House

Parent Place or Precinct

26002 Kershaw Street Heritage Area

Statement of Significance

The place has cultural heritage significance: • As a good representative example of the many 4-5 room brick homes which were built in Subiaco during the early twentieth century to meet the needs and aspirations of middle-class residents such as public servants, senior office workers, small business owners, skilled tradesmen and single/widowed women of private means. • As a good representative example of the application of materials and detailing which were derived from the Federation Queen Anne style, but which were applied in a more restrained manner that suited the budgets and expectations of the middle classes in Subiaco during the early twentieth century. • For its aesthetic contribution to a largely intact group of early twentieth century houses. The Kershaw Street Heritage Area is of cultural heritage significance within the City of Subiaco for the following reasons: • As an aesthetically pleasing streetscape with a strong heritage character, featuring a narrow avenue of mature street trees, which frame views of the largely intact Federation and early Inter-War vials. • For its retention of many good, representative examples of Federation Queen Anne villas (which collectively illustrate a gradual evolution in architectural detailing between 1904 and c.1918). • For the cohesive streetscape created by a limited palette of materials and styles. • As a representative collection of houses that illustrate the scale and standard of housing considered appropriate for the families of professional men, such as merchants, bankers and civil servants in the early twentieth century. • For the evidence it provides about the manner in which the residences of senior professional men and business owners existed side by side with the smaller residences of more junior employees in early twentieth century Subiaco. • For its association with the subdivision of this area by James Chesters, an investor from Melbourne, in 1892. In this context it also represents the status of Western Australia as a place of opportunity during the gold rush era of the late nineteenth century – attracting significant investment from the eastern states. • For its association with the efforts of James Chesters as a local land agent and property developer, following his move to Western Australia in 1905. • For its association with Joseph (Joe) Totterdell, who was responsible for the construction of many Subiaco houses (including some in Kershaw Street), and who, for a brief period (1916-17), lived at 25 Kershaw Street (one of his development properties).

Physical Description

11 Kershaw Street, Subiaco, was designed as a large, single storey Federation Queen Anne style villa. It has red, stretcher-bond, face-brick walls and a gabled-hipped, corrugated metal roof. The roof has gablet vents to either end of the ridgeline, a large gable end over the projecting wing to the main façade and a smaller gable over the entrance porch. Each of the gables has wide slatted eaves, a roughcast render face, vertical boarding, an elongated triangular baseboard, and a tall slender finial with a ball cap. The two face-brick chimneys each have a deep rendered cap with projecting moulding and a simple, plain rendered string-course. The main façade is asymmetrical, with a projecting wing offset from the southern end. The concrete verandah steps across the face of the building, with a small projecting entry porch over the steps. The verandah has a raked roof springing from a plain brick corbel below the eaves of the main roof. This is supported on turned timber posts and features curved brackets and an open, square-pattern valance. At the northern end, this verandah detailing has been extended across the face of a modern carport. The front walls are tuck-pointed with a plain rendered string-course at window sill height. In the small return at the southern end there is an oval shaped, stained-glass window. The other windows, to the projecting bay and to the north of the main entry, each have four casements, with arched heads, capped by a pair of rectangular highlights. Both of these openings have plain projecting sills within the string line. The main entrance door abuts the northern side of the projecting wing. It is a traditional six-panel door with side and highlights, all with stained glass panels. The house is set back approximately 6m from the street and the relatively spacious front garden features lawns, shrubs and small trees, behind a picket fence with ball-capped square posts. The original part of the façade retains a high level of original external detailing, although the carport extensions have modified the form of the building to some degree. Based on a streetscape inspection the building appears to be in good condition.

History

James Chesters, an investor from Melbourne, purchased Perth Suburban Lots 249 and 250 in 1891. In the following year he had this area laid out as a new residential estate (Deposited Plan 504), which included the creation of Lots 155 and 156 (11 Kershaw Street). Chesters sold Lots 155 and 156 to Andrew Brunton, Manager, Gordon & Gotch Pty Ltd, on 22 June 1906. The Brunton family built a new home here, named “Killawarra” and, based on the dates, this may have been designed by Hine and Selby, architects: TENDERS are Invited For the ERECTION Of BRICK VILLA RESIDENCE. Kershaw-street, Subiaco. Tenders to be sent by noon, Monday, 9th July … HINE and SELBY, Architects, Queen's Buildings. In 1910 Andrew Brunton moved to Victoria and the house was offered for sale: CHAS;. SOMMERS has been favoured with instructions from A.. Brunton, Esq.: (who is leaving for-the East), to SELL … All that fine block of land, being part lots 155 and 156 of 249 and 250, having a frontage of 64 feet to Kershaw-street, and good depth to a right-of-way, and upon which is erected the handsome brick Residence Killawarra, containing 5 spacious rooms, vestibule, kitchen, pantry, bathroom, laundry; copper, and troughs, electric light throughout, front and side lawns, graveled footpaths. Killawarra occupies a splendid position, high, and overlooking King's Park, within three minutes of Rokeby-road tram, and five minutes of Government offices, State school and Subiaco Gardens. In 1911 it was sold to Mrs Robert Stokeld for £780. Occupants of the property from its time of construction until 1949 included: 1907-1910 Andrew Brunton (Perth Manager, Gordon & Gotch Pty Ltd, c.1905-1910) (this was a major news-agency and publishing house of the era) 1911-1917 Robert Bland Stokeld (Brass Founder) 1918-1919 vacant 1920-1949 Albert Edward Cook (Railway Employee). In 1936 it was reported that Albert, who was the Chief Staff Clerk of the WA Government Railways, was the department’s longest serving employee, having joined the service in 1887. Information in the Electoral Rolls indicates that Albert lived at 11 Kershaw Street with his wife, Rebecca. Following Albert’s death in 1956, Rebecca Cook remained here until at least the early 1960s.

Integrity/Authenticity

The original portion of the main façade retains a high degree of authenticity and is a good example of one of the larger Federation Queen Anne houses built in James Chesters’ residential estate.

Condition

Good

Uses

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update