House

Statement of Significance

The house at 82 Vincent Street, is a representative example of a Federation Arts and Crafts cottage showing the influence of the Arts and Crafts movement across the time of the First World War.

Physical Description

Modest single storey detached cottage with a half-timbered gable, a skillion verandah on two sides with decorative timber brackets and triple corner posts. The house demonstrates the transition in styles, which was starting to occur during the period of the First World War with the simplified timber elements derived from the Arts and Crafts style. Garden behind a brick and gothic picket front fence None apparent

History

The subject place is located along Vincent Street directly opposite Hyde Park. Hyde Park was once known as the Third Swamp, which was part of a string of lakes and swamplands that covered an extensive area north of Perth. Prior to and during the early part of European Settlement Hyde Park and its immediate surrounds was an indigenous camping ground. The Swamp was an important source of water and its fertile soil supported a variety of plant foods and attracted wildlife. Europeans were attracted to the Third Swamp for the same reasons however, whilst the land was fertile, it was difficult to settle due to seasonal flooding and its steep and deep topographical surroundings. The Swamp became a duck shooting resort for Europeans, and as late as 1888, drovers used the places as a camp when bringing sheep to Perth. In the 1890s the Lands Department gave permissions to the Perth City Council to allow camping on the Third Swamp in order to accommodate the huge influx of people who had travelled to Western Australia as a result of the Gold Rush. From 1897, the wealth generated by the Gold Rush began to be seen in Perth as buildings and services were constructed. Money was provided to construct a 17 mile tramway network the majority of which was north of the railway line in Perth's northern suburbs. The tramline of which one ran from Charles Street to Vincent Street encouraged residential development. In 1897 the Third Swamp was gazetted as a Public Reserve for the purposes of Public Gardens. This coincides with the influence of town and social planning ideals from overseas, increased prosperity and a civic desire to emulate the more established cities of other countries, all of which encouraged the development of public parks, gardens and recreation reserves close to the city. Vincent Street was named after Mr George Vincent, Chief Draftsman in the Lands Department, the original grantee of the land on the north side of this street, to the east of Charles Street, who named the street for himself on the issue of the grant circa 1876. The street once formed part of the Hyde Park Heights Estate, with the eastern end also called the Tramways Estate. The Post Office Directories list no dwellings for the north side of Vincent Street between William (formerly Clifton Street) and Hyde Street until 1914 when six residents are listed, indicating that the majority of dwellings in this portion of Vincent Street were constructed in 1913. The subject property however was not one of these earlier dwellings to have been constructed. No. 82 Vincent Street was first listed in the Wises Post Office Directory in 1926 indicating that it was constructed circa 1926. The first occupier of the dwelling was Abraham Biger, who lived there until 1929 when A H Carlise becomes the resident. Throughout the first part of the 1930s Albert Catts occupies the dwelling until 1936 when Mr Leo Ritcher becomes the resident. Leo Ritcher remains at the dwelling until at least 1949 when the Post Office Directories cease. A Building Licence was issued to Mr Ritcher in 1936 indicating that he was also the owner of the property during that time.

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