HOUSE, 51 LEFROY ROAD

Statement of Significance

House, 51 Lefroy Road, is a single storey brick and Colorbond house dating from 1905. The place has aesthetic value for its contribution to the streetscape and the surrounding area. The place has some historic value as an early twentieth century residence that demonstrates the settlement and development of the Fremantle area. It is historically significant as a representation of typical workers' houses in the Fremantle area. The place is a fine example of the Federation Queen Anne style of architecture.

Physical Description

House, 51 Lefroy Road is a single storey tuck pointed brick and Colorbond house designed as a fine example of the Federation Queen Anne style of architecture. The walls are red tuck pointed brick with cream rendered bands at dado and head height. The roof is hipped with twin gables and clad with Colorbond. There are two tall rendered corbelled chimneys evident. The gables have timber roof vents and timber finials. The façade is symmetrical with a central front door with top and side fanlights flanked on either side by similar doors. The verandah has a separate Colorbond bullnose roof (not originally bullnose) supported by turned and chamfered timber posts. The house sits above street level on limestone foundations, with central limestone steps leading up to the concrete verandah. There is a low wrought iron and limestone fence to the front boundary line.

History

Lefroy Road forms the northern boundary of the Lefroy Estate, which extended as far south at Lloyd Street. H Maxwell Lefroy was Comptroller (Superintendent) of the Fremantle Prison from 1859-1876. The portion of the street between South Terrace and Attfield Street was previously called Trinity Street (1908/09), then Sinclair St (1909/10).
A cottage was built on this site for Robert George Brown in 1905. From 1907 it was owned but Charlotte Ann Baker, with the occupant listed as Joseph Baker. Bakers continued to own the house into the 1930s, although they ceased to live there in the 1920s. The ownership continued to be listed as the estate of C.A. Baker into the 1950s. The place was occupied from the early 1950s by Fritz Carl Lange.
A 1908 sewerage plan shows a brick cottage on the lot, with verandah across the entire front elevation and two projecting bay windows. The rear elevation is largely taken up with a bathroom, with the remainder being a small verandah. A 1984 plan shows the place with significant extensions to the rear.
The house was sold in 1994, at which time its brickwork was painted white and its verandah was a simple metal railing. Real estate advertisements in 2007 and 2008 show the place opulently renovated. The former skillion verandah has been replaced with a bullnose. Filigree iron trim has been added and all verandah rails removed. The brickwork has been cleaned and tuckpointed. A decorative wrought iron fence evident in the 1994 photograph has been retained. Descriptions of the place claim that the timber staircase was salvaged from Perth’s Majestic Hotel. At the rear of the main residence is a two-storey second house, converted from former stables.
Stables are not shown on a 1908 sewerage plan and there are no substantial outbuildings on a 1913 PWD plan. A planning application was approved in 1990 to make extensions to the stables. Plans and photographs at the time show the stables across the whole of the rear of the lot, with a collection of several almost-flat corrugated iron rooves. A U-shaped stonewall section at the southwest corner has corrugated iron cladding and louvres enclosing the open north side. A carport is attached to the east, with a second L-shaped stone wall along the east boundary and making a small portion of the north elevation. The applicant claims a small stone room for a stable boy was formerly within the carport section and has been removed. 2007 and 2008 real estate photographs of the property show only a portion of the converted stables, but they appear to be substantially modified with little evidence of their earlier function.
The following places form a significant group and contribute to the streetscape of Lefroy Road; 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 35, 36, 38, 40, 47, 51, 53, 55 and the Norfolk Pines.

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).

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This data is provided by the City of Fremantle. While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of this data, the City of Fremantle makes no representations or warranties about its accuracy, reliability, completeness or suitability for any particular purpose and disclaims all responsibility and all liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages (including indirect or consequential damage) and costs which you might incur as a result of the data being inaccurate or incomplete in any way and for any reason. Under no circumstances should this data be used to carry out any work without first contacting the City of Fremantle for the appropriate confirmation and approval.