House

Statement of Significance

The place at 28-32 Cuthbert Street has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:

The place is associated with sea trade and port affairs that developed around the port of Albany from the time of British settlement in 1826 until the later part of the 19th century when Albany was the main port for Western Australia.

The place is associated with Captain Peter Belches R.N. who served in the British Navy including travelling to Australia with Sir James Stirling then settling in Western Australia to take up the position of Harbourmaster at Albany from 1830-1858 and living at his house in Cuthbert Street.

The place was one of the first parcels of land to be developed in Cuthbert Street by well-known local entrepreneurs and industrial enterprises including Samuel Wood’s old Brewery, Chinese market gardener Ah De Hong and building contractors Fairchild and Ives.

It is one of a group of houses in the historically important Cuthbert Street Precinct that have heritage value both individually and as part of a streetscape which has high aesthetic value for its overall harmonious and consistent built environment and landscaped setting.

The place is part of the Cuthbert Street precinct, a well-defined and rare in-tact example of one of the earliest streetscapes in the historic town centre which was developed in the mid-late 19th century and early 20th century reflecting the Victorian, Federation and Inter-War periods.

Physical Description

Some obvious modifications include:
• Rough ‘Spanish’ rendered brick walls have been replaced with smooth render
• External colour scheme
• New roof – long sheet zincalume
• Decorative bracketing removed from front verandah – now more austere skillion design
• Two storey addition to the rear
• Chimney pots added to chimneys

History

The house at 28-32 Cuthbert Street was on Lot 55 originally owned by Peter Belches. The 1851 Chauncy map shows there is a house on this Lot at this time though that is not the house that is there today.

One of the first owner/occupiers in Cuthbert Street was on this Lot. Captain Peter Belches, R.N. Belches joined the British Navy in 1812 and served in many parts of the world including in Australia with Sir James Stirling. He retired from the Navy in 1830 and settled in Western Australia. He came to Albany to take up the position of Harbourmaster and lived at his house in Cuthbert Street (then Short Street). This is the house shown on the Chauncy map. Belches returned to England in 1858 and resided in Plymouth until his death in December 1890 at the age of 95.

The next well-known owner/occupier was Samuel Wood who had the old Brewery and house, Wood purchased Lot 55 in July 1883. A panorama photograph from c1896-1898 shows Belches original house still on this Lot although it faces towards Collie Street. Wood constructed a new building for his Brewery which is also shown in this same photograph (refer below). The Rate Book entry for 1890 shows that this Lot is still owned by S Woods but Executors, reflecting the passing of Samuel Wood in the late 1880s. The tenant was another member of the Wood family, John J Woods, brewer. In 1895 is still in the ownership of the Wood estate with T Cullinane, also a brewer, as tenant and a brewery and house are recorded as being on the Lot.

In 1900, Chinese gardener Ah De Hong was living on Lot 55, then by 1905 Fairchild and Ives, building contractors, were on Lot 55 but local newspaper articles indicate that the old Brewery was still on Fairchild and Ives’ land up until at least the late 1910s. The old Brewery became notorious as a well-known meeting place for the local Chinese community and was raided many times as it was also used as a gambling den. The old Brewery and Belches former house were virtually dilapidated and later demolished. By the 1920s the houses at 26 and 28-32 were built and can be seen in a panorama photograph of Albany dated c1920s (refer below).

Originally called Short Street, renamed Cuthbert Street in 1899, this was one of the earliest streets developed in the historic townsite area of Albany and contains mostly simple workers cottages.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High
Authenticity: High/Moderate

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.