House

Statement of Significance

The place at 27 Rowley Street has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
The place is part of a local streetscape comprising a number of similar residences which typify the type and style of construction in Albany at the end of the 19th century.
The place is associated with well-known builder William Trott who was the stonemason for the Court House and Town Hall.
The place was built at the time of Albany's growth as a result of the construction of the Great Southern Railway and when it was still Western Australia’s major port.

Physical Description

Some of the notable features of this place include:
• Set close to street with similar set back to other houses on this side of the street
• Double storey home – single storey from street with double storey at rear
• Prominent tall chimneys with cement rendered pattern
• Hipped corrugated iron roof
• Verandah under separate roof
• Cement rendered brick and stone walls
• Sash windows
• Projecting bay window on south side of the house
• Internal:
Upper level - four rooms off central hallway, one with pressed ceiling, fireplaces in all rooms, brick walls with internal stud walls at rear.
Lower level – originally 3 rooms, all with fireplaces, granite walls with brick dividing walls.
Floors: Pine and jarrah, slate steps

Some obvious modifications include:
• Central gabled portico, small dividing wall to the street and roof profile of front verandah
• Fireplace in lower level room removed and one dividing wall removed to join 2 rooms
• Original rear upper and lower verandas replaced by a 2 storey extension in 1990

History

William Trott purchased the land on which No. 27 was built as well as Lot 3, on which 25 Rowley Street is located, in 1889. William Hotson Trott was born at Bunbury in 1854. He was the eldest child of Thomas and Ellen Trott. Thomas Trott, a mason and bricklayer, had arrived in Western Australia in 1850, as a convict on the Scindian. William Trott moved to Albany in 1886. He was employed on major works there, including the Town Hall and Court House. The arched stone entrances to the Court House are examples of his work. Trott and his wife later moved to Perth where he died in September 1920.

Evidence from the Albany Town Council rate books indicates that 27 and 25 Rowley Street were built in the street sometime between 1891 and 1892. It is unclear from the evidence whether the buildings were actually built by Trott but during the twenty years of ownership of the house by Trott, he lived in either 25 Rowley Street or 27 Rowley Street and rented out the other. In 1898, Trott is advertising a five room house to Let in Rowley Street.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High
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.