Wheeldon's Cottage (fmr)

Statement of Significance

Wheeldons’ Cottage has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons: The place was built for Henry Prior The place was the home for almost 50 years of well-known Albany residents Walter and Anne Wheeldon who arrived in Albany in 1895 and lived in this residence from c1920 until their deaths Anne (1944) and Walter (1954). Walter Wheeldon was a local business identity as an auctioneer, land agent and also served for long periods on many local organisations including the Albany Racing Club who named a race in his honour “Walter Wheeldon Cup”. The place is one of the oldest residences in Aberdeen Street, the original residence having been built c1860 and c1886-1889. The place is a significant as part of a group of historic houses/buildings in Aberdeen Street that have heritage value both individually and as part of a streetscape, comprising a complimentary mix of residential and institutional buildings many of which were converted very early to commercial use to form an important commercial business district of the historic townsite.

Physical Description

Some of the notable features of this place include: • High streetscape value • Larger scale than surrounding houses • Asymmetrical facade • Prominent projecting wing • Hipped roof on main house, with bull nosed verandah roof Some obvious modifications include: • Addition to the rear and internal modifications for medical centre c2010 • External paint scheme

History

The place at 96 Aberdeen Street was built on original Town Lot 132, on later Part-Lot 2. In June 1886, a notice appeared in the Albany Mail that Henry Prior, of Albany, householder, made an application for Town Lot 132 Aberdeen Street. Prior owned several other parcels of land in the Albany townsite including the adjoining Lot 133 (No. 78-84 Aberdeen St). The 1890 rate book entry shows Lot 132 as still owned by Henry Prior, teamster, and there is a house in which he was recorded as being the resident. This is the house at 96 Aberdeen Street (Wheeldon’s Cottage) as the Lot was later divided into three sub or part lots. A panorama dated c1900 of Albany shows only the house at 96 Aberdeen Street present on Lot 132. One source of information (1994 Heritage Data Base - Town of Albany) lists the construction date for Wheeldon’s Cottage as the 1860s and built from shell. The present building is either a later construction and built by Prior c1886-1890 or Prior may have retained and built around the original shell cottage. The 1908 Rate Book indicates Prior is now deceased and the Lot is owned by Henry Prior Executors and the tenant of the house is John Pearce, blacksmith. However, Mrs Prior was still recorded as living in Aberdeen Street but it may have been next door (No. 78-84). The 1917 Rate Book entry show Lot 132 now divided into three part or sub-lots: Part-Lot 2 (being 96 Aberdeen Street) is now owned by Harry Wiley with George Clark and John James (both labourers) as tenants; and Part-Lot 1 is owned by R B Merrifield and a house is recorded but as a later entry indicating it may have just been built. The tenant was Mr William Bishop snr. This would be the house at 88 Aberdeen Street. Part-Lot 3 (now being 86 Aberdeen Street) was owned by Charles Long and noted as land only. Harry Wiley was a multi-skilled contractor. He was a builder, advertising that he builds workers’ homes, bungalows, cottages in brick or wood, as well as being a painter, decorator and paperhanger. He was also known for landscaping projects. In 1924 he was the contractor for the recreation reserve on Ulster Road. The 1921 Rate Book entry still shows Lot 132 Part-Lot 2 as owned by Wiley with E. W. Hill as the tenant. However, there is an additional entry above Wiley’s name being W. Wheeldon, who also was noted as tenanting the house. This indicates that Walter Wheeldon purchased the Lot in 1921. The house became known as Wheeldon’s Cottage, and the Wheeldon family lived there from 1921 and up until 1954. Walter Wheeldon came to Albany with his wife Anne (nee McMurray) in 1895 to take up an appointment as manager of Hunt Corry & Co drapers. The Wheeldons had previously lived in Tasmania where Walter worked as a share broker and storekeeper. He and Anne married in 1883 and had two sons and a daughter, Murray, Cuthbert (Bert) and Viola (Vi). Bert Wheeldon was killed in 1918 serving in World War I. In 1908 the local newspapers reported that Wheeldon and his family were leaving Albany for Bunbury where Walter had purchased a newsagency. However, they either didn’t end up moving to Bunbury or returned to Albany again after only a short period. In 1914 Walter took over the auctioneering and commission business of John Moir in Frederick St (Moir’s Warehouse). He also had auctioneering premises on York Street. Wheeldon became a very well-known identity in Albany as an auctioneer, land agent and valuator, and sold a broad range of items including houses, buildings, land, goods and effects, furniture, cattle, chaff and wheat. Walter also gave his time to public affairs and the local community. Not long arriving in Albany he established a close association with St John’s Church becoming an officer of the Church as well as serving as church warden to the Rector for many years. He was one the Albany Shows longest serving members, having become President in 1902. Wheeldon was also a pivotal member of the Albany Racing Club having served on the committee and in 1941, after 40 years of service to the club, was made a life member. A special race, the “Walter Wheeldon Plate”, was named in his honour. In 1942 he was appointed by the War Damage Commission as officially assessor in Albany under the National Security Act. In 1944, Anne Wheeldon passed away. Around the time of Anne’s death, Wheeldon retired and his auctioneering business was acquired by F. Lloyd Williams. Walter was still living in his Aberdeen St house when he passed away in 1954 at the age of 95. After World War II, the residence was believed to be converted into three flats to provide additional housing at a time of housing shortages. In 1994 the building was remodelled internally to professional offices then c2010 it underwent further alterations and additions as the Aberdeen Medical Centre.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High Authenticity: High/Moderate

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update