Kent House

Statement of Significance

Kent House at 24 Stirling Terrace has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
The place is associated with George Moir, the original owner who was the brother of John, Andrew and Alexander. The Moir brothers first came to Albany on the 1850s and went on to become well-known for their farming and commercial pursuits as well as in local politics.
The place was a popular and long-standing boarding house Kent House.
The place is associated with well-known local residents Rosannah and Ashley Monck who ran Kent House from 1930s-1940s
The place reflects the typical dwelling of a rising middle class that emerged from the commercial and service industries that developed around the port of Albany in the latter part of the 19th century particularly when Albany was the main port for Western Australia.
The place is one of a group of significant residences built during the Late Victorian/Federation period along this eastern end of Stirling Terrace, just outside of the Stirling Terrace Heritage Precinct, many of which were used as boarding and guest houses given their proximity to the town centre, railway station and harbour and owing to Albany’s growing popularity as a summer holiday resort.
Boarding/guest houses such as this were predominantly established and run by women making them an important and respectable avenue of work for local women at a time when other employment opportunities, especially for married women and even widows living in urban areas, were rare.

Physical Description

Some of the notable features of this place include:
• Set back from road on elevated position
• Simple symmetrical façade/rectangular design typical of Victorian Regency style
• Smooth rendered and painted brick walls
• Medium pitch hipped corrugated iron roof
• Verandah under separate roof and wrap around two sides (south and west)
• Prominent tall chimneys
• Wooden framed windows and doors

Some obvious modifications include:
• External colour scheme
• Replacement timber balustrading to front verandah from picket to colonial cross
• Removal of decorative scalloped fringe to verandah
• Timber steps to verandah reinstated to run perpendicular to verandah
• Face brick chimney on west side painted
• Original post and wire front fence replaced with timber pickets

History

The 1890 rate book entry for Lot 11 shows George Moir as the owner and the tenant F Ingoldsby indicating a house already extant on the Lot. George Moir also owned Lot 12 next door (No. 26 Stirling Tce - Belburne). It is unlikely George ever lived at either 24 or 26 Stirling Terrace – which were often listed as being in Brunswick Road - and they were investment properties he leased out. This property would become well-known as a boarding house called Kent House.

George Moir, with his three brothers - Andrew, Alexander and John - came to Western Australia from Scotland in the 1850s, to work for Mr Cheyne. As well as successful farming pursuits, John and Alexander in particular became well-known merchants with businesses along Stirling Terrace. George married Elizabeth Hymus and they had 11 children. He established his own farming property, Mongup Station, in the Salt River district in the Wheatbelt region in the late 1850s. After his retirement, George and his family came back to Albany to live at their home in Frederick Street.

In 1912, the Rate Book entry shows Lot 11 owned by George Moir with the occupier listed as Albert Hyde who lived there with his wife and family, with Mrs Hyde running place as a boarding house, now known as Kent House. In 1915 the lease to Hyde expired and in April 1915 a notice of auction was advertised of all the furniture and contents held at the well-known boarding house Kent House.
By 1915 the occupant is Alfred Roberts with Mrs Roberts running the boarding house business advertising Kent House as offering first class board and residence.

In 1916 George died aged 82 while living in his residence in Frederick Street. In 1917 Elizabeth Moir – George’s wife - is now listed as the owner and the occupier is still Alfred Roberts. By 1919, Mrs Hillard was living at Kent House and advertised furnished rooms at Kent House to let. In the 1920s, Mrs Bowan was the proprietress until 1930 when she auctioned off all furniture and effects from Kent House.

In the 1930s the Moirs still owned the property, with Kent House boarding house now run by Mrs Rosannah Monck who lived there with her husband Ashley William Monck and three of their eight children. The Moncks were well-known local residents. As well as Rosannah running the popular boarding house, husband Ashley (William Ashley Howard) was one of the oldest members of the Albany branch of the Toc H and their son Ted worked at the Albany Woollen Mills and all were involved in the community, sport and social life in Albany. Rosannah died at Royal Perth Hospital in 1949 aged 66 but was buried in Albany. Ash Monck died in the Albany Hospital in 1952.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High/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.