Bank of New South Wales (NSW)

Author

Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes

Place Number

00243

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Location

112 Hampton St Bridgetown

Location Details

Other Name(s)

Westpac Bank /Challenge Bank
Westralian Bank, Bank of NSW

Local Government

Bridgetown-Greenbushes

Region

South West

Construction Date

Constructed from 1938

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type	Status	Date	Documents	More information
Heritage List	Adopted	18 Mar 1983
Heritage List	Adopted	28 Nov 2019

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type	Status	Date	Documents
(no listings)

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type	Status	Date	Grading/Management		More information
Type	Status	Date	Category	Description	More information
Municipal Inventory	Adopted	28 Jun 2001	Category 2	Category 2 High level of protection appropriate: provide maximum encouragement to the owner under the town planning scheme to conserve the significance of the place.
Municipal Inventory	Adopted	29 Mar 2018	Management Category B	Management Category B Conservation of the place is highly desirable. If not already, to be included on the Local Heritage List. Development proposals to be assessed pursuant to State Planning Policy 3.5 Historic Heritage Conservation; a Conservation Management Plan (if one exists); and to reinforce the significance of the place. Record prior to redevelopment, recognise and interpret if possible.
Classified by the National Trust	Classified	09 Aug 1993			Heritage Council
Statewide Bank Survey	Adopted	01 Nov 1997			Heritage Council

Statement of Significance

The Westpac Bank building is a significant commercial building in the Hampton Street precinct. It represents the period of prosperity in the region in the late 1930's, after the depression and prior to WWII. The building is an example if inter-war architecture from the office of architects Hobbs, Forbes and Partners who made a significant contribution to the architecture of the period and subsequently to building in Western Australia. The significance of the building is reduced by the loss of the original detail.
Aesthetic Value
The striking two-storey building has clean strong angular lines and is well maintained, making it a bold feature of the Hampton Street streetscape.
Historic Value
It is of historic value for both its high quality architecture and the financial institutions which have occupied the building, providing financial services to Bridgetown and surrounding districts.
The development of the building was closely associated with prosperity of the district through the timber, mining, orchard and farming industries in the 1930’s.
Research Value
N/A
Social Value
This building is of moderate social value, being both a place of employment and business service.

Physical Description

The building is a two storey rendered brick structure with a tiled roof and design details typical of the inter-war period including the strong angular form of the entry flanked by two large columns. The original entry to the building is no longer used and has been altered to a window. This detracts from the appearance of the building. Original signage over the entry has also been removed. Some original windows have been replaced with aluminium frames.

History

The Bank of NSW/Westralian Bank was originally accommodated in the neighbouring building to the north, which still exists and is occupied by accountants.
Tenders were called for the construction of the new bank building in March 1938: “Tenders are invited for the construction of two-storey bank premises and residence in Hampton-street, Bridgetown, for the Bank of New South Wales. The ground floor will be occupied by a banking chamber (22ft. by 24ft.), manager's room (14ft. by 12ft.), a large strong room, stationery room, and staff lavatories. On the ground floor also will be a dining room, kitchen, servery, laundry and lavatory, and a garage, and in the upper storey a large lounge, four bedrooms, bathroom and kitchenette. The architects are Messrs. Hobbs, Forbes and Partners.”
The works were completed at a cost of £4,750.
This building has remained in constant use as a bank since 1938 and is now the Westpac Bank.

Integrity/Authenticity

High
Since its original establishment by the Bank of NSW, the building has always remained used as a bank.
Medium
Loss of some original detailing, including the central front entry steps and doorway (now a window).

Condition

Good

Associations

Name	Type	Year From	Year To
Hobbs, Forbes & Partners	Architect	-	-

References

Ref Name	Ref Source	Ref Date
	The West Australian	26/03/1938
	The West Australian	14/01/1939
	Contemporary newspaper reports (trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper)
"Bridgetown: A Selection of Historical Buildings"	Curtin Uni.	1989

Other Reference Numbers

Ref Number	Description
No.B15	MI Place No.
A4963	Assess No (Shire Ref)

State Heritage Office library entries

Library Id	Title	Medium	Year Of Publication
5706	Bridgetown : a selection of historical buildings.	Report	1989

Place Type

Individual Building or Group

Uses

Epoch	General	Specific
Original Use	COMMERCIAL	Bank
Present Use	COMMERCIAL	Bank

Architectural Styles

Style
Inter-War Stripped Classical

Construction Materials

Type	General	Specific
Roof	TILE	Other Tile
Wall	BRICK	Rendered Brick

Historic Themes

General	Specific
OUTSIDE INFLUENCES	Depression & boom
OCCUPATIONS	Commercial & service industries

Creation Date

08 Jul 1988

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

27 Apr 2021

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.