HOUSE, 19 CUREDALE STREET

Statement of Significance

House, 19 Curedale Street, is a limestone and iron single storey house dating from the early 1890s. The place has aesthetic value for its contribution to the streetscape and the surrounding area. It is representative of the typical building stock located within the residential areas of Beaconsfield. It is historically significant as a representation of typical workers' houses in the Beaconsfield area. The place is a simple example of the Victorian Georgian style of architecture.

Physical Description

House, 19 Curedale Street is a single storey, rendered house with a symmetrical facade designed as a simple example of the Victorian Georgian style of architecture. The walls are rendered limestone. The roof is hipped and clad with corrugated iron. The front elevation has a central front door flanked on either side by fixed pane and casement windows. The verandah has a continuous corrugated iron roof and is supported by simple square timber posts on rendered pillars with a steel balustrade enclosed with bamboo sheeting. The edge of the verandah sits on the front boundary line. The house is slightly elevated from street level with a small set of steps leading to the verandah. There are two rendered corbelled chimneys evident. There is a carport addition to the southern side of the house.

History

The land on which Curedale Street and the Grosvenor Hospital are situated originally belonged to the Curedale family. George Curedale arrived in Fremantle as a convict on 1st January 1858. On 18 May 1881 George Curedale purchased 82 acres, about three kilometres from the centre of Fremantle, from Henry Maxwell Lefroy who had died two years previously.
The property comprised four adjoining Cockburn Sound Location Lots and was located between the present Curedale Street, east to within 4.45 chains of Fifth Avenue and from South Street to Lefroy Street. Curedale developed the land as an orchard and vineyard.
Having earned a living as ‘Fruiterer’ and then ‘Green-grocer’, George Curedale now described himself as ‘Vineyard Proprietor’ and there is evidence to show that he did import vines. The property was owned by the Curedales until 28 April 1887 when Lots 59, 60, 61 and 66 were transferred to George Alfred Davies (1846 – 1847) to clear George Curedale’s debts. George Curedale died of heart disease, on 15th August 1887. The adjoining Davies Street is named for the Davies family. Davies Street adjoins Curedale Street.
A two-room cottage was built on this site in 1892 for William Oaten. Oaten lived at the place until 1897. He is listed as a carter or a lime burner. Oaten married Margaret Ellen Curedale, daughter of George Curedale.
In 1898 the cottage on site is recorded as three rooms. As an occupant is noted for the year, it is likely this was an extension to the original cottage rather than demolition and replacement with a larger building. From 1899 to the 1910s the place was owned and occupied by William Chester, a butcher.
The 1908 sewerage plan (No. 87) shows the stone cottage with a verandah across its full front elevation and a small rear verandah flanked by two timber rooms. There was a timber outbuilding on the southern boundary fence, level with the house.
The house was originally number 39, and became number 19 when the whole street was renumbered in 1937.
James Bee owned and occupied the place in 1920. It passed to Frederick George Bray in 1922. A patio was added to the left of the house in 1974. The house by this time appears to have had a sleep out or similar room added across the rear façade. Mrs Alice Bray was till in the house in 1949 (when post office directory records cease).
The 1981 aerial photograph (Landgate) shows a hipped and gabled roof house with a carport attached on the south side and a large, lawned back yard.
Photographs taken in 1979 and 1993 show the place unchanged. It has a hipped tile roof extending over a skillion verandah. Rough-rendered masonry verandah walls infill between concrete posts, and concrete steps provide access in the centre of the façade. As the style and arrangement of pot plants in front of the house is similar in both photographs, it is likely that occupants have remained the same.
An undated photograph of the rear of the house shows a tile-roof verandah completely enclosed with rendered brickwork. The rear yard is entirely cleared, as for a new development, with the exception of a brick outdoor toilet.
Later aerial photos (Landgate) show that between 1985 and 1995 the lot was subdivided and another house built at the rear(19a). The house was extended at the rear.
In 1995 the place was advertised for sale as a renovated ‘farmhouse’ … ‘three double-bedroom home’, retaining three fireplaces, polished floorboards and ‘ornate’ ceiling details. A modern extension has been added to the rear. A two-storey loft residence has also been built on the rear of the block. The advertisement claims the place was ‘vacant and derelict for many years’, but the 1993 photograph mentioned above shows it clearly lived in and cared for. A 1995 photograph shows the roof reclad with corrugated iron, the front verandah remodelled, and a larger patio with brick pillars replacing the 1974 patio.
As at 2017 the house is for sale and real estate advertisements online describe “a substantial limestone and iron home from prior to 1900 with 3 huge bedrooms and large lounge all with high ceilings, jarrah floors and thick limestone internal walls. There is a very deep, very usable front verandah elevated off the street and a very private walled courtyard, plus undercover parking.”

Integrity/Authenticity

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

Condition

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

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This data is provided by the City of Fremantle. While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of this data, the City of Fremantle makes no representations or warranties about its accuracy, reliability, completeness or suitability for any particular purpose and disclaims all responsibility and all liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages (including indirect or consequential damage) and costs which you might incur as a result of the data being inaccurate or incomplete in any way and for any reason. Under no circumstances should this data be used to carry out any work without first contacting the City of Fremantle for the appropriate confirmation and approval.