House

Parent Place or Precinct

27310 Park Street Heritage Area

Statement of Significance

The place has cultural heritage significance:
• As a good representative example of the standard of modest rental accommodation built for people such as tradesmen, junior employees, labourers and single women/widows in Subiaco during the early twentieth century.
• As a good representative example of the application of materials and detailing which were derived from the Victorian Georgian style, but which were applied in a more restrained manner for investment properties.
• For its association with the rapid development of Subiaco in the early 20th century.
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
91 Townshend Road was designed as simple weatherboard cottage and does not represent any of the major architectural styles. It was designed to a scale and form generally considered suitable for occupiers such as office workers, retail employees and both skilled and unskilled tradesmen.
Plan form at the street frontage
• Symmetrical façade, featuring a central entrance door, flanked by windows to each of the front rooms.
Roof form and materials
• Hipped roof clad with corrugated metal sheeting.
• Separate hipped-bullnose verandah roof.
• Two rendered brick chimneys.
Wall materials and finishes to the main facade
• Square-edged weatherboards.
Other detailing to main facade
• Centrally located 6-panel entrance door, with a highlight and narrow textured glass sidelights.
• Triple double-hung window to each of the front rooms, each featuring a wide central sash flanked by narrow sashes.
• Verandah detailed with chamfered square timber posts and carved timber brackets.
Streetscape setting
• House set back approximately 2.8m from the Townshend Road frontage.
• Approximately 1m setback from the northern boundary and zero setback to the southern boundary.
• Lot width approximately 10.6.
• Front yard enclosed by a scalloped picket 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; 92 in 1915, 94 in 1920 and 103 by 1925. Development then stabilised, with 106 houses and 1 block of flats identified in 1949.
Perth Suburban Lots 205-207 were subdivided as Deposited Plan 1088 and advertised for sale from around April 1895. This subdivision, known as the Berrybrow Estate, comprised 106 lots of which Lot 82 was later developed as 91 Townshend Road.
A house had been built on this site by 1903, when the Rate Books recorded the owner as C J Coode and the occupant as Mrs G Green. Georgina Easton Thompson (c.1860-1955) had married Michael Green in Victoria in c.1878 they had at least 5 children in the period c.1880-1890: Christina Victoria (Chrissie)(c.1880-1899); William Davis (Charlie/Will)(c.1882-1939); Catherine May (Katie)(c.1884-1960); Uriah (Hugh) (c.1887-1951); and Claribel Maude (Clarrie)(c.1890-1968). Based on information in William’s obituary it seems that Georgina had been widowed prior to c.1899, when she moved to Western Australia with her 4 younger children.
In the Electoral Rolls of 1917, the residents of this modest cottage were listed as Georgina (widow), William (carter), Hugh (tuck pointer) and Claribel (boot machinist). The cottage was also being shared by William Hanson Ford (c.1866-1939) (plasterer) and his two children, Winifred Blanch (‘Winnie’) (domestic) (c.1893-1930) and Ira Samuel (labourer)(c.1900-1971). Later newspaper notices described William Ford (who appears to have lived here from the early twentieth century) as a “lifelong friend of Mrs Green and family”, while Winifred and Ira were described as her foster children.
Claribel moved away after her marriage in 1920, but Georgina Green, her sons William and Uriah, William Ford and his daughter, Winifred, all remained here for most (if not all) of the rest of their lives. Ira also lived here for much of the time prior to his marriage in 1953.
An analysis of the historical Metropolitan Sewerage Plan and historical aerial photographs indicates that the roof was re-clad in c.1995-2000 and rear additions were constructed in c.2002-2003. The extent and form of the original residence are still clearly evident.
91 Townshend Road was adopted on the City of Subiaco Local Heritage Survey in 2003. It has been assessed as level 3 (contributes to the heritage of the City of Subiaco).

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity - High: The place continues to be used as a private residence.
Authenticity - High: The original external form and detailing of the original building is largely intact

Condition

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

Uses

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

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.