Pensioner Guard Cottages

Statement of Significance

Pensioner Guard Cottages have aesthetic value as atmospheric ruins on the edge of a significant lake.
Pensioner Guard Cottages are a reminder of an identifiable social group within the Western Australian colonial community, at a time when it was necessary to have the forces of law and order visible in society.
Pensioner Guard Cottages are rare as remnant traces of the Pensioner Guards.
Together with the nearby interpretation, Pensioner Guard Cottages have high value as a site to inform the public about a significant phase in Western Australian history.

Physical Description

Evidence of the Pensioner Guard lifestyle lies in the ruins of two cottages near Lake Coogee. Located on the west and south west side of the lake, the ruins are little more than crumbling walls with no roof or window remains. The buildings were different in design and structure. One was of a simple design with four main rooms with a verandah sheltering the north side. The other has been described as 'a grand house originally'.
Both were constructed with walls of thick, roughly hewn limestone. The ‘grand house’ situated on a knoll overlooking Coogee Lake, had a quality finish with interior brick walls that were plastered. It had tall ceilings and a corrugated iron roof. It is still surrounded by a number of exotic species of plants such as pines, bougainvillea and palms as well as fruit trees: mulberry, pomegranate and fig. Remnants of an old fence is also located in the vicinity of the cottages.
Interpretation has been installed at the site, giving the history of the Pensioner Guards and locating the site of a well.

History

These cottage ruins have strong historic significance for the Cockburn district owing to their association with the pensioner guards. Berson notes:
The pensioner guards played an important part in the emigration policy of the British Government. They were to be given the choice of leaving Great Britain rather than adding to its unemployed on their discharge from the Army. They were to provide the guard on the convict ships leaving for Australia and Canada and on their arrival in the Colonies they were to take up land as free settlers, providing a balance to the influx of convicts.
The pensioner guards who built these cottages came to the Lake Coogee area in 1876. They were employed in Fremantle to guard the convicts. Part of the remuneration for the job came in the form of a small allotment of land on which they were encouraged to build a residence for their families and grow vegetables to supplement their diet. Lake Coogee land was granted for this project and a small community developed, resulting in a few cottages and some small vegetable gardens and orchards. Lake Coogee was chosen because it was located on the road from Fremantle Gaol to Bunbury and Albany. These two ports were popular destinations for escaped convicts trying to leave the colony. However, Lake Coogee was never very popular owing to the distance from Fremantle Gaol and it has been said many of the wives did not like the isolation, preferring the more built up areas of the Port town.
Names associated with pensioner guard development around Lake Coogee include John Hyland, James Cunningham and John Gilbride. Other people associated with development in the Lake Coogee cottages include Abraham Hake and Barnard McGrath, an assistant lighthouse keeper.
Later the abandoned cottages were to be used for another purpose. During World War II soldiers undergoing training used the cottages and evidence of their stay can be seen from the names that have been carved on the inner limestone walls.

Integrity/Authenticity

INTEGRITY: Low as residence
AUTHENTICITY: High as ruins

Condition

Ruins

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.