Albany State School Group (fmr)

Child Places

• 24547 Educational Resources Centre
• 24544 Former Headmaster's House
• 15570 Alison Hartman Gardens & Significant Trees

Statement of Significance

The following is from Heritage Council WA Heritage Assessment, Albany State School Group (P016, 2019)
Albany State School Group (fmr), comprising a single storey red brick and granite Primary School (fmr) (1895) and single storey red brick and granite Infants School (fmr) (1898), both designed in the Federation Arts and Crafts style, a granite Headmaster’s Quarters (fmr), (c1880s) originally designed in the Victorian Tudor style, and the adjacent former School Gardens containing mature trees, has cultural heritage value for the following reasons:
the place comprises a significant cultural environment that includes an intact group of public school buildings dating from the 1890s, and an associated Headmaster’s House and former garden;
the Primary School was designed by prominent Perth architect George Temple Poole who was responsible for the standardised plan and design of many public buildings in Western Australia during the gold boom period;
the Primary School and Infants School are very good examples of the Federation Arts and Crafts style, and the Primary School is a fine example of a Federation Central Hall type school developed by the Public Works Department (PWD);
the Primary School was constructed in 1894-95, and is representative of the development of educational facilities to cater for the expanding population of Albany during the Gold Boom in Western Australia; and,
the Primary and Infants school buildings together with their steep, multi-gable roofs, tall chimneys, and other distinctive design elements form a significant precinct with landmark value in the historic centre of Albany.

Refer also to Alison Hartman Gardens – included in registration of Albany State School Group

Physical Description

The former Albany State School Group comprises a single storey red brick and granite Primary School (fmr) (1895 – Building One) and a single storey red brick and granite Infants School (fmr) (1898 – Building Two) both designed in the Federation Arts and Crafts style and facing Serpentine Road. To the south, facing Collie Street, is the granite Headmaster’s Quarters (fmr), (c1880s) originally designed in the Victorian Tudor style, and the adjacent former School Gardens (south-east) with a frontage to York Street.

Primary School - Building One (later Albany District Education Office)
• Built on random, coarse faced stone footings
• Red brick with horizontal cement rendered banding
• Three prominent gables with timber infill are on the façade
• To the rear of the gabled sections is a hall like section with large gables facing east west
• Small paned wooden sash windows
• Arched access to small porch as the main entrance
• Variegated tiles on steeply pitched roofs
• A second entrance is protected by a small porch extension
• A tall brick chimney with a decorative top

Infants School - Building Two (later Education Resources Centre)
• Built on random, coarse faced stone footings
• Walls are constructed from red brick
• Three gables with brick infill are on the façade
• To the rear of the gabled sections is a hall like section with large gables facing east west
• The windows are in single sash windows with small panes
• The roof is steeply pitched with corrugated Colorbond
• A tall brick chimney with a decorative top

Headmaster’s Quarters (fmr) (later used for superintendents and support staff)
• Set behind former school in Serpentine Rd
• The back of the house faces the road and the front façade overlooks the park
• Random coarse faced stone walls
• Cement rendered quoins around door, windows and house corners
• Corrugated iron half hipped roof
• Projecting gable wing with double arched windows
• Front verandah under separate roof finished with decorative iron lace balustrading
• Rear verandah with wooden verandah posts and scalloped wood trim
• Three rendered chimneys

Some obvious modifications include:
• Part of the rear verandah of the school had been enclosed with corrugated iron to form another room
• New green Colorbond roof (Building Two)

For further physical details of the Albany State School Group refer to Heritage Council WA Heritage Assessment, Albany State School Group (P016, 2019)

History

From the early 1870s, the Government School for Albany was located on Stirling Terrace (where the [present Courthouse was later built). With the population burgeoning in Albany in the wake of the State’s gold rush, it was decided to build a new Primary School. Lots 124 and 125 on Serpentine Road (originally called Norfolk Street) were purchased and the Public Works Department called for tenders. The school buildings were designed by architect George Temple Poole, who became one of Western Australia’s well-known Government Architects responsible for a number of prominent Government buildings. The successful building contractor was Charles Layton for a cost of £1750. Layton would also win the contract for the new Courthouse in 1896 and as well as his building contracts he was a local councillor and undertaker.

