House

Statement of Significance

The infill house, at 27 Forrest Street, is an unusual and good example of the Interwar Old English style that was fashionable for some substantial middle class housing of the period. The style is relatively uncommon within the Town of Vincent although there are several examples in neighbouring areas such as the City of Stirling.

Physical Description

The two storey dwelling is unusual with a high pitched tile roof, which is gabled, hipped and truncate gabled. The upper floor rooms revealed by a dormer window and a half gabled detail. The exterior is rendered with vertical contrasting detail on the chimney that rises flush from a gable wall. Limestone foundations are revealed by the slope of the site. The windows on the ground floor level are in sets of three casements and the windows throughout are detailed in geometric design leadlights. The front verandah has a flat roof. A flat roof double carport has been added on the front boundary. Garden setting with medium shrubs behind a low curved rendered wall. None apparent. Carport added

History

Forrest Street was part of the Forrest Hill estate developed in the mid 1890s. The development was given streets named after Sir John Forrest and his first five cabinet ministers, Shenton (now Wasley), Burt, Marmion, Venn and Robinson (now Monmouth). Shenton Street was named after Sir George Shenton the first Mayor of Perth (elected 1880) and the Legislative Council Member for Greenough. The name of the street was changed to Monmouth in 1917. Burt Street was named after Septimus Burt, at that time the MLA for Ashburton and the State's Attorney General, and Marmion was named in honour of William Edward Marmion the MLA for Fremantle. Venn was named after Henry Whittal Venn, then Member for Wellington and Robinson in honour of Robert Thompson Robinson MLA for Canning. Robert Robinson inherited 700 acres of land in 1906 from his father and, together with partner Samuel Copley, developed the suburb of Mount Lawley. The subject dwelling originally formed part of the Lot 273 of Swan Location 671 occupied by No. 577 William Street. The lot extended from Forrest Street to Alma Road and addressed William Street. A historical certificate of title indicates that the land was transferred to Emily Grace Halliday in 1909. On her death in 1916 the land was transferred to her husband George Virtue Halliday. The 1916 PWD Sewerage Plans show only No. 577 occupying the southern portion of the lot addressing both William Street and Alma Road. A survey of the Wises Post Office Directories indicates that the lot and property at No. 577 William Street was owned and occupied by Mr George Halliday from 1916 to 1936. In 1936 a Building Licence was issued to George Halliday to presumably construct the subject property on the northern portion of the lot addressing both William and Forrest Street. The Wises Post Office Directories indicate that the property was originally known as No.579 William Street and is first listed in the Wises Post Office Directories in 1937, with both the subject dwelling at No. 579 and the dwelling at No. 577 occupying the eastern portion of William Street between Forrest Street and Alma Road. The property remains known as No. 579 until at least 1949 when the Wises Post Office Directories cease publication. From the time of construction until 1949 Mr Geoff Halliday is listed as the occupant of the subject dwelling. Following the construction of the subject property in 1936 the Wises Post Office Directories show that the property adjacent at No. 577 William Street is listed with various occupants suggesting that Mr Halliday once constructing the subject property moved to reside in the new dwelling. A historical certificate of title indicates that George Halliday remained the owner of No. 579 (Lot 4) William Street, now known as No. 27 (Lot 4) Forrest Street, until his death in 1965 when it was transferred to Mr Halliday's second wife, Florence May Halliday of No. 579 William Street. In March 1970 the property was transferred to Robert Watts and in December of that year transferred to Nancy Hall of No. 86 Grosvenor Road, Mount Lawley. Throughout the 1970s - 1990s the property transferred ownership several times, with the current owners purchasing the property in 2003.

Integrity/Authenticity

High

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