House

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. • For its association with the rapid development of Subiaco in the early 20th century and the small scale development by local builders.

Physical Description

• Traditional asymmetric single storey house of Federation Queen Anne style. • Brick construction with tuckpoint finish and rendered bands. • Gable with timbered detailing. • Hipped roof with vented gablets and gable to the projecting wing. • Timber casement windows arranged in group of three to the projecting wing and 1-over-1 sash window to the recessed section of the façade. Both windows have moulded sills. The window to the projecting wing has a skillion canopy above. • Bullnose verandah across the recessed section of the elevation with a return along the eastern elevation. • All roofing cladding is replacement corrugated cladding. • The small front garden is enclosed by a timber picket fence.

History

Subiaco's population increased significantly in the 1890s due to an economic depression in the eastern states and the discovery of gold in Western Australia. In the late 1890s, property developers bought large landholdings for subdivision in the Perth metropolitan area. The subdivisions were generally simple grid pattern developments with small lots for occupancy by working families. Subiaco was a popular and logical location for development and the increase in population and demand for services led to the proclamation of Subiaco as a municipality in 1897. This area of Hamersley Road was part of a large subdivision approved for residential lots in 1891. It was not until the early 1900s that development accelerated in the vicinity. The Post Office Directories record shopkeeper Oswald Maurice Everard Wearne and his wife Jessie Florence at 94 Hamersley Road in 1916, the numbering changed later to 90 Hamersley Road. It is therefore proposed this residence was built in 1915, no detail of the builder or architect has been found in this research. The couple appear to have been keen gardeners as in 1918 the house won second prize in the Subiaco Horticultural Society Cottage Garden Competition for 1917/18. In 1925, a son was born to the couple and not long after the family relocated. Subsequent occupants turned over rapidly until the mid 1930s when Henry Joseph Laker, a fibrous plasterer, and his wife Iris settled in the house and lived there until the mid 1950s. A plan of the lot prepared in 1927 and reviewed in 1955 for the purpose of planning sewerage and water supply services shows that the footprint of the residence has almost doubled in size since then through the construction of a large addition across the rear of the residence which removed a rear verandah. Aerial photographs of the place since the mid 20th century indicate that the new addition occurred in 2018. Prior to that, in 2014. the original tiled roof was replaced with corrugated metal sheeting. The form and extent of the original residence is still readily apparent.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity - High: The places all continue to be used as a private residences. Authenticity - High: The original external form and detailing of the building is largely intact.

Condition

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

Uses

Creation Date

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