Padbury's Buildings, Bassendean

Values

The place is a good example of a local branch store associated with a notable Western Australian merchant and grocery business, Padbury Stores Ltd.
The place is a good representative example of a medium sized Federation Free Classical style commercial building.
The place was established by William Padbury, a prominent Guilford resident of the Federation period, nephew of the notable nineteenth century entrepreneur Walter Padbury.
The place has provided for the day-to-day needs of the local population since its establishment, through the provision of mixed commercial amenities in close proximity to a railway station.
The place is an important Bassendean landmark, situated opposite the Bassendean railway station, and a prominent aspect of the Old Perth Road commercial centre.

Physical Description

A painted brick building in two sections, with modern awnings and ground floor shop fronts. It features a parapet concealing a corrugated iron roof. The main two-storey building is asymmetrical because of an additional bay to the east. The single storey building to the east mimics the curved parapet of the larger building. The parapets are designed around a circular central recess.

History

Bassendean, located 10km north-east of Perth, was originally named West Guildford. During the early years of settlement, the West Guildford area attracted more investors than settlers, with the exception of only a few residents and farmers who lived and worked in the area. By the mid 1840s, West Guildford was declining in growth and development owing to the large amount of absentee landlords. In 1871, West Guildford fell under the municipality of the Town of Guildford. In 1897, the Bayswater Road Board assumed responsibility for West Guildford and, in July 1901, the West Guildford Road Board was officially gazetted. In 1922, the West Guildford Road Board changed its name from West Guildford to Bassendean, to reflect West Guildford’s residents’ perception of ‘superiority’ to Guildford. In July 1922, the name Bassendean was officially gazetted. The Padbury Building’s were built in 1918 by William Padbury, (nephew of Walter Padbury) a successful businessman, ship owner, pastoralist, politician and philanthropist throughout his life in the district. Walter Padbury’s story is told by John Nairn in Walter Padbury: His Life and Times. He was born in Oxfordshire, England, in 1820, and travelled to Western Australia with his father, Thomas Padbury on board the small barque, Protector at nine years of age. His father died shortly after their arrival, leaving the boy with a small bag of gold which was reputedly stolen by a couple that had travelled with him to Australia on the Protector. Over the years Walter demonstrated his resourcefulness in many different business endeavours including shepherding, droving, commerce and politics. Walter Padbury represented Swan River in the Legislative Council from 1872 to 1878. He became chairman of the Guildford Municipal Council in 1884, and in 1887 was the first Mayor. He dedicated much of his time and resources to the Church of England and numerous other charitable institutions. His marriage to Charlotte Nairn did not produce any children, but he was heavily involved in child welfare and orphanages. In later years many migrants from England were given a free passage to Western Australia on board his sailing ship, Charlotte Padbury. He died in 1907 at the age of eighty-six and is remembered as one of the colony’s most successful pioneers. His nephew William was also an influential figure in the development of Western Australia. He was born in England in 1867. He attended Charlbury Grammar School until he was thirteen when he was apprenticed to grocer Joe Bowl for four years. He remained working in London for a further eight years after completing his apprenticeship. He arrived in Western Australia with his father sometime in the early 1890’s. His uncle sent him to Guildford to help John Allpike run the Padbury, Loton & Co store, which Allpike had purchased some years earlier. After two years, William bought the store from John Allpike and renamed the place William Padbury’s Colonial Store, selling drapery, grocery, hardware and locally made furniture. He developed and extended the place considerably during his ownership. William married Evelyn Mary Wellman in 1897. When Walter Padbury built Peerless Roller Four Mills at Guildford, William managed the business and acquired it on Walter’s death in 1905. In addition to his involvement in the Colonial General Store and the Flour Mill, William Padbury was also involved in stock breeding on various properties that he acquired over the years. Similarly to his uncle, William Padbury was heavily involved in public affairs. He was a Justice of Peace, member of the Guildford Municipal Council, Rector’s Warden at Guildford, and held office in numerous agricultural and business societies and organizations, including the Royal Agricultural Society and the Swan Agricultural and Horticultural Society. He was a founding member of the Bassendean Improvement Committee. Padbury Court, Place and Way were named in honour of William Padbury. William acquired ‘Garden Hill’ in 1918, an affluent residence with tennis courts, boatsheds, and bathing sheds in the grounds. He often hosted music and dancing occasions in the ballroom, which was located in a separate building and had a magnificent jarrah floor made by local timber firm, Douglas Jones. This place was listed on the State Register of Heritage Places on a permanent basis in 1998 (St Charles Seminary P2477). Padbury Stores Ltd began to establish branches outside Guildford. In 1920, the first year that the West Guildford store was listed in the Post Office Directories, Padbury Stores advertised as ‘merchants, importers, ironmongers, drapers & grocers’, with the main store in Terrace Road Guildford, a furniture warehouse in Swan Street Guildford, and branches in Moora, Midland Junction, West Guildford and Hay Street Perth. William Padbury was noted as the managing director, but he continued to reside in Guildford within walking distance of the Guildford Store, and it is likely that the Bassendean Branch was operated by a local manager. It is not known when the place ceased to operate as ‘Padbury’s Store’. The place now includes a Pharmancy as the main ground-floor business. The original shop windows have been lost at street level to the two-storey section, and probably also the single-storey section. The alignment of the doorways suggests entrances have been retained, although door hardware is unlikely to be original.

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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