House - Two Units

Statement of Significance

The house at 22 Stirling Terrace has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
The place is associated with Dr Frederick John Ingoldby who built the residence, and his wife Annie and who lived their whole married life in Albany, with Ingoldby well-known as a resident doctor in Albany and medical officer with the AFI and who had served in the Boer War.
The prominent two-storey residence is a fine example of Federation Queen Anne architecture designed by well-known local architect Robert Greenshields, and creates a significant landmark along this eastern residential end of Stirling Terrace.
The place is associated with Arthur Wollaston Hassell, son of Captain John Hassell and brother of Albert Young (A Y) and John Frederick Tasman (J F T) Hassell, all of whom were prominent in politics and commerce in Albany and the wider community and also in their various successful farming pursuits.
The place is associated with long-term resident, John Hamilton Downer and his family, Downer being the local manager of the Adelaide Steam Ship Co. from 1901-1918 and an active member of the local community.
The place is one of many associated with sea trade and port affairs in Brunswick Road and the eastern end of Stirling Terrace.
The place reflects the typical dwelling of a rising middle class that emerged from the commercial and service industries that developed around the port of Albany in the latter part of the 19th century particularly when Albany was the main port for Western Australia.
The place is one of a group of significant residences built during the Late Victorian/Federation period along this eastern end of Stirling Terrace, just outside of the Stirling Terrace Heritage Precinct, many of which were used as boarding and guest houses given their proximity to the town centre, railway station and harbour.

Physical Description

Some of the notable features of this place include:
• Two storey elevated position
• Prominent gabled wing with bay window on the bottom storey
• Verandah on lower storey under separate roof
• Upper storey has enclosed balcony
• Windows wooden framed double hung sash windows
• Façade and east brick rendered
• Side (west) elevation unpainted red brick
• Gable unpainted brick infill
• Chimneys rendered with moulded capping

Some obvious modifications include:
• Original facebrick rendered - external colour scheme now grey with white trim
• Verandah and balcony enclosures – front and rear

History

The place at 22 Stirling Terrace was built on original Albany Building Lot S10. The first Deed of Grant for this Lot was issued to Sydney Grandison Watson on 26th November 1839. Grandison was granted deeds for other Lots in Albany around this time, including others along Stirling Terrace.
The 1890 rate book shows Lot 10 owned by A W Hassell, a farmer, but appears as undeveloped. This is Arthur Wollaston Hassell, son of Capt. John Hassel, former master mariner with the Royal Navy and who was one of the largest landholders in the Albany/Great Southern region from the early years of British settlement.
John Hassell, originally from Tasmania, first came to Albany in 1829 but did not settle in Albany permanently until 1839 when he returned with wife Ellen and first-born son John Frederick Tasman Hassell. John and Ellen Hassell had a total of 5 sons and 1 daughter: John (J F T) the eldest born in Tasmania, then the rest born in Albany including Albert Young (A Y) (1841); Frances Reuben; Arthur Wollaston (A W); Alfred Govey (who died in Adelaide c1880); and Ellen Belinda who became Mrs Nicholson. John Hassell died on 15th August 1883 after which his estate was looked after by his three remaining sons, John, Albert and Arthur, but it would be another 10 years before his will was finally sorted out.
The Hassell brothers John, Albert and Arthur, were prominent in politics and commerce in Albany and the wider community and also in their various farming pursuits around the Great Southern region. The Hassell estate also included commercial premises on Stirling Terrace in which they were all involved. As well as this Lot 10 on Stirling Terrace, Arthur also inherited Lot 130 Aberdeen Street (cnr Serpentine Rd) from the family estate. Arthur and his brother Albert together purchased land in Cliff Way where the prominent residence of Hillside was eventually built for Albert and his family.
Arthur Hassell suffered financial difficulties over many years and eventually most of his holdings were being offered for auction. In 1902 he was declared bankrupt and all his remaining estate was assigned to his creditors. Arthur Hassell died in 1906.
Lot 10 was purchased by Frederick John Ingoldby in December 1896. Ingoldby was well-known resident doctor in Albany and medical officer with the AFI, serving in the Boer War where he was badly injured. Ingoldby and his wife May Willoxen (Annie) were married in 1886 and they lived their whole married life in Albany.

When Ingoldby purchased this Lot there was already a house extant – this is likely the cottage to the rear of the present residence still there today and which was likely built by Hassell. Ingoldby was living in the house next door at this time (refer Kent House 24 Stirling Terrace). In August 1896, tenders were called for the building of the brick villa residence for Ingoldby by the architect, Robert Greenshields. As well as an architect, Greenshields was also well-known in Albany as the former Town Surveyor and Town Clerk, and he was responsible for the design of the Rotunda on Stirling Terrace. Originally the house was (tuckpointed) facebrick with rendered stringcourse, lintels and sills. As well as this residence, Ingoldby built several other houses in Albany including 178 Grey Street and Hamurana at 89 Middleton Road.
By c1907, Lot 10 was purchased by the Adelaide Steam Ship Co. John Hamilton Downer, Manager, lived there with his wife and children and their maid Miss M Rosevear until 1918. Downer had moved to Albany in 1901 when he was appointed as the local manager and was active in the local community becoming a member of the Albany Chamber of Commerce and he and his wife were members of the Albany Golf Club. In 1918 Downer was promoted to Western Australian manager of the company and he and his family moved to Fremantle.
By 1932, H E Lambert, the well-known picture show man of Albany, owned and lived in the house. Lambert had moved to Albany with his parents aged 5 in the 1880s. He had two brothers, one being Percy Lambert who became Mayor of Albany. As an adult and having set up a picture show business, Lambert lived in other towns such as Beverly and Pingelly before settling in Albany. He married Miss E Myers in 1907 and he and his wife had 2 sons and 2 daughters. In 1925, Lambert built the popular Regent Theatre in the St Albans Buildings in York Street. Prior to the Regent being built, Lambert showed pictures in the Town Hall and St John’s Hall. Lambert operated the Regent Theatre for more than 20 years as well as the Empire Theatre. Although Lambert finally purchased the residence from the Steamship Co. in 1936 he passed away only 3 months later – on 8th September - in this home aged in his mid-50s.
After World War Two the owner was Walter Sterry Chapman, and after he died in 1970 his wife Emily became the sole proprietor.
Mr and Mrs D Campbell Pope purchased the place in 1975. The Popes undertook several renovations including enclosing the back and front verandahs and refurbishing the bathroom.
In 1987 – after the Pope’s strata titled the land to create a new Lot with frontage to Frederick Street - the place was purchased by their daughter and son-in-law Georgie and Clive Walker family who are the current owners.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High/Moderate
Authenticity: 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.