Yoonderup

Statement of Significance

Yoonderup house with its curtilage area, contained in Lot 154 corner of Kent Street and Stanley Place Busselton has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
• the place has strong aesthetic elements consistent with the Arts and Crafts architecture as translated to the Busselton region.
• the place is representative of the work of Eustace Gresley Cohen, who was a prominent and influential architect in the Busselton, Capel and Bunbury areas;
• the place is significant due to its connection to Joseph Mann and its long association with the Mann and Hastwell families;

AESTHETIC VALUE: The place displays aesthetic qualities of form and composition. The place exhibits land mark qualities.
HISTORIC VALUE: The place has associations with the development of the first local newspaper in the Busselton area.
SOCIAL VALUE: The place is an important reminder of the quality of urban homes previously located within the town centre.
REPRESENTATIVENESS: The place is an important example of Arts and Crafts architecture pre World War 1 and is representative of the respected architect Eustace Gresley Cohen. INTEGRITY: The place retains a high level of integrity. Authenticity The original building form is intact with the interior room spaces used for their intended purposes. The 1950s extension does not interfere with the original fabric of the Cohen plan. The outbuilding, footpath and the positions of the fences remain extant, while mature gardens enhance the aesthetics of the site.

Physical Description

Yoonderup comprises a brick house in the Arts and Crafts style with a weatherboard outbuilding to the north of the house. The curtilage area contains original Peppermint trees as well as a mature garden enclosed by a picket fence to the left and right sides of the path, at the front of the house. The place is located on a corner block with an angled perspective onto Kent Street and Stanley Place. The block is in the town precinct of Busselton, being bordered by a council car park to the east with St. Joseph’s Catholic Church across the road and to the south and commercial premises to the north and west of the property. The place has a high profile in the town of Busselton and has landmark qualities.
The architecture of the house is attributed to Eustace Gresley Cohen, with the date being placed at 1914. The Hastwell family remarked that ‘the family moved into the house on the day on which World War I began’.

The residence is constructed of limestone blocks, (cut in Yallingup) with lime render and a red iron roof.1 The roofline consists of hipped gables in the Arts and Crafts style, with half timbered decorative wood and masonry panels at the end of the gables and above the bay windows. They face both the east and south of the house, and consider that both sides of the house face the streets. A small gable with a finial breaks the eastern and southern rooflines and covers the corner of the skillion-roofed verandah. The original wooden verandah posts have been replaced with iron posts that have changed the proportion of the entrance; however, strategically placed shrubs diminish the effect from the street.
Square, cement pedestals with a flat top were designed to support large pot plants were placed at right angles to the verandah, however these are no longer extant. The original front step remains intact, however the wooden floor has been replaced with cement and tiles resulting in minor damp problems in both of the adjoining walls to the sides of the front door.

The stone walls have been rendered to a height of approximately 20cm as a means of covering the effects of the rising damp. Recent attempts at controlling the problem in this area have been made by removing the cement to a distance of 150mm away from the affected area, to enable the walls to breathe. A brick extension c.1954 faces north and sits to the right hand side of the original structure. This addition consists of a flat iron roof with walls built of red bricks set in stretcher pattern with dark grey cement grout. The flat style of the roof and the red bricks contrasts dramatically with the contained architecture of the original house. This extension replaced a small verandah and a beam situated within the extension remains as a form indicator. The extension sits uncomfortably on the block, however it does not impede on the original architecture of the house and could be removed to reinstate the layout of the house according to the original plan by Cohen. An original weatherboard outbuilding with iron roof remains intact and is situated to the north of the 1950s house extension being connected by a gravel path. The building contains a toilet with a door made from fence pickets and previously housed the washhouse at the rear. This area is currently used as storage.

