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Statement of Significance

Aesthetic Value: The place anchors the comer and relates well to the other commercial buildings located at this intersection. The place forms part of a group of commercial buildings and contributes to the historic character of the area.
Historic Value: The place reflects the expansion and development of residential and commercial buildings on the city fringes during the rapid population increase of the 1890's gold boom and the early years of the twentieth century. The place represents the changing character of the local community from the typically heterogeneous population of the gold boom of the 1890's to the increasing concentration of ethnic minorities in the course of the twentieth century.
Social Value: The double storey commercial building forms part of a retail streetscape that contributes to the community's sense of place.
Representativeness: The place is representative as an example of a commercial building dating from the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.

Physical Description

Two storey commercial corner building with banded rendered brick work to ground and first floor. Arched entail to ground and first floor corner. Simple parapet with projecting cornice. Recessed areas with window openings which have lost original render moulding. Loss of original detail to shop front.

History

In the early years of the Swan River colony the area to the north of Perth (now known as Northbridge) was low lying and swampy and was therefore settled more slowly than the better land closer to the river. It was also further from the river port and the main means of transport.

Northbridge is an inner suburban area, named because it is just north of Perth across the railway bridge. It was approved as a suburb name in 1982.

In 1854 some of the swampy land to the north of Perth was drained producing some fertile land for farming and later subdivision. The land was subdivided into allotments circa 1860. Land in the area was taken up by discharged soldiers, artisans and small landholders. The area at this period was characterised by small cottages and businesses.

In 1881, they railway from Fremantle to Guildford was opened and became the main transport route. From that period commerce and trade tended to focus around this area with smaller commercial enterprises and manufacturing to the north. It was less fashionable to live north of the railway line, however the area was close to the city and during the 1890's and early 1900's was substantially redeveloped with further subdivision of lots and mixed residential and commercial development. A number of trade and community organisations had their origins in the area at this time.

Over the years the population of the area changed as people relocated to suburban areas of the city. As a result, Northbridge became the home for successive migrant communities. For example, communities including Greek, Italian, Chinese and more recently Vietnamese migrants have settled here as property remained relatively cheap and had the advantage of being close to the city. These communities have over the years given this area a distinctive character, generally recycling the existing buildings rather than redeveloping the area.

(Extracted from M. Pitt Morrison and J. White in C.T. Stannage, A New History of Western Australia; U.W.A. 1981 and Michael Bosworth, Thematic Historical framework, City of Perth Unpub. 1995).

Integrity/Authenticity

Medium level of integrity.

Medium level of authenticity as it has original form but has lost original detail.

Condition

Fair

Uses

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

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