House, 12 Nurstead Avenue

Statement of Significance

• This place has aesthetic value as a good intact example of a Federation residence from the early 20th century.
• The place has historic value for its association with the development of this area of Bassendean in the 1900s.
• This place has social value as the house demonstrates the form and scale of housing for working families in the early 20th century.

Physical Description

A traditional single storey timber framed and weatherboard cottage with a high hipped roof.
The house has a symmetrical plan form with a centrally placed entrance flanked by 1-over-1 timber framed sash windows. The hipped roof continues down with a subtle break of pitch to form the verandah canopy with a small gable with weatherboard detailing above the entrance. The projecting gable and main verandah canopy are supported on turned timber posts with a raised deck. There is a planted garden to the front with timber picket boundary fence. The lot has been subdivided with a house having been constructed in the rear section.

History

Nurstead Avenue and the small portion of land between the Railway line and Guildford Road was subdivided by owner Mary Thompson in the early 1900s and the name Nurstead Avenue or more correctly 'Nursted' was the name of her mother, Jane Dodd's ancestral home in the UK. The lots were subdivided for sale in 1902 and were on some occasions referred to as the 'Nurstead Estate'. From the available information this residence was constructed c1904 and the first occupant and probable owner was Coachsmith, Henry Walters (1879-1957) and his wife Charlotte Marion Walters, nee King (1879-1970). The couple had married in 1904 and this was their first home where they raised their two children. The Walters' family left in c1910 and occupants subsequently appear to have been only short term. Aerial photographs indicate that the house retained a consistent form and extent until the mid-2000s when the lot was subdivided and as provision was made for a new residence in the rear portion of the lot. The original house was extended to the rear and the roof reclad in zincalume. The gable over the front entry appears to be an addition from c2004 as prior to that the front verandah is a simple profile.

Integrity/Authenticity

High
Moderate/low

Condition

Excellent

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.