Camfield House

Statement of Significance

Camfield House, a brick and iron residence constructed in 1858 comprising a single-storey section in Victorian Georgian style and a two-storey section in Victorian Rustic Gothic style, has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
• the place was occupied as the Albany Native Institution from 1858 to 1871, and is representative of a wider attitude in the mid-nineteenth century toward instructing Aborigines in European civilization and Christianity;
• the place is one of a small group of places surviving from the early period of Albany’s development. It reflects the growth of the town as the principal port in Western Australia in the nineteenth century, and contributes to its ongoing importance as a prominent historic town;
• the place is a rare structure combining residential and institutional functions, which was constructed specifically for the housing and education of Aboriginal children;
• the place, with its two separately constructed wings, provides good examples of both the Victorian Rustic Gothic and Victorian Georgian styles. The steeply pitched gabled roofs, gabled fascias and timber finials create aesthetic skyline features, and together with the English bond brickwork and decorative timber gable ends give the place considerable aesthetic significance;
• the place is closely associated with Resident Magistrate Henry Camfield and his wife Anne, who constructed the building in 1858 as schoolroom and accommodation for the Native Institution, after housing the Institute in their own home from 1852 until at least 1858;
• the place has some landmark quality situated on a slope of Mount Melville overlooking the city and set well back on a large, terraced site allowing uninterrupted views of the house from the north; and,
• the place contributes to the local community's sense of place by its historical associations and its streetscape value as a substantial mid 19th century building on a corner site.
A freestanding garage at the southeast corner of the site is of low significance.

Physical Description

Some of the notable features of this place include:
• Conglomeration of buildings from different time periods
• Prominent high-pitched gable metal roofs
• Set on large corner position
• Sweeping lawns and austere garden
• Two distinctive main buildings representing the house and the school

The house
• Simple colonial rectangular design
• Steeply pitched gable corrugated iron roof
• Broken backed verandah shades the facade
• Two doors and three sets of casement windows open onto the verandah
• Stucco finish on the walls
• At the rear is a skillion roofed extension
• Four chimneys asymmetrically placed around the house

The school
• Two storey brick building
• Steeply pitched gable corrugated iron roof with finials
• Bricks partially exposed on one side of the building the rest is whitewashed
• Sash windows

Some obvious modifications include:
• There is a number of outhouses on the property
• At some stage the two buildings were joined
• Timber balustrading from north single storey, back steps and iron lace bracketing removed
• Small portico entry at the rear (north) removed

History

Camfield House is a residence with an interesting history. Anne Camfield first purchased the property in 1852. Anne arrived in the Swan River Colony in 1838 as a governess and married Henry Camfield in 1840. Henry was, from 1848 to 1860, the Government Resident of Albany.

On one lot of the property a wattle and daub house, Annesfield, was built for the Camfields. On the other lot a school was built for Aboriginal children. In the first year there were 10 students attending the school. Anne Camfield ran the school from 1852-1871.

Annesfield School for Aboriginal Children may have grown out of an earlier school administered by J McKail. In June 1852 Anne Camfield sought the assistance of Archdeacon Wollaston to provide for the needs of an increasing number of orphaned and mixed descent children. Wollaston had two major problems to overcome. The first was to find a Christian home to accommodate the children. Here he was fortunate to have the support of Henry Camfield who made his own home available for the children and encouraged his wife to devote her time to the care of the children. The second problem was finance and Wollaston was able to gain favour with Governor Fitzgerald who provided a grant for the support of six children and a contribution to the construction of an institution at Middleton beach…This institution was not a lasting venture because of the difficulty that Wollaston had in obtaining money to employ the master and mistress. In the interim Mr and Mrs Camfield continued to care for the children. Camfield built a schoolroom in the grounds of his own house and here Mrs Camfield taught the children.

The first child taken into Anne Camfield’s care was Kojonupat who was baptised Matilda Flower (who unfortunately died after only three years in the school). Matilda was joined by her two sisters, Elizabeth (Bessie) and Ada. Bessie Flower was quite a talented woman who went on to become a teacher and married at a Victorian mission, Ramahyuck. She spoke French, played the harmonium in the church and, by her own accounts, was quite a reasonable chess player. On 1 January 1869 The Australian News published a release on the Mission, which included this report. ‘The very accomplished native teacher Elizabeth Flower will soon take charge of the new boarding school. The children receive five hours instruction daily and made good progress in their lessons as well as in needle and household work.’ In 1868 a collection of letters written by Bessie Flower to Anne Camfield were published in the Western Australian Church of England newspaper giving a rare insight into the quality of education received at Annesfield.

In 1871 Anne Camfield reflected on the achievements of Annesfield in a Government report and commented on Bessie Flower (Cameron);
Bessie, who is now a teacher in Gippsland, was never without a book in her pocket by day or under her pillow at night. Her love of reading often brought her into scrapes, from reading at inconvenient times…yet she is much interested in History, Travels and more serious works…. Her memory is so very good that she retains what she reads. This girl alone is sufficient proof of the intelligence of Aborigines.

Anne Camfield returned to England after the death of her husband in 1872.

In 1918 Camfield was put on the market for sale or lease described as a commodious residence, stable, garage and paddock.

In 2009, major conservation works were undertaken particularly in the re-rendering of the external walls. The house is now a private residence, and the property has been subdivided.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High/Moderate
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.