House, 165 Barker Rd, Subiaco

Parent Place or Precinct

27310 Park Street Heritage Area

Statement of Significance

For information on the significance of the Park Street Heritage Area refer to the Local Planning Policy for the Heritage Area.

Physical Description

Architectural style Typical of many modest but well built 2-3 bedroom suburban houses of the early twentieth century, 165 Barker Road incorporated some restrained elements of the Federation Queen Anne style (although this has been partly obscured by later alterations). It was designed to a scale and form generally considered suitable for occupiers such as professional men, office workers, retail employees and skilled tradesmen. Plan form at the street frontage • Asymmetrical facade. The original design featured a stepped frontage, with a shallow rectangular window bay to the front wall and a verandah returning around the north-east corner. The verandah was later extended around the north-west corner (possibly dating from the late 1980s). Roof form and materials • Hipped-gabled roof clad with corrugated metal sheeting. • Verge gable finished with roughcast rendering and a pattern of vertical and diagonal timber battens. • Rendered chimney with arched panel detailing and moulded cap, located on the western side of the house. • Bull-nosed verandah roof. • Prominent second gable and chimney set towards the rear of the original house (constructed as part of the 1990s additions) Wall materials and finishes to the main facade • Fully rendered façade, concealing any evidence of the original materials and finishes. Other detailing to main facade The physical evidence suggests that the doors, windows and verandah detailing visible from the street may all date from the renovation of the house in the late twentieth century. • 5-panel entrance door with highlight, set at the end of the return verandah on the eastern side of the house. • Bank of four casement windows to the front of the house. • Turned timber verandah posts and frieze with turned timber balustrettes. Streetscape setting • House set back approximately 2.3m from the Barker Road frontage. • Lot width approximately 13.75m. • 7m setback from the side of the original house to the west boundary. Side additions dating from the 1990s extending to within about 900mm of this boundary. • Narrow walkway along the eastern boundary. • Hardstand car parking bay on the western side of the house, in front of the 1990s side additions. • Front yard enclosed by a vertical batten and rail timber fence.

History

Subiaco's population increased significantly in the 1890s due to an economic depression in the eastern states and the discovery of gold in Western Australia. During the 1890s property developers bought large landholdings for subdivision in the Perth metropolitan area. The original subdivisions in Subiaco were generally simple grid pattern developments with small lots suitable for occupancy by working families. However, the more elevated parts of the suburb, particularly towards Kings Park, also attracted business and professional men and some lots were later amalgamated to accommodate their larger homes and gardens. Mixed development occurred and within the Park Street Heritage Area this ranged from narrow, single storey terrace housing through to a large 2-storey house set in spacious grounds. The readily available evidence indicates that the number of houses within this area increased from around 24 in 1901 to 72 in 1906; 86 in 1910; 91 in 1915, 94 in 1920 and 13 by 1925. Development then stabilised, with 106 houses and 1 block of flats identified in 1949. Perth Suburban Lot 220 was subdivided as Deposited Plan 1552 in 1896 and advertised as the “Parkerville Estate”. This comprised 38 lots with frontages along the eastern side of Townshend Road (between Barker and Bagot Roads), part of the southern side of Barker Road, part of Salisbury Avenue (renamed Park Street in 1901) and part of the northern side of Bagot Road. Lot 3 was subsequently developed as 165 Barker Road. In May 1905 it was reported that a duplicate Certificate of Title had been issued to Mrs Mary Fraser for Lots 3, 4 and part 5 of Perth Suburban Lot 220 (the original having been lost). An analysis of entries in the Post Office Directories suggests that 165 Barker Road was constructed on Lot 3 in that year, with 171 Barker Road being erected on the Lot 4/part Lot 5 about the same time. James ‘Donald’ Fraser and Mary Ann Kemsley lived at 171 Barker Road from c.1905-1911, during which time Donald was identified as a builder/contractor. Based on his occupation, it seems likely that Donald was responsible for the construction of both 165 & 171 Barker Road. After Mary’s death in 1911, Donald retained ownership of both houses until at least 1917-1918, but by 1929-1930 the owner of #165 (as shown in the Rate Books) had changed to ‘O’Reilly’. Throughout this time 165 Barker Road was primarily used as a rental property. A review of the Post Office Directories at around 5-yearly intervals (together with reference to contemporary Electoral Rolls) indicates that some of the primary residents during this period included:  1906: Alfred G Douglas (engineer)  1910: Gerald Horgan (civil servant)  1915: Henry Ryan Fagan (retired government timber inspector) Henry lived here from c.1912 until his death in September 1919 (aged 82)  1920: Florence Kate Fagan (the wife of Henry Fagan’s son, William Henry Fagan) The first long-term residents were members of the Spencer family, who lived here in c.1925-1940. Charles Samuel Spencer (c.1882-1954) (labourer) and Eva May Nicholls (c.1886-1947) were married in Subiaco in c.1904. This couple had at least 8 children who survived infancy in the period c.1905-1920 – many of whom would lived with their parents for at least some of their time in Barker Road. From c.1941, the house was occupied by Durward Albert Dale (presser) (c.1901-1948) and his wife, Mary Veronica Dale (shop assistant) (c.1906-1958), who remained here until (or near) the end of their lives. An analysis of a historical Metropolitan Sewerage Plan (dated 1927, updated 1955) and historical aerial photographs indicates that major works were undertaken in c.1989-1995, including rear/side additions (all set well back from the main façade). The following more detailed information has been provided by the current owners:  Pre 1985: External walls rendered;  1986: New bull-nosed verandah constructed at the front of the house, new double doors and windows added to front room, small addition constructed along the western side;  1990: New lounge/dinning addition with matching bullnose verandah and turned posts constructed on the western side of property (set back from the main façade);  1994: Double storey extension added at the rear of the property;  2016: Insertion of window and glazed double door set with highlights to the eastern side of original 1905 house, and replacement of white ant damaged entry door and door frame (door and frame detailed to match the original, with the original lead-light inserted). A plaque on the front wall states that the place received a Subiaco Centenary Award in 1997. This was for “A romantic adaptation and extension of a traditional Subiaco family home through sophisticated design which fully integrates indoor and outdoor living”. The footprint of the original house is still clearly recognisable.

Integrity/Authenticity

The major additions are set towards the rear of the site and the form of the original house can still be readily interpreted. However, while the late twentieth century renovations aimed to interpret/complement traditional detailing, the alterations undertaken over time have replaced or obscured the original detailing and finishes to a considerable degree.

Condition

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

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update