Hostel (Elizabeth House)

Parent Place or Precinct

26002 Kershaw Street Heritage Area

Statement of Significance

The place has aesthetic significance because it contributes to the heritage integrity of the streetscape in terms of building style and uniformity, and reflects the architectural style typical of the area and period. It has historic significance reflecting the development and settlement of the area, in particular the former presence of the Rosicrucian Order and use of the place as a convent.

Physical Description

Single storey face brick and tile (new roof) half timbered gabled residence, with adjoined two storey apartment block at the rear. The dropped veranda on the house has square timber posts.

History

The house was established by 1915, and had several different residents until c1937-c1941 when it was a place for the Rosicrucian Order. The building then contained a chapel with leadlight windows, since removed. Sandblasted enhanced doors to the chapel remain. The place was visited by Cardinal Mendensie in 1970s. (Ref: 1995 MI; Wise's Post Office Directory) The house is now (2001) a YWCA Hostel accommodation.
The earliest development in the Triangle was, naturally, closest to the Hay Street commercial centre. Churchill Avenue and Barker Road, and the side streets such as Axon Street, Townshend Road, Olive Street and Coghlan Road, were mostly developed by 1905. Development then spread into the central area between Bagot and Heytesbury Roads by 1915, followed by the southern portion, along Thomas Road.
One of the first land releases was Berry Brow Estate which extended from Rokeby to Townshend Roads, between Hay St and Barker Road. It was marketed as the 'Toorak of Perth.' Others were Bowral Park (1896), the north east corner of the Triangle around Barker and Coghlan Roads, and Parkerville Estate, the stretch of Townshend Road between Barker and Bagot Roads. The area has always been predominately residential, and indeed, the Triangle gained a reputation in the early days as being a prestigious area - workers settled along the railway line, and the more affluent moved up the hill to what was perceived as the better part of Subiaco.
One of the earliest public buildings in the area was the Home of the Peace, on Hamersley Road and Thomas Street, which opened in 1902. Other public buildings include St Andrew's and St Catherine's churches.
Thomas Street was gazetted by 1883, and named after Mr J H Thomas, Director of PWD.
(Sources: Wise's Post Office Directory 1905-1925; Real Estate Maps, Battye Library Collection; Spillman, Ken, Identity Prized: A History of Subiaco, City of Subiaco, UWA Press, 1985, p. 74; Chate, A, H., History of Subiaco, c1952; Moore, D., Subiaco - Attitudes and Ecological Succession, no date, c 1980.)

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Historic Themes

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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.