House

Statement of Significance

The place has cultural heritage significance for the City of Subiaco: • For its landmark qualities as part of a ‘traditional’ entry statement to Subiaco, which includes the former Subiaco Oval gates on the north-east corner of Roberts and Townshend Road; parkland on the north-west corner; a large 1904 Federation Queen Anne villa on the south-west corner (‘Stranraer’, 285 Roberts Road); and the smaller, but still prominent, Federation Queen Anne villa on the south-east corner (283 Roberts Road). • As an example of one of the more substantial brick villas built in Subiaco at the turn of the century, a period in which Subiaco was developing its character as a newly established suburb. • As a representative example of the many 4-5 room brick homes which were built in Subiaco during the first quarter of the century to meet the needs and aspirations of middle-class owner/occupiers such as public servants, senior office workers, small business owners and skilled tradesmen.

Physical Description

Architectural style 283 Roberts Road features detailing derived from the Federation Queen Anne style. It was designed to a scale and form generally considered suitable for occupiers such as professional and business people, senior office workers, and skilled tradesmen. Plan form at the street frontage • Asymmetrical main façade, designed to address both street frontages, with a verandah wrapping around the north-west corner to abut a prominent bay window on each frontage. Roof form, materials and details • Gable-hipped roof, with a prominent gable to each street façade. • Corrugated metal roof sheeting. • Flush panel finish to the face of the north gable, finished with original, scribed vertical timber battens. • Flush panel finish to the face of the west gable, finished with slimline join covers only. • Enclosed eaves over the verandah supported on small, curved eaves brackets. • Enclosed eaves to the projecting gables supported by large, curved timber brackets, • Two painted brick chimneys with topped by painted terracotta pots. • Ornate metal finial set slightly back from the face of each gable. Wall materials and finishes to the main facade • Tuck-pointed brick walls • Rendered, projecting brick course at the base of the eaves brackets. • Decorative shaped eaves panel to each of the projecting bays. • Two rendered string courses, one at window sill height and the other at door head height. • Tapered, rendered ‘lintel’ panels over the windows and doors. • Decorative rendered window sills. Verandah detailing • Raked verandah roof. • Roughcast rendered masonry balustrade. • Robust square timber posts. • Shallow wrought iron lace frieze. Note: the detailing of the verandah is not typical of houses of this period and style and it appears to have been fully replaced over time. Other detailing to main facade • Main entrance abutting the projecting wing on the northern facade. This features a traditional style five panel door with stained glass to the top panel; traditional moulded timber architraves, stained glass highlights and sidelights. • Modern French doors opening onto the verandah along the western façade. • Double hung windows. Streetscape setting • House set back approximately 3m from the Townshend Road frontage and about 900mm from the Roberts Road frontage. • Current strata lot size approximately 14.7m x 25m. • Front yard enclosed by a high brick fence to both street frontages. • The house is a prominent corner element in views when approaching from the north along Haydn Bunton Drive. • Land on the eastern and southern side of the house has been redeveloped with modern townhouses, which has reduced its traditional spacious setting.

History

On 13 March 1883, the Western Australian government announced it would survey a section of the Perth Commonage into large suburban lots and that these would be made available for private sale. By 1891 the Catholic Church had acquired a large area of land between Broome Road (later renamed Hay Street) and Mueller Road (later renamed Roberts Road), which was then subdivided as Deposited Plan 300. This included Perth Suburban Lots 190 to 196 and was laid out as Sections A to K, each of which was bounded by surveyed streets and subdivided into building lots. Lots 1-3 of Section F, which were located at the south-east corner of Mueller and Townshend Roads, were later developed with two houses, known as 283 Mueller Road and 10/12 Townshend Road. The first known occupants of this property were Charles and Delia Dallimore. Charles John Dallimore (c.1862-1937) and Delia ‘Bridget’ Kierse (c.1862-1940) were married in Perth in 1895 and had three sons: Charles John (born at Subiaco, c.1897); John William (Subiaco, c.1899) and George Henry (Subiaco, c.1904). Charles, snr, worked as a builder/contractor, but does not appear to have been particularly prominent, with later newspaper notices recording successful tenders for relatively modest public works. In the Post Office Directories, Charles Dallimore was listed as a resident of Mueller Road in 1897-1898, and of Townshend Road in 1899-1900. More detailed entries in the Post Office Directories in 1901-1905 indicate that the family were living in the immediate vicinity of #283 during that period. Dallimore was more specifically listed as the primary occupant of 283 Mueller Road in 1906 (which was the first year that street numbers were included for Subiaco in the Post Office Directories). However, in c.1907-1915 the family appears to have rented the villa to others and lived in the adjacent weatherboard cottage at 10/12 Townshend Road. By 1916, Charles Dallimore, contractor, was once again listed as the primary occupant of 283 Mueller Road (which was renamed as Roberts Road at around that time). Charles and Bridget then remained here for the rest of their lives. Note: At different times in the 1920s and 1930s, the occupants of the weatherboard house at 12 Townshend Road included two of Charles and Bridget’s sons, John and George. Historical aerial photographs show that Lots 1-6 of Section F were amalgamated and redeveloped in c.1989-1995. This work included the demolition of houses at 12 Townshend Road, 277 Roberts Road and 279 Roberts Road, and the construction of 10 new townhouses. The original corner house (283 Roberts Road) was retained on a smaller strata lot. 283 Roberts Road was included in the City of Subiaco Local Heritage Survey on 4 February 2003.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity - High: The place has continued to be occupied as private residence. Authenticity - Medium: The general external form and materials of the house appear to be largely intact and/or sympathetically restored. However, the prominent corner verandah appears to have been replaced in a style that is not fully consistent with the period and style of the house. Note: the setting has been modified by the construction of a high courtyard walls along the street frontages and the redevelopment of the former rear and side yards with townhouses.

Condition

Good: based on a streetscape inspection the place appears to be well-maintained and in good condition.

Uses

Creation Date

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