Norseman Post Office

Statement of Significance

*demonstration of a way of life, custom, process or junction
The arrival of, and dispatch of mail shipments dictated the timing of activities of both townsfolk and countryfolk, and their consequent inter-action with other activities, such as attending the markets, collecting the fresh bread, doing business at the bank, and so on. The Post Office thereby became an important component of the way of life.

*historical significance of development of cultural phases; association with important figures Norseman's rapid growth was due entirely to the lure of gold and new people arrived in the town daily hoping to make their fortune. Gold was discovered in this area in 1892 and the Post Office was constructed in 1897. The need to inform authorities in Perth of gold shipments would have made a telegraphic connection to Perth a necessity. The fact that the Colonial Government saw the need to construct a building expressively to house the post and telegraphic facilities at Norseman indicates the new wealth of the Government and the rapid growth of Norseman .

The Post and Telegraph Office would have been one of the earliest and most substantial public buildings constructed in Norseman. ·

*environmental importance; townscape or landscape value; high degree of unity of setting The importance of communications to the more remote centres gave the Post Offices a very prominent role. This was generally reflected in streetscape terms by the design and location of the building.

*social significance
In local context , the significance of the Post Offices as a meeting place gauged by the arrival and or departure of the mails initially, as well as a place for the dissemination of news and gossip, for the disbursement of social assistance, for the collection of war bonds and so on, the ediface is of significance to the development of a rural community. As the type of service provided changed in nature, the need to visit the post office in such a community diminished. Enormous social significance accrues to the Post Office.

Physical Description

N
S. DESCRIPTION
This post office, together with the one at Leonora, was one of the last designed by Poole. Both buildings are of a similar design. The building sits on a corner site and is bounded by Ramsay Street to the south and Prinsep Street to the west. The single storey building is constructed of random coursed rubble stonework and has rendered quoins and architraves. The stonework is hammer dressed with tuck­ pointing to the joints . Roofing is GCI. Internally the walls are plastered . The verandah sweeps down from the truncated hip of the main roof.

The external appearance of the building has been maintained , especially as the timber framed 1954 addition has been removed . The original verandah posts have been replaced with simple wooden posts. The original posts were stop-chamfered, topped with wooden capitals and braced with decorative brackets. The chimneys were removed at some stage.

The building is generally sound. Some rising damp is evident on the west wall and parts of the rear sections of the building fronting the courtyard.

History

Assessment 1994
Architect /Designer: George Temple Poole
Construction 1897
orseman was one of the early goldmining centres, and was established before the finds in the Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie fields. In 1895 Norseman had a receiving centre for mail but it was not until July 1897 when telegraphic facilities arrived in the town that the Post Office was completed. In 1954 the eastern side of the building was extended to accommodate a telephone exchange and changing rooms and the counter in the postal hall was altered. At some later stage this extension was demolished.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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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.