King Cottage

Child Places

• 02535 Post Box, Kings Cottage

Statement of Significance

King Cottage Museum, a simple vernacular brick and timber shingle former house, has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
the place is a rare example of a picturesque Georgian Survivial rural cottage which is in sound condition;
the place has historic value as marking an early main route through the Stirling Estate (Location 26);
the place provides evidence of brickmaking and bricklaying in the early years of settlement in the district and is a fine example of a mid to late nineteenth century artisan's dwelling of the south west; and,
the place has strong landmark qualities that contribute to the community's sense of place.

Physical Description

King Cottage Museum at 77 Forrest Ave is a single storey, brick and shingle house with a symmetrical facade designed as an example of the Victorian Georgian style of architecture.

The walls are hand made face brick (possibly made from clay dug on the site) constructed using English and Flemish bond patterns. The structure has a high pitched shingle roof. The façade is symmetrical with a central front door flanked on either side by two sets of timber framed casement windows. The verandah has a separate shingled roof supported on chamfered timber posts and wraps around both sides of the building. The shingles and verandah roofs are reconstructions of 1988. There is a face brick chimney evident. The joinery includes casement windows, which, like the main doors, are glazed with multiple panes. The west side verandah is enclosed and incorporates the vestry door of St Paul's Pro-Cathedral.

The place has a rectangular plan of three linked rooms with surrounding verandah and skillion roofs enclosing a pair of brick rooms and flanking timber framed enclosures. The outbuildings have been erected and extended over time to house machinery and vehicles from a bygone era.

The place is a marker of the former road (formerly the Blackwood and Dardanup Road, now Forrest Avenue) from the Bunbury town-site to the Preston River ford at Picton.

The site includes a functionally designed, red cast-iron letter receiver embossed VR 1897.

The central cottage form appears with similar windows at House at 82 Stirling
Street.

History

King Cottage was built c 1880 by Henry King, a noted brick maker and layer.

The land was originally part of Location 26, owned by the first Governor of Western Australia, Sir James Stirling.

King and his wife Susannah (nee Ruskin) originally lived in rental accommodation at Lot 9, Wollaston Street, Bunbury. They had four sons - James, George, Harry and John - born between 1856 and 1874.

Originally known as “Lamorna”, the cottage was built on a ten acre lot on the outskirts of Bunbury. At the time, the road was called Mill Road as it led from the town to William Forrest’s flour mill. According to an 1893 survey, five acres of King’s land was resumed for the Perth to Bunbury Railway.

Henry King died on 8 January 1899, aged 67. His wife Susannah died in 1912 at the age of 78. Both are buried at St Mark’s Anglican Church in Picton.
The cottage was then inherited by William King, a retired prospector, and after his death, the place was passed on to William King, Henry and Susannah’s grandson. Members of the King family continued to live in the cottage during this time.

On 28 February 1925, title to the cottage was transferred to Henry Carlson, a farmer from Balingup. The Carlsons subdivided and sold off the land but continued to live in the cottage until 1967, when it was purchased by the (then) Town of Bunbury. The building was leased to the Bunbury Historical Society for use as a local history museum, which was officially opened on 17 November 1968. The name King Cottage dates from this time.

King Cottage continues to operate as a local history museum and houses many items of local historical interest from the period 1880 to 1920 (the period of King family ownership).

One item of interest is the 1897 Post Box located out the front of the museum.The cast iron Victorian post box was constructed by J & E Ledger, Perth, in 1887. It is one of four known letter receivers located around Bunbury for mail services. This one was located outside the Rose Hotel for many years, until it was relocated to King Cottage.

Similar mail boxes were located outside the Parade Hotel (1894) and Chadd & Whitty’s Red Mill Store (1866). The Australind & Districts Historical Society received one of Bunbury’s original post boxes as a donation from Australia Post. The fourth one is still in use and is located at the Picton Post Office.

This history is partly based on the Documentary Evidence in Heritage Council of Western Australia, 'Register of Heritage Places: King Cottage', prepared by Ian Molyneux, 1997.

Integrity/Authenticity

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

Condition

Condition assessed as good (assessed from streetscape survey only).Operates as a museum of local history to reflect life at the turn of the century, and is well-maintained.

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.