union Street and it is highly likely that Chesters had built both houses as part of the speculative development he is known to have undertaken in various parts of his Subiaco subdivisions in the period c.1907-1916. Richard and Ethel Banfield were listed at 19 Union Street in the 1916 Electoral Roll, and were living here with their three young children, Ada, Ethel, jnr, and James (born in the period 1901-1915). However, the Banfield’s remained at this address for only a few years and there were at least three different occupants during the 1920s. By 1930, 17 Union Street had been purchased by a teacher, Miss Marjorie White (who was about 29 years old at that time). Marjorie’s father, William, died at Bassendean in March 1931, and in the Electoral Roll of that year Marjorie, her mother, Sarah, and two of her siblings, Eric (a seaman) and Violet (home duties) were all listed at 17 Union Street. Sarah White died in the early 1940s and a Mrs Simmonds shared the house at about that time. Marjorie then remained here until the late 1960s, sharing the house with Eric for much of this time. Historical aerial photographs indicate that the roof had been clad with concrete tiles by the 1980s (replacing what would have been red terracotta tiles). Relatively minor additions have been undertaken at the rear of the house over time.

Integrity/Authenticity

Note: The rendering of the main façade, replacement of the roof in green tiles, and alterations to the verandah detailing have all impacted on the authenticity and traditional character of the place. However, the underlying form and detailing remains consistent with the original design and the key elements of the traditional streetscape. Note: This place has some historical significance as an example of the speculative development undertaken by James Chesters within parts of his residential subdivisions.

Condition

Based on a streetscape inspection the building appears to be in a good condition.

Uses

Creation Date

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