Bridgetown Club

Statement of Significance

The Bridgetown Club (Fort Belvedere) is a distinctive example of an Inter-War Bungalow residence in Bridgetown; has historic value for its direct associations with Godfrey and Mary Hester; and social values for its continuous use as the Bridgetown Club since the mid-1940s. Aesthetic Value Both for its distinctive Inter-War Bungalow design, as well as a strong landmark of Bridgetown from the Inter-War era. Historic Value This place has historic values for its direct association with Godfrey Hester, a significant business and community member of Bridgetown and one of the earliest settlers of the district when he arrived with his parents as a baby in 1858. Social Value This place has social values as a private social club of Bridgetown, since at least 1946. Representativeness The Bridgetown Club is representative of a distinctive Inter-War bungalow, adapted internally for use as a social club with a bar.

Physical Description

Bridgetown Club has strong symmetrical lines, featuring a prominent central portico atop the stepped entrance, with a large semi-circular brick arch and a keystone of 5 soldier bricks. There is a boxed window bay on either side of the portico, each with 4 rectangular casement windows and a hipped roof. Much of the facade is cream rendered brick, contrasting with face brick detailing variously laid in stretcher, header and soldier courses. The latter includes a decorative plinth (up to the window sill height); the central arch; the lower half of the piers to the portico; and the surrounds to the rectangular window bays. The prominent asymmetrical hipped-gable roof features exposed rafters. This was originally clad with terracotta tiles, which were replaced with corrugated Zincalume in c.2000.

History

In 1858, Godfrey William Hester was approximately 1yr old when his mother and father, original Bridgetown settlers Edward and Theodosia Hester, moved the family to the virgin country to start a farm just north of where John Blechynden settled around the same time. He grew up on the farm, which they named Blackwood Park, where he was also home schooled. Godfrey left the family farm at 19yrs, working for John Hassell at ‘Winnegup’ Farm for a short while, then onto Bassendean, after which he went north for some time with his brother. He returned to Bridgetown about 8 years later, taking on shared management of Sir James Lee Steere’s property at Jayes with Lee Steere’s son, Edward. Here Godfrey met the local school teacher Mary Sweeting, whom he married. He came away from this venture with a good stock of sheep, buying Dalgarup Park to commence his own farm. Godfrey (as an Anglican Church Warden), his wife, Mary, and four of their children, then lived at the Anglican Rectory in Bridgetown while Godfrey built their Dalgarup homestead (constructed 1896/97)(R11). Sometime prior to 1898, Godfrey bought a parcel(s) of land in the centre of Bridgetown, a portion of which he later sold to the Railways for construction of the Station and yards. He also owned the land where the Freemasons Hotel (B9) now stands, and built and owned the premises which the WA Bank occupied and leased from him for some 30 years, (Local Heritage List No. 22 and B51 in LHS). The family moved to Claremont (Dalgarup Hall, Queenslea Drive) in c.1907, remaining there for some years for their children’s schooling. During this time Godfrey became a business partner in Hyem Hester & Co., Ltd, Auctioneers and Estate Agents, with an office in St George’s Terrace, Perth. In early 1916 they returned to Dalgarup Park, Hester Brook, and Godfrey became more active in rural and other business ventures in the district. In c.1919, Godfrey bought the adjoining farm Lilydale on Knights Hill, following the death of the former owner, William Knight. In c.1922, when Godfrey and Mary’s son, Evelyn, married and took over Dalgarup, they moved to Lilydale - replacing the timber home with a fine brick homestead which still stands today. In 1936 Godfrey and Mary had a new home built for themselves in Campbell Street, Bridgetown (now Pioneer Street) and in mid 1937 they retired to this, their final home, Fort Belvedere. Mary passed away in February 1945, and Godfrey 6 months later. An online article in the Donnybrook Bridgetown Manjimup Mail, April 4 2016 “70th Anniversary for Bridgetown Club”, quotes “The Bridgetown Club was bequeathed to the community by Godfrey and Mary Hester when it was known as Fort Belvedere,” On May 11, 1946, Fort Belvedere was established as the Bridgetown Club. In a newspaper report re the Bridgetown Club (under the continued presidency of G E Warburton) ( Blackwood Times 27 August 1948 p 1) it was stated that “steps are to be taken to purchase the present club building”. It was incorporated as a Social Club under the Associations Incorporation Act in late 1948. The Bridgetown Club continues today, with membership open to both men and women. The tradition of gentlemen’s clubs commenced in WA with the establishment of the Weld Club in Perth in 1871, with the first known regional club being established in Albany in 1890. The readily available evidence suggests that gentlemen’s clubs subsequently became relatively common in regional centres (variously occupying adapted and purpose built premises). In the Bridgetown district the Greenbushes Club (G7) had been established in as early as 1894.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity Moderate The Bridgetown Club has essentially only had two uses. The first being as a home for Godfrey and Mary Hester; the second, longterm, use as the Bridgetown Club. Authenticity High to Moderate Externally the only major change to the façade is replacement of the tiled roof in Zincalume. Despite internal changes in creating an open bar space in the front of the house, many original features exist as does the overall character.

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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