House

Statement of Significance

The place at 194 Grey Street has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
The place is associated with Dalgety & Co. Ltd established in 1884 as a joint-stock company operating all around Australia and later New Zealand and which was a leading firm for many years in the pastoral and wool industry. This house was purpose-built as a professional residence for their local manager.
The place is associated with Mr C T Fletcher who was the local manager for Dalgety & Co. Ltd and the first of their managers to live in this house. Fletcher was also Councillor West Ward for the Albany Road Board.
The place associated with Albany’s pastoral development and position as a major wool appraisement and sales centre for Western Australia in the 20th century being serviced by an extensive railway network and port.
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 a good example of timber housing, a material not as common in the historic town centre which was dominated by brick and stone particularly in the western area, and a good example of the work of the builder Mr V. Cruikshank.
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:
• Elevated position – high streetscape value
• Asymmetrical façade
• Corner angled distinctively
• Large simple roof planes – corrugated iron roof
• Timbered gable in roof
• Wide shady verandah
• Timber verandah posts and balustrading
• Timber and lead light casement windows

Some obvious modifications include:
• Two-storey additions to the north (rear)
• Verandah roof alteration to southeast corner

History

The place at 194 Grey Street is located on original Town Lot 262. The Rate Book entry for 1923 shows the owner as Dalgety & Co. Ltd and the tenant living in the house was C T Fletcher.

Messrs Dalgety & Co. Ltd had established its Albany branch in 1890 but it wasn’t until near the end of World War I that it was ready to construct its first purpose-built premises which would bring all its services under one roof. The new Dalgety’s Wool Warehouse on Proudlove Parade/Lower Stirling Terrace was completed and officially opened early in 1918.
C. T. Fletcher was local manager for Dalgety & Co. Ltd and this house was built by Dalgety to provide Fletcher with a professional residence. Fletcher arrived in Albany, with his wife, in 1920 to take over the management of Dalgety & Co. He had previously worked for 8 years as the manager of the Dalgety Carnarvon branch.
Construction of the house commenced in March 1921 and the contractor was Mr V Cruikshank:
Mr. V. Cruickshank, a well known builder and contractor, of Sydney, has decided to settle in Albany. He is at present completing a modern bungalow residence in Brunswick-road for Mr. S. J. Brady, and is the successful tenderer for a residence in Grey-street for Dalgety and Co. He wishes to intimate that he is prepared to tender for workers' homes under the Government scheme and, as he makes a speciality of brickwork, intending investors would do well to consult him on the subject. Mr. Cruickshank claims there is but little difference in his quotes for timber and brick dwellings.(Albany Advertiser 19 March 1921)
Fletcher also served several terms as a Councillor for the West Ward. Fletcher lived her with his wife. They had daughters Cecile and Olga.

In 1949, Albany Council adopted a by-law across designated areas of the central townsite requiring that all dwellings, shops and warehouses be built only of brick, stone or reinforced concrete, thereby not permitting timber to be used as the primary building material for external wall cladding. This by-law was not an uncommon one and adopted by most local councils in both metropolitan and regional areas owing to the hazards of timber mainly in relation to fire. However, this later policy makes the timber houses still extant in Rowley Street an important part of its historic and eclectic mix of building materials.

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.