Owen's Property

Statement of Significance

·         The place has historic value for its association with the Owen family who made a significant contribution to the establishment and development of the community in Pickering Brook.

Physical Description

The house facing Caning Road is not the original cottage constructed in c.1890. The current house was constructed in the 1950s and is of timber framed construction with weatherboard and fibre cement sheet cladding. The hipped and gabled roof is clad in short sheet corrugated iron (painted green) with a tall red brick chimney constructed up the west elevation. Windows are timber framed casement openings. The dwelling is asymmetric in plan form with a gabled projecting wing to the eastern half of the façade with a verandah across the remaining section of the front elevation. The verandah canopy is formed by the continuation of the main roof, with the verandah incorporating timber decking, low level balustrade, timber columns and additional lattice panelling. Additional rooms have been constructed to the east elevation. The house is set within native planting and is open to the road.

History

Land allocation, orchards, early settlers, local heroes

Integrity/Authenticity

Level of Integrity - Moderate; Level of Authenticity - Moderate

Condition

Poor to fair This property was acquired by Edward Owen (1851-1944) and his son Oliver Edward Owen (1875-1964) in 1893. Edward and Mary Owen with their daughter Edith, and son Oliver arrived in Western Australia on the “Otago” on June 4, 1886. Originally from a farming family in Berriew, Wales, Edward had been a tailor in Harrow, England. On arriving in W.A. Edward set up his tailoring business in a shop in North Fremantle. The family lived in Guildford for a short time, and in Victoria Park, and at one stage Edward ran a dairy in Cannington. In 1893 the family, now with another son, Arthur (1889-1973) took up a grant at Monument Hill, Upper Canning . This was later known as Pickering Brook, but is now in the Carmel postal area. Here the family developed a mixed orchard, and later Edward and Mary ran a guest-house. Edward transferred his dairy to the property and continued to conduct his tailoring business from the property, having quite a clientele among the local timber workers, as well as customers who came up from Perth. The initial trees planted on the Owen property in 1895 demonstrate a diversity of planting. 'Twelve orange trees including 1 Washington navel, 1 Australian navel, 4 lemons, 1 persimmon, 1 mulberry, 6 figs, 20 grapevines, 1 cherry, 6 loquats, 10 pears (including Bartletts), a few plums and the rest apples of several varieties plus some strawberries. Within two years about 5 acres had been planted with 1 olive and 5 almonds being included. Apples and pears of several varieties predominated'. Oliver Owen married Mary Ellen Passmore in 1897 and they had six children. Three generations of the Owen family worked on the property including the guest house. The Owen family were instrumental in the establishment of the orchard industry in the Pickering Brook district and subsequent descendants have continued to make a contribution to the community. The cottage on the property was built by Ray Owen, Oliver's son in the 1950s. The remains of a house built by Oliver Owen from the remnants of the former wooden tramway are no longer extant. The origin of the name "Shinglewood Flat", which has been applied to this property, has not been determined.

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.