Cronshaw's Store

Statement of Significance

Cronshaw's Manchester House, a two-storey Inter-War Functionalist style structure (with some Art Deco style detailing), of rendered and painted brick with an asbestos cement roof, has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
it demonstrates the confidence and surety of the abstract aesthetic ideals of the Modern Movement;
it contributes to the aesthetic value of the intersection of Victoria and Wellington streets as a landmark within a notable, well articulated and focused urban space, and as a major component in the wider, picturesque precinct of which the intersection is a part;
it illustrates the evolution of architecture, of the commercial retailing, residential flat and shop-dwelling classes of buildings in Bunbury;
it serves as a benchmark for evaluation and understanding of its architectural style and building type; and,
it has social value as a significant town centre precinct and as a gathering place that contributes to a sense of place and social cohesion.

Physical Description

Cronshaw's Manchester House is a white painted rendered brick two storey retail store with an asbestos cement roof located on a prominent corner of the town designed in the inter war Functionalist style of the 1930s.

It includes an asbestos cement roof, red fair-face clay brickwork walls in the utilitarian rear internal elevations, painted cement rendered walls to the street elevations, recessed balconies with projecting painted and rendered concrete balcony floors and balustrades, incised string courses in the wall planes, steel windows with horizontally proportioned panes and cantilevered concrete sun hoods, and a sheet and pressed-metal clad and lined, cantilevered street canopy, suspended by steel rods.

History

The store at 103-107 Victoria Street was built in 1937 for William Smith, a manchester retailer.

The building was designed by Ossie Chisholm of the prominent Perth architectural firm, Powell Cameron and Chisholm. It was constructed at a cost of £8,600 by Perth based contractors, D A Dodds. The building soon became known as ‘Smith’s Buildings’, which was also written on signage on the building. The building featured a ground floor drapery shop facing the corner; flats on the first floor providing inner city living, with the entrance from Victoria Street; a pair of smaller speciality shops facing Wellington Street; and, a cantilevered street canopy extending across all street facades.

In 1966, James Bowen Cronshaw purchased the building for £36,000 and moved the family business into Smith’s Buildings. James’ father, James ‘Jim’, established ‘Manchester House’ in Perth in 1920, with branches in Bunbury and Collie the following year. His first Bunbury store opened on 30 May 1920 and was located at the current site of Wight and Emmett on Wellington Street. Cronshaw’s Manchester House then moved to Victoria Street. Later, the business moved to another site in Victoria Street. When Jim Cronshaw retired in 1946, James took over the business. In 1955, a new store was built on Lot 207 Victoria Street, next to the Rose Hotel. It was built by J M Best at a cost of £4,884.

By the late 1960s, Cronshaws also had another business in Bunbury – Cronshaw’s House of Gifts in Austral Chambers in Stephen Street. Those premises were later sold to the Home Building Society. James Cronshaw also leased a men’s store on the corner of Prinsep Street and Victoria Street for a time.

By 1997, Cronshaw’s businesses were confined to the former Smith’s Building (retail shop) and the 1955 building next to the Rose Hotel (business headquarters). By this time, the two small speciality shops facing Wellington Street had been amalgamated and extended at the rear to take up the rear yard of the site. The shops have also been combined with the main corner shop by a roofed delivery bay behind the original connecting facade. The first floor flats are no longer used for accommodation. They are now used as storage and work areas (although the deterioration of the asbestos roof and ceilings currently limits this use).

This history is based on Heritage Council of Western Australia, ‘Register of Heritage Places: Cronshaw’s Store’, prepared by Ian Molyneux, 1997.

Integrity/Authenticity

High degree of integrity (original intent clear, current use compatible, high long term sustainability).
High degree of authenticity with much original fabric remaining.
(These statements based on street survey only).

Condition

Condition assessed as Fair (assessed from streetscape survey only).

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.