Multi paned box windows remain intact in the dining room facing east and the lounge/sitting area facing south. Other windows consist of single, double and triple casements with red brick herringbone headers and red brick sills. The placement of the windows appears to be influenced by the internal plan of the house, rather than any form of symmetry with the bathroom [for example] containing a single casement. Two of the three original red brick chimneys remain intact. The third chimney was pulled down during the renovations of the 1950s when the fireplace in the drawing room was removed from the north end and reinstated in the west wall. (See appendix no. 4). Similarities in design in relation to a house at 3 Turner Street, Bunbury are apparent. This house is also attributed to Cohen and is dated c1907. ( See appendix no. 1) The front door opens onto a hall leading to the kitchen and a passageway through to two bedrooms and a bathroom. A door to the left inside the front door leads directly into the lounge area. This room contains the original window seat and a new fireplace, which has been installed on the west wall to replace the original, previously situated on the north wall. However, the interior of the house remains relatively intact with the original stained glass door side panels in-situ. A door containing a matching oval stained glass panel has been removed and now opens up the passageway to the kitchen. No original cupboards remain in the kitchen with the pantry being replaced during the alterations of c1954. At the same time the Metters stove was replaced with a slow combustion model containing a hot water system. The original internal doors and hardware are mainly in place. They consist of a variation of the front door with the glass panels being replaced with three vertical wooden panels, with the exception of two internal, 4 panel doors. A dado runs the length of both hallways and the Jarrah skirting board in all rooms being 7 inches high with a simple profile. Picture rails have been removed from the lounge and dining rooms, however an original hallstand remains attached to the wall of the passage. Original 5” Jarrah floorboards remain intact throughout the house, according to the owner, however access was limited due to the entire floors being covered in carpet and lino. The fireplace surround in the dining room is Art Noveau in style with a copper insert design of tulips, while the Jarrah wood is unpainted and intact. A gas heater has been inserted into the fireplace and the hearth has been tiled. The bathroom has been modernized and an iron bath replaced during the 1950s renovations. The house and garden are surrounded on two sides by an original picket fence, which has since been reduced in height by half. A cement path leads from the corner of the block to the front door emphasizing the corner feature of the house. This path previously consisted of 18” borders on either side to promote the proliferation of flowers with flowerbeds running the length of the path6 and having square stone pedestals placed at the verandah end of the path. These pedestals are no longer extant. (See appendix no. 2). An original ‘puce’ coloured geranium flower survives, as well as several Peppermint trees surrounded by a large lawn area. A Cyprus hedge was planted as a means of privacy and it grew to a considerable height, however it is no longer extant. The owners believed that the house won an architectural award for its corner design, however I have been unable to substantiate that.
Yoonderup comprises a brick house in the Arts and Crafts style with a weatherboard outbuilding to the north of the house. The curtilage area contains original Peppermint trees as well as a mature garden enclosed by a picket fence to the left and right sides of the path, at the front of the house. The place is located on a corner block with an angled perspective onto Kent Street and Stanley Place. The block is in the town precinct of Busselton, being bordered by a council car park to the east with St. Joseph’s Catholic Church across the road and to the south and commercial premises to the north and west of the property. The place has a high profile in the town of Busselton and has landmark qualities.
The architecture of the house is attributed to Eustace Gresley Cohen, with the date being placed at 1914. The Hastwell family remarked that ‘the family moved into the house on the day on which World War I began’.

The residence is constructed of limestone blocks, (cut in Yallingup) with lime render and a red iron roof.1 The roofline consists of hipped gables in the Arts and Crafts style, with half timbered decorative wood and masonry panels at the end of the gables and above the bay windows. They face both the east and south of the house, and consider that both sides of the house face the streets. A small gable with a finial breaks the eastern and southern rooflines and covers the corner of the skillion-roofed verandah. The original wooden verandah posts have been replaced with iron posts that have changed the proportion of the entrance; however, strategically placed shrubs diminish the effect from the street.
Square, cement pedestals with a flat top were designed to support large pot plants were placed at right angles to the verandah, however these are no longer extant. The original front step remains intact, however the wooden floor has been replaced with cement and tiles resulting in minor damp problems in both of the adjoining walls to the sides of the front door.

