Day House, Dalkeith

Statement of Significance

The Day Residence has strong aesthetic, historic and rarity cultural heritage significance. The place is significant in exhibiting particular aesthetic characteristics valued by the community. The Day Residence is arguably the finest remaining intact example of Marshall Clifton's architectural accomplishments from the period of his greatest public acclaim. The building is a fine demonstration of all aspects of architectural design particularly the treatment of light and shade, proportion, planning, design and detailing. The building is widely acknowledged as a valid, well composed work of art, and for the finesse in its execution. The Day Residence is of considerable streetscape value at the southern end of Victoria Avenue as the first house reached on the well known riverside drive from Jutland Parade. In adjoining the Point Resolution Reserve, the house sets the scene in the residential section of Victoria Avenue in this important streetscape. The place is significant in the evolution or pattern of the history of Western Australia. The building was commissioned by Dr John Day, an important personage in the hierarchy of the medical profession generally and in his speciality, ophthalmology. The Day Residence is a fine and intact example of a well designed family residence, and which reflect the needs the pre-war way of life. The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of the cultural heritage of Western Australia. The Day Residence is the only residence left virtually intact from the significant era of Marshall Clifton's output in this architectural style during the Inter-War period. Clifton's own residence, a formerly acknowledge epitome of his work, has been substantially altered and extended both internally and externally. The Day family, on the other hand, have kept this extremely fine example of the architect's work at the highest level of integrity and authenticity throughout.

Physical Description

This two storey brick building was commissioned by Dr John Day, later a prominent ophthalmologist in Western Australia, for a family home to recant the design elements and ambience of the architect, Marshall Clifton's own home built a few years before. Clifton's design success resulted from his interpretation of Spanish 'Peasant Architecture' into the Western Australian scene. The eloquence of the use of brick in a decorative manner; tiles, wrought iron, window boxes and shutters and the cordova tiled roof was the recipe for Clifton's success. This house is the most intact example of his work as his own house has been altered at least twice since Clifton died, each change diminishing the values and ambience of the remaining fabric. The design style of the Day Residence lies somewhere between the Mediterranean and Spanish Mission styles of the Inter- War period c 1915-1940 as enunciated by Apperly et al in A Pictorial Guide to Identifying Australian Architecture. The building does not have the flamboyance of a decorated parapet, a corbel course, stucco finish, or twisted columns of the Spanish Mission style while it does have the simplicity of informal massing, light coloured walling, low-pitched roof and American influence, whereas the major influence on Clifton'S work in this important period of his output is clearly from the Mediterranean with the connotations of simple, vernacular peasant architecture. CHANGES TO THE FABRIC The Site Over the years, some changes to the fences along the south western boundary have been made. The drawings nominate a 2' high (600mm) picket fence terminating against the southern wall of the courtyard presented to the bushland beyond. This solution permitted a fine outlook from the lower floor of the residence to the Swan River beyond (particularly when seated) and the form of the returned courtyard wall would better address the bushland and approaching traffic from the south. The original fence was constructed at the height shown with spaced oiled offcuts. No doubt, the strong prevailing wind from the south, and perhaps the need for privacy established the need for some real protection. This was achieved by a Ti-tree hedge. Eventually a section at the eastern end was replaced with brickwork, and more recently supplemented by a treated pine fence about 1.8m high. The Building Other changes to the inchoate fabric have been relatively minor, and include replacements for wear and tear (such as some cupboard door handles, the clothes hoist) and as required to meet changed standards, such as the gas hot water system, the stove and otherwise as outlined in the description.

