Rosalie Primary School

Statement of Significance

Rosalie Primary School is of cultural heritage significance:
• For the provision of education and community facilities to the Shenton Park community since 1906.
• The collection of buildings demonstrate a range of styles that illustrate the evolution of teaching practice since 1906.
• The heritage buildings are simple brick examples of the interwar style

Physical Description

Rosalie Primary School comprises a large complex of brick, block and weatherboard structures set amidst the sports oval, play grounds/hard courts and mature trees. The earliest structures date from the original 1906 construction and have been adapted and added to as the demand for larger, modern school facilities increased. The buildings on site today range from brick built school buildings, timber framed school rooms, modern block buildings and a number of transportable buildings. With the exception of the transportable buildings along the Derby Road boundary, all the buildings present with a coherent built form in terms of materials, colours, decorative features and design resulting in a well-defined school campus. This heritage assessment is only concerned with the four heritage buildings which include the two brick ranges arranged in an ‘L’ shape facing Onslow Road and the two timber framed school buildings/rooms which are situated behind the main buildings.
An aerial photograph below illustrates the location of the four heritage buildings, referred to as Heritage Building 1, 2, 3 and 4 in this assessment. These buildings are simple expressions of the inter-war academic style.
Heritage Building 1 is a single storey brick and iron range with weatherboard verandah to the west elevation. The west elevation is the main active elevation providing access into the classrooms and presents with a regular rhythm of windows and doors. The windows are small paned timber framed sashes arranged in the 6-over-6 style and set in pairs with a shared painted concrete lintel above and separate painted concrete sills. The doors are timber panelled with four glass panes to the upper section and a twin paned fanlight positioned below a window arch created by a triple row of header bricks. Twin timber rails extend the full length of the range, former coat and bag pegs. The floor to the verandah is jarrah boards laid at right angles to the elevation. The verandah is enclosed with fibrous sheeting to the lower section and louvered windows to the top section with the roof lined with plasterboard. Services have been retro-fitted to the building running in conduits along the external elevation.

The north elevation clearly illustrates the roof form and the change in construction materials. The pavilion styled gabled roof sweeps down in a continuous pitch over the verandah creating an asymmetric roof form. The main part of the north elevation is brick with a small timbered gable detail. The verandah section is of timber frame and weatherboard construction.

The south elevation presents with a regular rhythm of windows arranged in banks of three. The openings are similar to those on the front elevation but incorporate an additional six panes. Each set of three openings are tied together with a continuous painted concrete lintel and three separate stone sills below. The sills also form part of a rendered band that extends across this elevation. Flat canopies project from the windows in line with the window frames. All the windows are covered by shade cloth extending from the eaves. Tall brick chimneys project through the eastern side of the roof in line with the elevation. Each chimney is of brick construction with corbelling to the flue. It is unknown whether the fire places still remain extant.

The south elevation is obscured by a walkway between Heritage Buildings 1 and 2.
Heritage Building 2 is similar to the above. It is a single storey brick range with verandah to the north elevation. In this instance the north elevation has been painted cream with green timber coat rails extending along the full length of the elevation. Although the elevation presents with a regular rhythm of doors and windows as per Building 1, the arrangement changes half way along the elevation which is indicative of the building being extended over time. The windows at the eastern end of the range are small paned sashes (6-over-6 arrangement) arranged in pairs whilst those to the western end consist of larger paned sashes (2-over-2 arrangement) with one window per classroom. The frames are painted cream with green outer frames. The doors are timber panel with glazed panels to the top half and fanlight above the door. At the far eastern end of the range there is a wide door opening containing a single timber and glass door and a boarded panel alongside.

The verandah is open to the top section and enclosed with fibre cement sheet cladding to the lower section. The timber boards are laid at right angles to the building. The canopy is lined and painted white.

The east elevation is plain with a rendered band running along the wall just below mid-height with most of the wall being littered by retro-fitted services including air conditionings.

