Subiaco Children's Centre

Statement of Significance

160 Hamersley Road, Subiaco is of cultural heritage significance
• As a well-executed example of the Federation Arts and Crafts style with some fine details in brickwork and timberwork.
• For its social value to the many members of the community who are associated with the place either as students, parents, staff members or visitors to the place.
• As a demonstration of that period of time in the early 1910s when Subiaco was undergoing considerable growth and services had to be provided for all levels of the community.

Physical Description

This red brick and iron former school building with tuckpointed finish demonstrates the Federation Arts and Crafts style. The building is of asymmetric plan form to Hamersley Road with a shallow gabled element to the western end of the façade. The gable is vented with wide battened and bossed eaves and sits above a set of three tall openings creating the main feature of the façade. The windows are timber framed 6-over-6 sashes with a smaller 6 paned hopper opening above. The security grilles detract from the aesthetic of the place. The feature elevation is further enlivened by brick quoining to the edges.

The remainder of the façade presents in a symmetrical form with a central doorway flanked by a window either side. The door is accessed by timber steps with timber handrail/balustrade and an iron canopy over the top part of the stairs. The flanking windows match the other openings in the façade being 6-over-6 sash windows with hopper openings. There is small fanlight above the door.

To the rear a timber framed and weatherboard lean-to styled addition has been constructed with a new shade structure projecting from the lean-to. The roof of the main building continues down over the lean-to with the join in the eaves being visible. The east elevation is blank with no discernible features apart from the vented gable detail. The west elevation mirrors the east elevation in form and presentation.

History

The building which is currently occupied by the Subiaco After School Care was built in 1914 for the Subiaco Primary School as classrooms for the Intermediate School.

The additional classrooms were constructed to alleviate the overcrowding experienced at the school in the years before World War One. Since its establishment in 1897 the school grew rapidly as the population of the suburb expanded with many people settling in Western Australia as a result of the gold discoveries in the east and the subsequent wealth brought to the colony. Subiaco was one of the suburbs surrounding central Perth that was developed for working families wanting to live near the city and the railway line.

The school underwent many additions between 1897 and 1912; eight classrooms were added to the senior school and six to the junior school. In 1914 a contract for the construction of the Intermediate School, designed by the Public Works Department of WA, was awarded to contractor J. Lake for £808.11.6 and was to be completed by 13 May 1914.

The building consisted of two classrooms and a verandah and proposals for extending the Intermediate School were put forward in both 1919 and 1922. In 1922, 194 pupils were enrolled in the Intermediate School with an average of 180 attending. However the proposed additions were not undertaken and students were accommodated in rental premises when necessary. The halls of the nearby Presbyterian Church and Methodist Church were used as temporary classrooms.
By 1927, enrolment numbers had declined and the Intermediate School amalgamated with the senior school. Consequently the building was used for the study of ‘Household Management’, a course for girls later named domestic science. The building was converted for this use by contractor W.J. Fergus for the sum of £455.7.0 to be completed by 22 October 1927. The building was used for this function until the 1950s and was then occupied by a branch of the Education Department: the In-Service Centre, or the Teachers Centre for Continuing Education, which was responsible for running a Higher Certificate (HC) course for teachers who wished to complete an additional 3rd or 4th year study to their existing tertiary level qualifications.

In c1977, the Museum of Childhood moved into one room of the former Intermediate School. During the 1980s the In-service Centre and the Museum of Childhood vacated the premises and in 1992 the Electoral Education Centre moved into the building. The Electoral Education Centre relocated to the constitution centre in West Perth c1997 and the former Intermediate School has since been occupied by the ‘After School Care Service’ for Subiaco Primary School.

Since its construction the basic form of the building has undergone minimal change. Changes to accommodate different uses has affected internal fitouts and during some periods there have been enclosures and patios added to the external elevations.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity - High – although no longer used as a school it still provides a child and educational related function.
Authenticity - High – The place has undergone minimal external additions and alterations.
Rarity/Representativeness - The place is not rare as an example of a school building in the Federation Arts and Crafts style.
The place is a good representative example of a school building from the early 20th century and with some fine external details.

Uses

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.