Jones House (fmr)

Statement of Significance

The place has historic value as a demonstration of community commitment to provide for a particular sector of the community.

The place has historic value for its association with former occupants of the land holdings, the Lewis family and the Jones family.

The former cottage has aesthetic value as a good and well maintained example of a cottage built in the early 20th century.

Physical Description

A small timber framed, weatherboard and iron cottage located within the Amaroo Retirement Village. Alterations have occurred to the place over time but the original design intent is still discernible.

The main elevation contains two stained leaded windows. One window is contained within a timber clad square bay, made up of four separate panes. The central two panes are clear glass casements whilst the two external panes are leaded panes with stained glass patterning merging into the fan lights above and continuing the pattern across the full width of the opening. The adjacent window is flush to the elevation with three casement openings, each with leaded lights and stained glass patterning. These windows are contained within an asymmetric elevation with verandah across the full extent. The verandah canopy is the continuation of the main roof, supported on slender timber posts with carved timber brackets.

The return elevation contains a further three-light stained and leaded window arrangement with a very shallow pitched awning/canopy above. Non-original double timber and glass doors have been inserted just beyond the window with ramped access into the building. Other windows around the building contain plain glass or louvers in a variety of sizes.

The roof is gabled with a broken pitch verandah canopy to the rear and continuous verandah canopy to the front.

Internally remnant original features remain extant including pressed metal ceilings, floor boards, ceiling roses and fire places.

Amaroo Retirement Village is a substantial complex located on the south western side of Dorothy Street behind high brick walls. The complex consists of a variety of detached and semi-detached units of predominantly brick and tile construction although some of the older buildings have fibro cement sheet cladding (i.e. the maintenance office). The units are positioned within a landscaped setting, each unit having access to a small garden. Central facilities in the form of a Memorial Garden and Community Centre are located on site.

The first units were constructed in the 1960s and the village has continued to expand and develop but the architectural nature of the units and other buildings on the site has remained similar, with small scale brick units set within a green environment. The complex is extensive and enclosed by Stalker Road, Dorothy Street, Eudoria Street and Terrence Street.

History

William Jones (1860-1953) and his wife lived in the cottage on this site from c.1912 until the 1970s. William operated a printing business from this site from 1932 until the 1960s. William Jones began his printing apprenticeship aged 13 and worked in a variety of locations in Australia. In 1912, he settled in Gosnells with his wife, Winifred and commuted to his printing works Jones's Printery which he established in the city. In c.1932, he established a printing works "Gosnells Printery" in the backyard of his property and worked there until his retirement.

In 1970, the owner and occupant of the house, public servant Miss Winifred Jones, was about to retire and the Amaroo Village needed to expand. The property was acquired for use as independent living units under the name of Amaroo Care Services (known as Amaroo Village). Miss Jones eventually became a resident of Amaroo. Her weatherboard house, known by residents as the 'white house', housed live-in caretaker Jack Shepherdson, as well as providing a meeting place for the Amaroo Committee and a venue for activities organised by the residents' social club. Picture evenings, bingo nights, dancing, birthday parties, afternoon teas and Christmas parties were held there for a number of years until the Village outgrew the facility

Amaroo Care Services was founded in the late 1960s in response to concerns about the lack of suitable residential accommodation for seniors in the Gosnells district. The name 'Amaroo' was suggested by Lucy Wilkinson, a founding committee member. It is an Aboriginal term meaning 'beautiful resting place'. Amaroo was developed by a local Committee of residents with the assistance of the Gosnells Shire and many local organisations and groups in fund raising and practical assistance. Units were available for purchase, but some rental units were also provided for those who could not fund their own unit, and government subsidies provided further finance. Planning meetings by the committee were held in the former Jones House.

The first development provided eighteen independent living units built by Clifton Building Company and was officially opened on 26 September 1971. Expansion was ongoing as more property was acquired including the former Jones family residence at 61 Dorothy Street with associated land. The last occupant of this home, Winifred Jones, became a resident of Amaroo. The Jones House, or 'White House', was used as a social centre and meeting venue for the residents. The house continues to be used [2016] as a ‘Wellness Centre’.

By the later 1970s, it was clear that a care facility was required but it was 1980 before a government grant provided the necessary funding for the thirty six bed low-care Buckley Caring Centre at 60 Stalker Road, which was officially opened on 11 September 1982. By November 1983, Amaroo had provided one hundred independent living units.

When committee president and Gosnells businesswoman Nancye Jones (no relation to Winifred Jones) died in a car accident, the new community centre opened in 1987 was named for her. It was located beside the former Jones' House, which had become too small for use as a social centre for the growing village. In 1993, funding was finally acquired for the construction of a high-care nursing home. Two blocks in Lissiman Street owned by the Lewis family were acquired and the forty-bed nursing home, the McMahon Caring Centre, 64 Lissiman Street, was opened in 1994.

Renovations were undertaken on the building after the Kenwick Rotary Club sought a grant. The City of Gosnells supervised the restoration. Work was done to the park by Work for the Dole participants which included the Dorothy Gay memorial rose garden. A gazebo was also included in the garden which was funded by the Kenwick Rotary Club.

Due to the demand for the independent living units another village has been situated on Astley Street overlooking the river, and there are further units between Terence Street and Hicks Street, close to the administration block in the main village.

Amaroo Care Services is a community-based organisation, now run by an honorary Board of Directors. The organisation relies heavily on community sponsorship to provide additional services to residents.

Integrity/Authenticity

INTEGRITY High degree
AUTHENTICITY High: incremental development

Condition

Good

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.