Jack Mann Oval

Statement of Significance

Jack Mann Oval as a whole has moderate aesthetic value as an open space partially surrounded by mature trees; Jack Mann Oval is valued by the community for the social and cultural associations it has with various sporting groups over the years; and The Oval is associated with Jack Mann, who was the former President of the Middle Swan Cricket Club and a senior winemaker at Houghton. It is also associated with the Viveash family an old and widely respected family of the Swan district area.

Physical Description

Jack Mann Oval comprises 7.0576 hectares at the corner of Great Northern Highway and Bishop Road. Access to the oval is from Bishop Road where vehicles can turn into a car park along the southern side of the oval. To the west of the car park is Ferguson Pavilion, opened in 2010. The Pavilion is a single storey gable roof structure clad in bright blue and orange square wall panels. The oval itself is grassed and has a low chain link perimeter fence along the north and western boundaries. At the time of inspection, the oval was set up for soccer games, with goal nets set up. The perimeter of the oval is lined with mature trees.

History

In 1902, five Acres of land was donated for this recreational area by the late Mr S. H Viveash. It is believed Mr Viveash made this generous gesture in memory of his son Frank Viveash and his love for playing cricket. Unfortunately Frank died in 1894, at the age of 15, whilst playing cricket. In 1894, The West Australian reported on Frank’s Death: ‘A very sad and sudden death from sunstroke occurred at Middle Swan near Houghton on Saturday afternoon. A number of the Swan boys were playing cricket when Frank Viveash, who was in and was standing in front of his wicket while his companion at the other end was being bowled, fell forward suddenly on his face…. The poor fellow, however, never moved again, and when Dr. Stewart arrived he pronounced him dead, and stated that the cause of death was sunstroke, and that the death no doubt occurred directly after he fell.’ The Viveash family was an old and widely respected family, which had been more or less identified with the Swan district since the early days of the colony. Mr S. H Viveash was born at Wexcombe a homestead two miles away from Midland Junction. Upon leaving school and after a brief period as a Clerk of the Court at Guildford he made his home in the north-west. In 1889, he returned to Wexcombe and for 17 years occupied a seat on the Swan Roads Board. The Swan Parish held a meeting in 1902, where the parish accepted the land from Mr Viveash. It was noted that a sum of sixty pounds from the government was provided to be ‘devoted to improving the recreation ground’. At the time the oval was resolved to be named the Swan Recreation Ground. The oval has been used by many groups including the Middle Swan Cricket Club, purported to be the oldest cricket club in Western Australia. The oval was given to the care of the City of Swan in the 1950s and in 1975 the oval was renamed Jack Mann Oval. In 1975 Jack Mann was the President of the Middle Swan Cricket Club and had been associated with the club for forty years. Mann was appointed Houghton senior winemaker after his father’s retirement in 1930, although he had been making wine since he was 16 years old. Jack produced wine for Houghton for 51 consecutive vintages from 1922 to 1972. He crafted the first vintage of Houghton White Burgundy in 1937.

Integrity/Authenticity

High

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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