History

This residence has strong historical value owing to its association with John Day and Marshall Clifton. John Leonard Day John Leonard Day was born in Albany, Western Australia in 1899. He was the son of William John Day, and Maude Alice Day who had come to Albany from South Australia in 1892 and set up a bakery in 1896. William Day was Mayor of Albany from 1915 until 1921. The Days had three sons and then three daughters, John Leonard being their second son. John was educated at Perth Modern School from 1913 following his primary school education in Albany. He was a keen sportsman and maintained a friendship with the headmaster, Mr Joe Parsons and his family all his life. He commenced medical studies at the University of Western Australia at the Irwin Street building in 1919 and graduated from the University of Melbourne in 1925. He became a Resident medical officer at Perth Hospital in 1926 and commenced private practice in 1928 from premises at 361 Lord Street, East Perth. Day met Mollie Louise Taylor from West Pingelly in 1935 and they were married the following year by Canon Percy U Henn at the Chapel at Perth College in October 1936. The newly married couple sailed to England where Day trained in ophthalmology at the Royal Eye Hospital in London as Resident House Surgeon under the Dean of the Medical School, Sir Benjamin Rycroft. They returned to Perth in October 1938 and Day set up a practice specialising in ophthalmology in the new Mercantile Mutual Life building at 179 St George's Terrace in partnership with Dr Claude Morlet. He was also appointed as an Honorary Assistant Ophthalmologist at Royal Perth Hospital. The Days engaged the services of Marshall Clifton to design their new residence and they moved in later in 1939. The Day Residence remains in 1998 in the ownership of Dr John Day's son, Hubert and his wife. In 1942, Dr Day was commissioned as a Captain in the Army Medical Corps and worked at Hollywood General and Repatriation Hospital. After the War, he was elevated to the position of Honorary Ophthalmologist at Royal Perth Hospital, a position he maintained until 1956. He was involved in medical affairs including the British Medical Association, becoming Vice President in 1950-51 and State President in 1951-52. In addition to his work at the Royal Perth Hospital, most of his private surgery was performed at St John of God Hospital, Subiaco. Dr Day was the foundation President of the Guildford Grammar School Parent's Association in 1955 and in 1957was elected to the Governing Council of the School. He was also a shareholder in Woods Airways, a small private airline operated by Captain James Woods between Maylands (and later Perth Airport) and Rottnest Island. Dr Day visited stations in the Kimberleys, Cockatoo Island, and he took holidays at Albany, West Pingelly and in the south west. Dr Day suffered a debilitating eye disease in 1957 and his health suffered a further set-back in 1958 forcing him to reduce his workload. He continued working until his health failed in February 1964 and he died in March of that year. There was a distinguished association between Dr John Day, the specialty of Ophthalmology and General Medical practice in Western Australia. Dr Day was well known and respected in his professional life and was well supported in his social life by his wife Mollie. They are succeeded by three children, Hubert, Roger and Mary. Marshall Clifton Marshall Waller Gervase Clifton, born 3 September 1903 in Wokalup, Western Australia on a farm managed by his father. His family moved to their own property when Marshall was seven. They initially lived in a tent, the children having to walk several miles to school each day. Marshall's artistic achievements impressed the Inspector of Schools, Mr Hughes such that he was invited to stay with the family and attend the Northam High School. In 1922 he matriculated to commence a four year engineering cadetship at the Public Works Department. He studied architectural subjects with the Sydney International Correspondence Schools supplemented by other subjects at the University of Western Australia to complete his Articles in 1926. In 1929, he completed his Board Examinations and travelled to England the following year. He worked in the office of the architect, E Vincent Harris and studied at the School of Architecture at the Royal Academy. He travelled through several European countries including Spain and finishing in Russia where he commenced his return to Perth in 1932. He joined Herbert Parry in a partnership which lasted until 1937 when Clifton commenced on his own account. Clifton had been appointed Honorary Artist and' Architect for the Royal Western Australian ljIistorical Society in 1936 and Honorary Architect for the National Trust of Australia (WA) in 1965. In the period between 1937 and 1942 when Clifton joined the army, his reputation for design was established. A number of residential commissions were undertaken by him in this period including the design of his own residence at 70 Johnston Street, Mosman Park, generally considered to be his finest work. His friend, Dr John Day commissioned Marshall Clifton to design a residence in the same idiom. The site characteristics were quite different as the outlook from the Day site lies to the south and west, a difficult orientation in the Western Australian climate, particularly near the ocean. The shape of the Day site is tapering whereas the Mosman Park site was rectangular. These factors alone understandably, elicited quite different solutions although the ambience of both houses was the same and they both shared a number of details. This house has been classified by the National Trust and recommended for adding to the HCWA State Register.

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