The stone walls have been rendered to a height of approximately 20cm as a means of covering the effects of the rising damp. Recent attempts at controlling the problem in this area have been made by removing the cement to a distance of 150mm away from the affected area, to enable the walls to breathe. A brick extension c.1954 faces north and sits to the right hand side of the original structure. This addition consists of a flat iron roof with walls built of red bricks set in stretcher pattern with dark grey cement grout. The flat style of the roof and the red bricks contrasts dramatically with the contained architecture of the original house. This extension replaced a small verandah and a beam situated within the extension remains as a form indicator. The extension sits uncomfortably on the block, however it does not impede on the original architecture of the house and could be removed to reinstate the layout of the house according to the original plan by Cohen. An original weatherboard outbuilding with iron roof remains intact and is situated to the north of the 1950s house extension being connected by a gravel path. The building contains a toilet with a door made from fence pickets and previously housed the washhouse at the rear. This area is currently used as storage.

Multi paned box windows remain intact in the dining room facing east and the lounge/sitting area facing south. Other windows consist of single, double and triple casements with red brick herringbone headers and red brick sills. The placement of the windows appears to be influenced by the internal plan of the house, rather than any form of symmetry with the bathroom [for example] containing a single casement. Two of the three original red brick chimneys remain intact. The third chimney was pulled down during the renovations of the 1950s when the fireplace in the drawing room was removed from the north end and reinstated in the west wall. (See appendix no. 4). Similarities in design in relation to a house at 3 Turner Street, Bunbury are apparent. This house is also attributed to Cohen and is dated c1907. ( See appendix no. 1) The front door opens onto a hall leading to the kitchen and a passageway through to two bedrooms and a bathroom. A door to the left inside the front door leads directly into the lounge area. This room contains the original window seat and a new fireplace, which has been installed on the west wall to replace the original, previously situated on the north wall. However, the interior of the house remains relatively intact with the original stained glass door side panels in-situ. A door containing a matching oval stained glass panel has been removed and now opens up the passageway to the kitchen. No original cupboards remain in the kitchen with the pantry being replaced during the alterations of c1954. At the same time the Metters stove was replaced with a slow combustion model containing a hot water system. The original internal doors and hardware are mainly in place. They consist of a variation of the front door with the glass panels being replaced with three vertical wooden panels, with the exception of two internal, 4 panel doors. A dado runs the length of both hallways and the Jarrah skirting board in all rooms being 7 inches high with a simple profile. Picture rails have been removed from the lounge and dining rooms, however an original hallstand remains attached to the wall of the passage. Original 5” Jarrah floorboards remain intact throughout the house, according to the owner, however access was limited due to the entire floors being covered in carpet and lino. The fireplace surround in the dining room is Art Noveau in style with a copper insert design of tulips, while the Jarrah wood is unpainted and intact. A gas heater has been inserted into the fireplace and the hearth has been tiled. The bathroom has been modernized and an iron bath replaced during the 1950s renovations. The house and garden are surrounded on two sides by an original picket fence, which has since been reduced in height by half. A cement path leads from the corner of the block to the front door emphasizing the corner feature of the house. This path previously consisted of 18” borders on either side to promote the proliferation of flowers with flowerbeds running the length of the path6 and having square stone pedestals placed at the verandah end of the path. These pedestals are no longer extant. (See appendix no. 2). An original ‘puce’ coloured geranium flower survives, as well as several Peppermint trees surrounded by a large lawn area. A Cyprus hedge was planted as a means of privacy and it grew to a considerable height, however it is no longer extant. The owners believed that the house won an architectural award for its corner design, however I have been unable to substantiate that.

