Bagot Court

Parent Place or Precinct

27310 Park Street Heritage Area

Statement of Significance

The place has cultural heritage significance:
• The place is a rare intact example of small scale flat developments undertaken in the Inter War period to provide accommodation for middle-class residents such as public servants, senior office workers, small business owners, skilled tradesmen and single/widowed women of private means.
• This place represents a phase in the history of Subiaco (and surrounding inner city areas) when alternative styles of accommodation were offered including purpose built flats.
• For its aesthetic value as a good representative example of the Inter War Stripped Classical style as applied to a simple block of flats and executed in brick and tile.
• For its association with the Inter War development of Subiaco which was shaped by the economic Depression.
• As an example of a small scale development by building company, in this circumstance the forerunner to the well known and still operating, Plunkett Homes.

Physical Description

• Inter-war two storey apartment block.
• Symmetrical façade consisting of four verandah/balconies, flanked by external staircases to the upper apartments and arched openings at ground floor level to the lower apartments.
• Rendered brick construction with face brick string course at lower level and painted brick string courses at the upper level.
• Hipped roof clad with terracotta tile.
• Timber framed sash windows arranged in pairs to each unit.
• “Bagot Court” extends across the façade along the balustrade to the upper level balconies, flanked. By decorative plaster mouldings.

History

During the Inter war period Subiaco experienced slow steady growth. Many of the timber workers homes began to be replaced, and brick homes were favoured and encouraged by the Subiaco Council. During the 1930s, the existing building stock was supplemented with development of Daglish, Jolimont and Shenton Park, particularly through schemes under the Workers Home Board.
In the response to a demand for affordable housing in the mid inter-war era, the development of self-contained flats commenced
in the Subiaco in the early 1930s - both as purpose built blocks and through the adaptation of some of the existing houses. Small blocks of flats began to appear in metropolitan Perth, many built by small scale developers and investors.
This block of four flats was built in 1933 by J.J. Plunkett, the family building business that was established in 1903, which continues in the home building market. John James Plunkett (1894-1981) and his brother Charles took over the family business in1933, following the death of their father, Thomas Plunkett. A building permit was granted for the construction of four flats in Bagot Road in August 1933 for £2500. In December, tenders were requested by J.J. Plunkett for the painting and electrical fit out of the flats.
The first two tenants of Bagot Road Flats were recorded in 1934; tailor Thomas B Coatham in Flat A, and Miss Amy Percy in Flat D who designated her occupation as home duties. The turnover of these flats was quite high until the cessation of the readily available Post Office Directories in 1949.
No other flats were identified along Bagot Road until 1939, when a block of 4 flats were listed at #21-23. During the mid-late 1930s there were a few other blocks of flats constructed in the suburb of Subiaco, but the main focus for this type of development was the southern ward of the local government area – near Stirling Highway and the newly developing University of Western Australia.
A plan of the site prepared in 1955 for the purpose of planning sewerage and water supply services shows an asbestos addition across the rear of the building, which is consistent with the current addition.
Aerial photographs of the place since the mid 20th century indicate that the place has not significantly changed in form or extent since that time.

Integrity/Authenticity

High: The original external detailing of the building is largely intact and the place has been well maintained.

Condition

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

Uses

Historic Themes

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.