Four Semi-detached Dwellings

Statement of Significance

Nos. 165-171 Brisbane Street is a group of 4 dwellings designed in the form and style of a Late Colonial Georgian house. This form of development is consistent with comparable examples elsewhere in town centres from development in the pre Gold Boom period. The form of this group of dwellings is one of the oldest residential forms still existing in the district.

Physical Description

This group of 4 dwellings is designed in the form and style of a Late Colonial Georgian house. Originally there was little to distinguish the dwellings one from the other. This form of development is consistent with comparable examples of development in the pre Gold Boom period, in places like Busselton and Rockingham. The form of this group of dwellings is one of the oldest residential forms still existing in the district. The group has an extended hipped iron roof, with brick chimneys to the rear at either end. A detached skillion verandah runs the length of the façade, which is an extended Georgian exercise of well proportioned door and window openings set as symmetrically as possible.

History

The lots on the south side of this section of Brisbane Street bordered the edge of Lake Thomson (Mews Swamp) and the Brookman Street/Moir Street residential development of 1897. This was carried out by William Gordon Brookman's Colonial Finance Corporation betweeen Brookman, MOir and Lake street and Forbes Road. Brookman, Lord mayor of Perth (1900-01) had made his fortune in gold mining in Kalgoorlie. He was also deeply involved in the racing industry and later ran into financial troubles (partly due to his lavish lifestyle) and his properties had to be sold off to meet his debts. The two semi-detached pairs at Nos. 165-171 Brisbane Street appear on the 1897 PWD sewerage plans, but not on the 1897 City of Perth rate books. In the 1898 rate books they appear under the ownership of Goodman Nicholl. They are shown at this time as being on Perth Town Lot N17, as were 14 other houses and cottages. The correct lot number appears to be N14 or N15 (even the City's rate inspectors had trouble figuring out where they were sometimes). In 1898, the residences were numbered 65-71, and each semi-half was valued at £500. Tenants were Charles P. Burk (No.65), Alex Ross (No. 69) and George E. Watson, typist (No.71). No. 65 was vacant. Between 1907 and 1916, the houses were re-numbered 117-123. In 1916 they were given their current street address of Nos. 165-171 Brisbane Street and in 1918, the first year that they are listed in Wise's Post Office Directories as the current address, the residents were Mrs Ruby Oldfield (No. 165), Mrs Albinia Johanneson (No. 167), Henry Holland (No. 169) and Francis E. Tippett (No. 171). In 1949 the residents were Mrs Gwen Adams, Mrs Hazel Larsen, Alfred Snow and William Morphew.

Integrity/Authenticity

Low/medium

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