Oakview Cottages

Statement of Significance

The place at 32 Frederick Street has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
The place is an unusual and relatively rare example of an iron clad residence in the Albany townsite and presenting a simple but well-articulated Federation Bungalow that has maintained a high level of authenticity.
The place and the place next door at 30 Frederick Street are associated with Timothy Cullinane and his family who had settled in Albany by 1890, and then the descendants including the Sullivan and Brown families who owned the place until the late 1960s.
The place is significant for its contribution to a precinct of heritage buildings/houses in Frederick Street comprising nos. 27, 30, 32, 34, 36, 44, 52, 58 & 61.

Physical Description

Some of the notable features of this place include:
• Corrugated iron construction – walls and roof
• Projecting wing with gable
• Decorative timber barge board
• Verandah under broken backed roof across rest of front elevation
• Timber window frames

Some obvious modifications include:
• Driveway on eastern side has been resurfaced
• Replacement corrugated steel cladding (c2002)
• External colour scheme

History

The place at 32 Frederick was originally on Lot 334 which comprised 1 acre from Frederick Street to Earl Street. The Rate Book entry for 1890 shows the land was owned by Timothy Cullinane, originally from Ireland who had just recently arrived at Albany. Timothy and Margaret Cullinane (nee Sounness) had four children, the first one Mary born in 1862, then followed by John, Elizabeth (later Mrs Newhill) and William. The Cullinanes lived in Short Street west (now Grey Street west). As well as his property investments, Timothy Cullinane also held a gallon licence in Albany for the Oriental Brewery.

In 1898, the Rate Book shows Cullinane still as owner of Lot 334 with two houses now constructed on the Lot. These would be the houses at 30 and 32 Frederick Street, often referred to as the larger house and the smaller house respectively and which together were known as the “Oakview Cottages”. Cullinane rented these properties out with the first tenants listed in the 1898 rate book as J. E. Green and L. J. Galverley. From 1899 Timothy Cullinane was advertising in the local paper a five-roomed house to Let on Frederick Street as well as a three-roomed house which would be 30 and 32 Frederick Street. Stage-coach workers were believed to have lived for a time at 32 Frederick Street.

By 1901 Timothy had died and he bequeathed the property - which comprised the two houses plus additional vacant undeveloped land - to his eldest daughter, Mary, who was living on Albany (Perth) Road. After Timothy’s death the “larger” house (30 Frederick Street) was being advertised for lease by his son, John, who was living in Frederick Street possibly at No. 32.

Mary’s only child Mary “Jane” (born 1885) married Percy Peter Sullivan. In the early 1900s, Jane and Percy moved into 32 Frederick Street with their four children, Frank, Blanch, Ivy and Joseph. Their next daughter, Kathleen, was born in 1911 at 32 Frederick Street followed by four more children who were born in this house – Dorothy, Clarry, Carmel and Edith.

In 1925, Jane and Percy Sullivan moved out of 32 Frederick Street after living there for nearly 25 years and left Albany to move to Perth. Her mother Mary Cullinane continued to lease out the two houses.

Mary’s brother, John Cullinane, who had become well-known in Albany working for many years as a carrier on the waterfront and railway station, died in 1926.

Mary passed away on 5 December 1933 aged 71. She left the Frederick Street property to Jane. After Jane passed away on 6 November 1949 at Perth, the property passed to her daughter, Ivy, who also lived in Perth so continued to lease out the houses.

In 1952, Ivy returned to Albany with her daughter Barbara (Brown) and they lived in 32 Frederick Street initially then they moved into 30 Frederick Street and leased No. 32 to the McQueen family.

During Ivy’s time the original Lot 334 was subdivided, creating two new Lots with frontage to Earl Street and a Lot to the east on Frederick Street which would be No. 28 Frederick Street. The houses at 30 and 32 Frederick Street however still remained on one Lot. In 1954, Ivy’s sister Dorothy returned to Albany with her husband Bert Blowes and their daughter Pamela and they lived in 32 Frederick Street. In 1956, Ivy sold Dorothy and Bert the ¼ acre block at the back of No. 30 fronting Earl Street where they built a house. Ivy then sold the adjoining ¼ acre block on Earl Street, then later the 1/3-acre Lot next door at No. 28 Frederick Street to Mr and Mrs T Barnett who built their home.

By 1969, Ivy sold both 30 and 32 Frederick Street, thereby ending the Cullinane-Sullivan connection to these houses after around 80 years of ownership. She moved to Perth where she died in 1975.

The next significant changes occurred in the early 2000s. In 2002 both houses were renovated by the then owners, Andersons. For 32 Frederick Street this included recladding with new corrugated steel, with a new cream colour replacing the former yellow tone. In 2003, the Lot was subdivided by the Andersons, with 30 and 32 Frederick Street now being on separate Lots and a new house built behind No. 30 (being 30A Frederick Street, Lot 402). They were both put up for sale in 2005. The house at 32 Frederick Street is now and rented out as holiday accommodation called “Oakview Cottage”.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High
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.