House

Statement of Significance

The House at 43 Aberdeen Street has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
The place is associated with John William Young the original owner whose family the district Young’s Siding takes its name from and who was also the licensee of the Albany Hotel at the time of his death.
The place is significant as part of a group of historic houses/buildings in Aberdeen Street from 1880s to early 1900s that have heritage value both individually and as part of a streetscape, comprising a complimentary mix of residential and institutional buildings many of which were converted very early to commercial use to form an important commercial business district of the historic townsite.

Physical Description

Some of the notable features of this place include:
• Set close to the road – high streetscape value
• Symmetrical façade
• High pitched hipped roof
• Three tall chimneys with moulded tops
• Broken back skillion verandah
• Decorative timber posts bracketing

Some obvious modifications include:
• External painting scheme (2014 – noted as intrusive)
• Replacement of original separate skillion front verandah with broken back verandah
• Replacement verandah brackets similar to original
• Long sheet metal sheeting replacing original short sheet corrugated iron
• Removal of the original c1890s picket fence
• Criss cross balustrading to front verandah

History

On 25th May 1887, John William Young, a farmer at Marbelup, made an application for the possession in fee simple of Building Lots S102 (Nos 43 and 47 Aberdeen Street) and S103. Photographic and documentary evidence suggests that this house was built by 1891 and built contemporaneously with the house next door at No. 47. Rate Book entry for 1891 show that the land Lot S102 was still owned by J Young, being on the same Lot as no. 47 Aberdeen Street, and the tenant was Mrs Milne. The 1900 rate book notes the house on Lot 102 and still owned by J Young.

John William Young was born in Albany in 1854, the eldest son of David and Margaret Young and brother of Andrew Muir Young. The Young family were early settlers/farmers of the Young’s Siding and Marbelup districts in west Albany - Young’s Siding named after the family. In 1881 the Young family famously hosted the young Princes Albert (later Duke of Clarence) and George (later King George V) sons of King Edward VII at their homestead at Marbelup when the Princes were midshipmen on the HMS Bacchante. Early in life, John continued the farming tradition of his family in the Marbelup area. His wife (nee Wray) died in August 1894. John later moved to Albany having purchased the property in Aberdeen Street where he lived and by 1902, he became the licensee of the Albany Hotel. His brother Andrew also lived next door in Aberdeen Street on the Lots initially purchased his father. John died on 3 July 1908 aged 54, just two months before his father David.

In 1920, the rate book shows the owner as Mary Vaughan. Mary Vaughan was the sister of Elsie Gribble who owned no. 47 next door. Mary was married to Lt Vaughan who died in 1913. Mary and Elsie were daughters of James and Elizabeth Gribble who lived in Brunswick Rd and James Gribble was a well-known local accountant and Municipal auditor. The Gribble/Vaughan connection to no. 43 and 47 Aberdeen St may possibly date back as early as 1901 as James Gribble was advertising a four-room brick house to let in Aberdeen St.

Subsequent owners include William and Kathleen Lange in the 1950s.

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.