The new Primary School was completed in 1895 and comprised a brick Assembly Hall with classrooms grouped around it, a design that became a standard design developed by the PWD. At the time of its construction it was described as one of the most imposing buildings in Albany along with the Town Hall. The formal opening ceremony took place on 6 July 1895. By 1897, the school was the larges mixed school in the colony with over 400 pupils.

In 1898 the Infants School was added, officially opening in January 1899. The new school building was designed by PWD chief architect, John Grainger, and built by G. Smith for £2031. Although constructed of slightly different bricks to the 1895 Primary School, the bricks to the front elevation were laid in the same English bond pattern and therefore provided an aesthetic connection between the two buildings. Originally both buildings had shingle roofs, they were both later reroofed in terracotta tiles and around the 1980s the Infants school was roofed in corrugated iron. The different roof fabrics on each of the school buildings are still present today.

By 1904, the Infants School was in use for manual training purposes.

The Headmaster’s Quarters (fmr) was originally a private residence built c1880s. It was located to the south of the school on original Town Lot S109. In 1840, this Lot was granted to John Eyre [Perth Gazette 13/6/1840]. In 1883, Horace Egerton Warburton, mill proprietor of Albany, applied for Lot S109 in fee simple. The Lot later passed to Warburton’s brother-in-law, William Graham. From the late 1890s, the residence was leased to Charles Drew – prominent Albany merchant of the business Drew Robinson. In November 1901, Lot S109 was being advertised for sale with the following description:
The buildings consist of a well-built stone house of eight rooms, with stabling, coachhouse, etc., and other improvements. This property is leased to Mr Charles Drew, whose tenancy expires on 1st January, 1902. [West Australian 4/11/1901]
At this time, the address was Stirling Street but the street was later renamed Collie Street. The Education Department purchased Lot S109 in 1902 for £1650. The substantial house accommodated the headmaster and the stable was originally used as a laundry/shed then converted to a carpentry room and later a garage. It was demolished. Before this residence was acquired, the Headmaster had lived in a cottage, which became the domestic science facility for the school but later demolished.

The gardens of the Headmaster’s Quarters were given over as a garden plot for the school so the students could study nature and horticulture which was then part of the school curriculum. The annual Arbor Day was celebrated in the gardens. Eventually the gardens became the school playground, divided by a central fence separating boys (south) and girls (north).

In 1915, a new Infants School was built on Albany Highway (refer 70-88 Albany Highway) which catered for Years 1-3, and this school became the Albany State School catering for Years 4-7.

By 1974, the Albany State School was closed with new school buildings having been erected on the Albany Highway school. The Education Department then utilised the school as Regional Offices and Resource Centre.

In 1979, the old school gardens, which had been converted into public gardens, was named in honour of (Edith) Alison Hartman, former headmistress of the school.

In 2000, the former school buildings were occupied by the Albany District Educational Office. The former Headmaster’s Quarters was then used as offices for superintendents and support staff.

Other buildings that were built at the school site but are no longer extant include a lunch shed, boys and girls conjoined shelter sheds, (gardener’s) shed, toilet block, pavilion, Domestic Economy Centre (Cookery School) and Manual Training Room. Several of these buildings, as well as the old stables/garage at the Headmaster’s Quarters, were demolished in 2017/2018 as part of the redevelopment of the site by Advance Housing to provide student accommodation, with the Headmaster’s Quarters (fmr) to function as the regional Education Office.

For further historical information of the Albany State School Group refer to Heritage Council WA Heritage Assessment, Albany State School Group (P016, 2019)

Refer also to Alison Hartman Gardens, 239-256 York Street, A106616

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Moderate
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.