Phoebe Abbey's House

Statement of Significance

(refer below for expanded statement of significance) Phoebe Abbey’s House, a single storey stone and iron building constructed in vernacular style, has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons: •
It is a rare example of an 1860s building which has survived in the town of Busselton;
• It is an example of the expertise of early builders in the Swan River colony and the Busselton district; •
It is associated with Christopher Weetman, an early master builder and the Abbey family, one of the early pioneering families in the district;
• The building demonstrates physically the extent of the Busselton townsite in the 1860s; and,
• The place has retained a high degree of integrity.

Physical Description

Phoebe Abbey’s House is a single storey, vernacular stone building with corrugated iron roof. Wall construction is limestone which has been lightly rendered and then marked out to resemble ashlar masonry. The gable roof extends down at the front and rear to form skillion roofed verandahs. Shingles are still visible on the underside of the front verandah. The building has short, brick rendered chimney stacks, with string courses. The front verandah is supported by stop chamfered timber posts and has a timber floor. The rear verandah has been enclosed.

The original front, four panel door has been retained and on either side of the door are windows. Further to the west is a door which provides entry into the 1870s extension. Both the door and windows in the original c.1865 section have stone arches above the lintels, whereas the 1870s door has a timber lintel.

The interior is divided into three rooms which lie side by side. Doorways lead either out onto either the front verandah or the rear verandah. The building is only one room deep. The doors are four panel, some of them have glazing to the two upper panels. The windows are double hung sashes and are probably not original. The walls are rendered. Timber mantle pieces remain in two of the rooms, although one has been removed from the fireplace and left lying on the floor. The ceiling in one of the rooms is mansard in form and is clad with pressed metal.

The original c.1865 section of the building and the 1870s room are in poor condition. The building has retained a high degree of integrity and authenticity. The 1920s kitchen at the west end of the house is reached via the verandah. The timber framed building is covered with a hipped roof. This section of the building is in poor condition. A new, two storey brick building with iron roof has been built at the rear of the house (c.1985). The building is in fair condition. The 1920s kitchen and the c.1985 building are considered to be intrusive and have low significance.

History

Assessment 2005
Original Owner: Christopher Weetman
Architect/Designer: Christopher Weetman
Builder: Christopher Weetman
Construction date: C1865
Alterations/Additions 1870'2, 1920's

SUMMARY: Phoebe Abbey’s House was constructed in several stages between c.1865, 1870s, 1920s and c.1985. The original c.1865 section was constructed by Christopher Weetman, a master bricklayer and mason who arrived in the colony in 1855 with his wife and three children. He is thought to have constructed several buildings in the Sussex district.

After his death in 1867, his eldest daughter Ellen, who had married John Abbey in 1870, inherited Weetman’s Farm. An additional room was added onto the original section, probably shortly after Ellen’s marriage. The property, originally referred to as ‘One Mile Farm’ was then inherited by John and Ellen’s eldest son Christopher. He married Phoebe Mewett in 1927 and the couple had two children. The kitchen was possibly added at this time. Christopher died in 1937 and Phoebe continued to live in the house until her death in the 1980s. The house was then sold by Phoebe’s children to the Powells. The new owners constructed a new two storey building behind the original cottage in c.1985. Phoebe Abbey’s House was placed on the Shire of Busselton’s Municipal Inventory, which was adopted by Busselton Council, on 20/6/1996. The Powells sold the building to a developer’s syndicate in 2004. In April 2005, the cottage lies vacant and open to squatters and vandalism.


HISTORY The Busselton district was initially settled in the 1830s by the Bussell brothers and other settlers from Augusta. The present town of Busselton grew up around the point where settlers came ashore, and the main road, Queen Street, which led to the Bussell’s property. The town was officially gazetted in 1847. The early settlers carried out a lively trade with American whaling ships and soon a commercial and government infrastructure, such as shops, hotels, churches, schools and a courthouse became established. St Mary's Anglican Church, constructed in 1845, was the first church constructed in the district. Over the years the district expanded and Busselton became the economic centre for the area. The Municipality of Busselton was declared in 1871 and a mayor was elected.

Christopher Weetman, accompanied by his wife Judith and their two daughters (Ellen and Jane), arrived in Western Australia in 1855. He was a master bricklayer and mason and was soon employed in constructing dwellings in the Sussex area. He constructed several buildings in the Busselton district including Newton House (built for Thomas Abbey) and St. Joseph’s Church, Busselton..1 At this stage it is not known when Weetman acquired the land on which Phoebe Abbey’s House sits. Weetman employed two ticket of leave men, in the Sussex district in 1863 and 1866 and it is possible that during these two periods that he used the men to assist with the construction of his house. Weetman’s career was unfortunately cut short when he drowned at Blackwood Bridge on 23 September 1867.

His widow was registered as residing in Busselton during the 1870s. The farm passed into the Abbey family’s hands through the marriage of Ellen Weetman to John Abbey. Thomas and Mary Abbey arrived in Western Australia in 1841. They moved to the Vasse district with their eldest son David and were employed by J.G. Bussell. Later they rented land on the Locke brothers’ estate at Wonnerup. In 1844, twin boys (John and Nathaniel) were born to the couple while they were at Wonnerup. The boys were apparently the first twins to be born in the district. Thomas Abbey later acquired land in the Vasse district and established a farm on which Newtown House sits. John Abbey married Ellen Weetman in July 1870 and took over the Weetman farm which was referred to as One Mile Farm (as it was 1 mile from Busselton’s Post Office). It is possible that the single room addition on the west side of the original two room cottage was added in the early 1870s shortly after Ellen’s marriage to John.

A description of the farm in 1885 describes the cottage as having a verandah on three sides with a long garden and vinery at the rear. A barn and rick yard with cows, poultry and pigeons were at one side of the house.4 John and Ellen had seven children, two sons and five daughters, born between 1872 and 1887. The couple’s eldest son Christopher inherited the farm on his father’s death in 1933 (Ellen died in 1913). Christopher Abbey married Phoebe Mewett in 1927 when he was 48. The couple had two children. The kitchen at the west end of the house may have been added at this time. Christopher Abbey died in 1937. The house was occupied by Phoebe Abbey until her death and then passed out of the Abbey family’s hands in the 1980s when it was purchased by G. & R. Powell. The Powells built a two storey, brick addition at the rear of the house after they purchased the place. In 2004, Phoebe Abbey’s House was bought by a syndicate of developers.

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.