History

Assessment: 2004
Constructed: 1914
Alterations/additions: 1954
Architect/designer: Eustace Gresley Cohen
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW The original house was built in 1914 pre World War 1 by the prominent architect Eustace Gresley Cohen on a block as part of the town subdivision of Busselton. Yoonderup was considered to be a quality home for the Mann and Hastwell families reflecting their affluence and influence on business and society with the town of Busselton and surrounding areas. The site is currently situated in a strong commercial area and the peaceful ambience generally associated with the architecture of the Arts and Crafts period has been lost.
HISTORY
An epic journey took place in 1834, when several families including the Bussells, George Layman and Elijah Dawson travelled by sea from the Augusta settlement to the Vasse. The Chapman Brothers along with two soldiers travelled overland to arrive at about the same time as the others. By 1840, the population of the Vasse area had grown to 104 and by 1850 to 209. John Bussell of Cattle Chosen, as well as Captain Molloy of Fairlawn (also formerly of the Augusta settlement) took much of the responsibility for the growing settlement, with virtually all the control emanating from these two houses. They instigated the building of a bridge over the Vasse River in the 1840s, in order to connect the outlying settlements to the newly built St Mary’s Church on the other side of the river. In the 1860s, the Government replaced the temporary bridge continuing the road over the bridge into the main street of Vasse and down the road to the new Port. By the 1880s a subdivision of townlots in Busselton had been gradually taken up and Queen Street, (the main street) became the business centre for the district serving the outlying areas as well as the whaling and timber industries. By the turn of the century, the area had begun to take advantage of its climate and scenic conditions securing a growing tourist industry in the town, and being supported by the newly developed rail system. (See appendix no. 3). By this time, the town of Vasse was generally referred to as Busselton, being named after John Bussell. William Joseph Mann was born in Ballarat, Victoria in 1875. It was here that Joseph (as he was known) served a two-year apprenticeship in the printing trade before travelling to Western Australia in 1896. In the same year he gained employment with a printing firm in Fremantle and then moved to Kalgoorlie for four years where he managed Kalgoorlie Printing, and met his future wife Barbara Pearson (born 1875). Joseph and Barbara were married in Fremantle in 1901 and moved back to Perth for two years before finally settling in Busselton. Joseph set about establishing a business in Busselton with plans to print the first district newspaper. He canvassed the area for advertising matter and after announcing that the first issue of The South Western News was imminent, discovered that the ordered printing press would not arrive in time, to be available for use in the inaugural printing process. In order to keep faith with the local public, he decided to print the first issue on a Job Printing pattern, which he continued to do for the first year of publication. The initial paper consisted of eight foolscap pages containing local advertisements and district news and was first published on Monday 26th October 1903 (see appendix). The business was initially set up in premises in Albert St, Busselton combining both the printing area as well as a newsagency with the family living for several months, at the rear of the building in a small flat. Later the family moved to their Prince Street premises, again into a small-detached flat at the rear of the business while Joseph and Barbara concentrated their efforts into the growth of the business and the arrival of their three children. Joseph became involved in many clubs and institutions in Busselton as an adjunct to his newspaper business. The records show that he was an active member of the small Fire Brigade, the Southern Districts Agricultural Society and by 1907 had become an active member of the Sussex Masonic Lodge, retaining his association with the Freemasons for over 50 years. Joseph took up a holding of partly cleared land several miles out of Busselton named Sabina Vale, which he subsequently re-named Yoongarilup. He installed a manager and began a fruit orchard planting hundreds of fruit trees. At the same time Joseph was developing his photographic talents and many of his photos survive through their exposure in ‘The South Western News’. The Mann family never lived on the Yoongarilup property, instead choosing to build a house at the corner of Kent and Stanley Streets in Busselton. The architect Eustace Gresley Cohen designed and built the house in 1914 using locally quarried stone from Yallingup and the family named their home Yoonderup. In 1923 Joseph was appointed Justice of the Peace and in 1926 was offered a position as candidate for the South West Liberal seat of the Legislative Council by Sir James Mitchell. This move proved highly successful with Joseph elected Deputy President of the Legislative Council. He was unopposed in this position until his death in 1951. By 1935 Joseph had become heavily involved in politics and was spending little time at his home in Busselton. He decided to sell his business to his nephew W. Howard Hastwell and move his family to Perth. Howard [as he was known] in partnership with Mr A.H. Armour, took over the ownership of the newspaper and Newsagency until Mr Armour’s death in 1945 when Howard purchased the remainder of the business. Howard and his wife Jean rented Yoonderup from Joseph on the condition that they keep a room available for him on his infrequent visits to Busselton, eventually purchasing the property in 1954. Their son, Neil Howard Hastwell and his wife Lorraine took over the newsagency in 1964 successfully operating for 38 years before retiring in 2002 and selling the family business. It business continues to operate from the premises in Prince Street trading under the name of ‘Mann’s Newsagency’. In 1964 the newspaper and printing section of the business was acquired by The South West Printing and Publishing Co. and is now known as The Busselton Margaret River Times. Jean Hastwell remains at Yoonderup. The place is unlisted and remains vulnerable due to the commercial potential of the site as well as the advanced age of the current owner.

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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.