The south elevation is an articulated elevation incorporating projecting bays, timbered gables, rendered band and a regular rhythm of window placement. The elevation is face brick with the rendered band running at sill height along the elevation. This section of the school was constructed in two phases which are clearly demarcated by the change in window style and the ‘step’ in the rendered band approximately mid-way along the range. Although constructed at different times, the two sections of building demonstrate enough similarities to present as a coherent built form. The two eastern-most windows are traditional 6-over-6 timber framed sashes positioned under brick arches. The remaining windows are taller, being positioned directly under the eaves and arranged in three sections, with six small panes to each section. Three windows are positioned in the projecting gabled bay with a further set of three windows to the west of the bay, followed by a wide section of face brickwork and a further window before the building style changes.
The two sections of building are identifiable by the position and style of the windows. The windows to the western portion of the building are also arranged in banks of three but are 2-over-2 sashes with a fanlight above and the rendered band running through at sill level. There are two sets of three windows before the range terminates in a second projecting bay with a timbered gable and a further three windows. The rendered band steps down to accommodate the taller windows in the bay element.

The timbered details to both gables are identical with roughcast render sprayed onto the gable and decorated with vertical timber elements. The roof is populated with tall brick chimneys with corbelled flues.

The west wall is plain face brick.

Heritage Building 3 is a small building of timber framed construction with weatherboard and fibrous sheet cladding and a corrugated metal roof. The north and south elevations are identical, each with three 16-paned windows, weatherboard cladding below sill level and fibrous cement sheet cladding above sill height. The east end is plain with no decorative features and presents with the same weatherboard and fibre cement sheet cladding to the elevation. The gable is clad with weatherboard. The west end of the building is also plain, entirely clad with weatherboard and a single timber door positioned in the north-western corner of the elevation with timber ramped access. The eaves are battened and overhanging to all elevations. The timber stumped footings are encased with timber battening.

Heritage Building 4 is similar to Heritage Building 3. It is located to the south of Heritage Building 2 and looks over the sports oval. The building is of regular rectangular shape with a lean-to at the eastern end providing a cloakroom area. The building is of timber framed construction with weatherboard and fibre cement sheet cladding. The roof is a shallow pitched hipped form clad in corrugated iron with an air conditioning unit sitting on the south side of the roof. Both the north and south elevations are enlivened with three 6-over-6 timber framed sash windows with the northern windows having corrugated iron canopies over the top sash. The west wall is a blank elevation and the east wall is half open and half enclosed with weatherboard. The cloakroom area has jarrah floorboards, unlined skillion ceiling and coat/bag hooks to the two walls. A ramped access has been constructed to the south.

To the front of the building is a sunken garden with a central raised water feature and mature plantings in raised beds. The cement pavers have been interspersed with red pavers with past students and teachers names engraved into the surface.
Former toilet block is located immediately south of Heritage Building 2 and adjacent to the Grove. The building has been adapted for storage use and the south door has been blocked up with brick. The louvered windows to both the west and east elevations remain extant. The building is of similar construction method to the other brick buildings on site and dates from the mid-20th century. The building is a simple rectangular shape with high level openings positioned directly under the eaves. A bank of three openings is positioned within the gable of the south elevation. The gabled roof is clad with corrugated iron with overhanging open eaves to all elevations.

The grounds provide for a combination of hard courts and grassed sports grounds surrounded by mature trees and plantings. A ‘grove’ was constructed to the south of Heritage Building 3 in 2012 planted with a variety of fruit trees and a memorial to Miss Minna Lipfert, ‘A zealous Rosalie teacher’ 1928-1959. The garden or the brick building immediately to the south have no heritage value.

The remaining buildings on the site are all late 20th century or early 21st century structures which do not demonstrate any heritage value but collectively add to the Rosalie Primary School complex and provide a setting and context for the heritage buildings.

History

The Rosalie Primary School was built in 1906 following a deputation to the Education Department from local parents. The area at this time was known as West Subiaco and the local park on which the school was located, ‘Rosalie Park’, was named in honour of Lady Rosa Roberta Onslow the wife of Sir Alexander Campbell Onslow, Chief Justice of the Colony from 1895 to 1901.

The original two roomed brick school and teacher’s quarters were built by contractor J. Lake for £1154/19/1 and designed by the Public Works Department of Western Australia. Initial improvements at the site included gravelling of the playground, planting trees, laying footpaths and the erection of fences. The teacher’s quarters were located on the south east corner of Derby and Onslow Roads.

