House, 103 Kenny Street

Statement of Significance

• This place has aesthetic value as an excellent demonstration of the Inter War style.
• The place has historic value for its association with the development of this area of Bassendean in the Inter War period.
• This place has social value as the house demonstrates the form and scale of housing for working families in the inter war period.

Physical Description

Single storey tuckpointed brick and iron house of traditional asymmetric plan form incorporating a projecting bay to the façade and small additions to the side elevations, both of which are set back behind the predominant building line. The roof is hipped, extending down at the same pitch to form the verandah canopy across the recessed section of the façade which is supported on turned timber posts with decorative brackets and frieze. The
windows to the projecting bay are protected by a skillion corrugated canopy supported on timber brackets. The windows are timber framed 1-over-1 sash windows with painted concrete sills. The main entrance incorporates a timber and glass panelled door with timber panelled and glass side lights and fanlights. A further door is located to the northern edge of the façade. The house is positioned behind a lawned garden with mature planting and enclosed with hedging.

History

This portion of Bassendean was subdivided by a group of investors in the early 1900s under the promotional name of 'Tanner's Estate' or the 'Tanner's Extension Estate'. The group of investors included some of the most well-known members of colonial society: S.H. Parker, G.H. Leake, H. Anstey, Dr D. Kenny, J. James, J. Grave, H.E. Parry, Dr J. Hope and W. Paterson. Three of these men; Parker, Leake and Paterson; were at various times members of parliament. Kenny Street was named after Dr Daniel Kenny (1860-1915), born in Ireland
and trained as a medical doctor at Trinity College; he achieved several prominent postings in medical, political and business life in Western Australia. The street began to be settled in the 1910s with most intense development in the Inter War period. From the available information this residence was built c1921 for Edward Ripper Keen (c1869-1952) and his wife Louisa Keen (c1868-1946). Edward Keen was a car builder with the West Australian Government
Railways and mostly probably worked at the Midland Railway Workshops. The couple had seven children and lived at this residence until their deaths, Louisa in 1946 and Edward in 1952. The residence was extensively renovated in the late 1990s from a simple square form it was extended at the rear to create an 'L' shape envelope and verandahs were added. The roof appears to have originally been clad in red corrugated iron.

Integrity/Authenticity

High
Moderate

Condition

Excellent

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.