House

Statement of Significance

The place at 153 Grey Street has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
The place is associated with well-known local residents and business people Adolf and Marie Winterhalter (Cabinetmaker), who owned 153 Grey Street, and Mr and Mrs Primus Duffner (Jeweller), who were tenants.
The place is a fine though simple late Victorian/early Federation bungalow and a relatively uncommon example of a corrugated iron clad simple cottage dwelling in the Albany town area.
The place reflects the typical dwelling of a rising middle class that emerged from the commercial and service industries that developed around Albany in the latter part of the 19th century and into the early 20th 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 in Albany’s historic town centre and which were often used as boarding and guest houses 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.
The place is significant as one of the houses/buildings in Grey St (West) that have heritage value both individually and as part of a group – including nos. 148, 153, 160, 170, 172, 176, 178, 183, 184, 194, 198, 206, 208.

Physical Description

Some of the notable features of this place include:
• Set close to road on low side with some streetscape value
• Built on sloping block, giving undercroft space to the rear
• Originally all corrugated galvanised iron external cladding and roof
• Hipped short sheet corrugated iron roof
• Single chimney with moulded top
• Verandah across front elevation
• Small gable forms portico over front entrance

Some obvious modifications include:
• Front gable not original
• Replacement corrugated iron cladding with Colorbond
• New corrugated steel roof – changed from short sheets to long sheets
• Veranda enclosed with timber picket fencing
• Former face brick low front wall now rendered
• Addition to rear

History

The place at 153 Grey Street was located on original Town Lot 185. By 1890 the Lot was subdivided and 153 Grey Street was located on Lot 10 of 185. The Rate Book entry for 1894 shows the owner as A. Winterhalter and the tenant as Primus Duffner, watchmaker.

Adolf Winterhalter was originally from Austria and worked as cabinet maker. In 1880 he left his home and went to Victoria, NSW and then South Australia where he met Marie Margaret, who was born in Germany. In 1882, after they were married, they came to Albany. The Winterhalters had five children: two sons and three daughters. They had land just out of Albany and Winterhalter set up a cabinet making business in town. They lived at 66 Grey Street and after purchasing 153 Grey Street they rented this out. Their youngest son was killed in action in WWI in 1917. In 1924 Adolf died at his home 66 Grey Street aged 70. Marie continued to live at 66 Grey street until her death in 1940 aged 84.

One of the Winterhalters’ tenants was Primus Duffner, jeweller watchmaker and silversmith. The Duffners arrived in Albany by ship in 1891 and Duffner established his jewellery shop on Stirling Terrrace. He was also involved with the local boxing, sailing and rifle clubs, the latter to which he donated a trophy. They had daughters Lilly, Elsie, Amy. In 1902, Duffner was declared insolvent. After this he moved to the Goldfields but Mrs Duffner stayed behind and started running a boarding house at Grey Street. In 1904, Duffner died in Kalgoorlie at age 41. In March 1924 an auction was advertised of all Mrs Duffner’s household furniture and effects from her boarding house in Grey Street.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High
Authenticity: Moderate

Condition

Fair

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.