The school opened on 15 October 1906 with head teacher John Blair and a total enrolment of 67 children. Mrs Ada Wood was appointed as assistant teacher for the school. Enrolments steadily increased over the next few years and classes were held in the shelter shed, the headmaster’s house and an adjacent hall until two new timber pavilion classrooms with canvas shutters were built in early 1914. By 1918, numbers had increased to 230 and it was necessary to relocate the more senior classes to Subiaco Primary School.
Enrolments continued to rise in the 1920s peaking at 618 in the mid-1920s. Additions to the school occurred rapidly through the period with new classrooms added in 1920, 1921, 1922, two in 1928, 1930, 1932 and a new pavilion in 1933. These rooms were constructed in an ‘L’ shaped formation around the central quadrangle of the school and provide the bulk of the original school buildings. This assessment has not determined which are the original 1906 classrooms.

During the 1920s, the school grounds were cleared of scrub leaving the larger native trees for shade. New trees were regularly added to the site and the children were encouraged to develop small gardens. Two lunch sheds and a wood shed also occupied the site and rudimentary corrugated iron structures with pan toilets were provided as toilets for the children. Bitumen was laid for playgrounds.

In 1932, with the provision of sewerage to the district a latrine block was constructed at the school.

In 1935, the school installed the first public address system at a school in Western Australia as a result of the voluntary work of former student Albert Gibbs.

During World War II trenches were dug on the grounds and regular drills were held for the staff and students. In 1944, as a celebration of Arbour Day, nine eucalypts were planted at the rear of the school grounds. The following year to mark the occasion and as a celebration of the end of the war almost 20 more assorted exotic trees were planted.
In 1951, a flagpole was erected in celebration of fifty years of federation in Australia and in the same year a playing field was cleared at the rear of the school property.

In 1954, the school held its inaugural meeting of the Parents and Citizens Association (P & C) and the group donated several items to the school and organised the first school fete.

In 1955, the school grounds were improved by the levelling of a new sports area and the resurfacing of the school yard.

In 1956, a slight decline in enrolments enabled one of the former pavilion classrooms to be permanently used as a craft centre.

In 1957, the P & C constructed a small brick and tile storage shed and provided furnishings for the staff room. Deliveries to the shed were made possible with the construction of a new gateway on Onslow Road. In the following year the P & C provided new bike sheds to the school and contributed to ground improvements.

In 1959, a plaque and a memorial grove of trees were planted on the school grounds in honour of former teacher of 30 years Miss Minna Lipfert.

In 1960, the verandahs were enclosed to dado height to provide some protection from the weather. The school grounds were also reticulated in this year as a result of the contributions of the P & C.
During the 1960s, several projects at the school were undertaken by the graduating class of Year 7 students. In 1961, a sunken garden was planted transforming a former rubbish dump near the school building. In 1962, this garden was extended and a pergola constructed adjacent. The project included six new garden seats donated by the P & C. The year 7’s of 1963, installed wrought iron gates at the Onslow Road entrance to the school. Subsequent Year 7 projects included; an ornamental rose garden (1964), a new flower bed (1965) and a memorial flagpole (1966).

In 1977, two classrooms were converted to enable their use as a library resource centre.

In 1980, the administration building was constructed to the west of the quadrangle.

In 1996, a new classroom wing was constructed The opening ceremony was performed by ex-Premier and former student Sir Charles Court.

In 2011, a pre-primary centre and a senior block consisting of four classrooms were constructed, funded by the Commonwealth Government Building Education Revolution programme. In the same year solar panels were installed on the roof of the Art Room and two new temporary classrooms were erected adjacent to Derby Road.

The last major works at the school were the resurfacing of the main assembly area with a durable synthetic surface in 2013 and the re-roofing of the heritage buildings. New trees have also been planted around this area.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity - High
Authenticity - Moderate to high. Alterations to the early structures have been made but the majority of original fabric remains extant.
Rarity/Representativeness - The place is not rare as an example of a metropolitan primary school that has developed over 100 years in response to the demands of the school community.
Rosalie Primary School represents a typical metropolitan school of the early 20th century which has been added to and altered as requirements and teaching methods have evolved.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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Last Update

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.