Frederick Postans' Cottage, Hope Valley

Statement of Significance

Aesthetic Value: The place has aesthetic value as a picturesque ruin of a
limestone cottage dating from the 1880s and the remnants are
representative of a simple, limestone rural cottage of modest
proportions, built using local materials.

Historic Value: The place is associated with George and Harriet Postans, early
settlers who established Hope Valley as an area for market
gardening, and who are believed to have named the area.
The place reflects the expansion of settlement in the Hope
Valley area during the turn of the century.

Scientific Value: The place has potential archaeological value in revealing the
way of life of early settlers in an isolated rural community.

Rarity The place is rare as an example of an early dwelling in the Hope
Valley area.

representativeness: The remnants of the structures are representative of simple, limestone rural cottages of modest proportions, built using local materials.

Level of Significance: Exceptional

Physical Description

The site was not accessed in 2021.
A description of the site in 2015 stated Frederick Postans' Cottage comprised a limestone cottage in ruinous condition, situated to the southwest of Long Swamp, on a gentle northeast slope above an un-named and mostly dry swamp. Evidence of the extent of the Postans farm remains in the form of fence posts to both the east and west of the cottage. Mature and newly seeded exotic trees, including Cape Lilacs, surround the cottage and are growing within its walls.
The form of the four room cottage with two chimneys remains, although walls are deteriorating. Facing east, the limestone to the front façade is dressed and the window openings to this façade retain evidence of the limestone sills and arched lintels. There is an additional room with a separate entrance to the south and evidence of a former wall extending to the east. The limestone wall to the former front verandah is evident in parts. Some timber framing remains extant to door and window openings, but is largely deteriorated due to fire
damage. No roof structure remains.
There is a high level of potential for surface and sub-surface archaeological material to be present in and around the Frederick Postans’ Cottage, Hope Valley.
Archaeological material (artefacts and deposits) of this sort would be highly significant for its potential to provide information regarding the construction and occupation of Frederick Postans’ Cottage, Hope Valley.
There are at least two known artefact scatters located in close proximity to Frederick Postans’ Cottage, Hope Valley.
Evidence of the agricultural activities and incidental artefacts (such as nails, implements, personal items) might also be expected to be found the areas frequented by the Postans family. Areas of moderate archaeological potential include the surrounds of Hendy Road Swamp, former garden beds, including self-sown plantings, and the tracks and surrounds.

History

George Postans arrived in Western Australia as a convict aboard the Scindian in 1850. Convicted of housebreaking at 16, he received his ticket-of-leave by 1851. Postans married Harriet Green, widow of Edwin, in 1854 and was granted a full pardon in 1858.
Postans worked in the Murray District and Pinjarra as a labourer, small farmer, and bricklayer. In the 1850s, he jointly worked on a farm in North Dandalup of 15 acres with his friend, William Pollard. He is also recorded as having employed five ticket-of-leave men in Toodyay, which may also have been while working with William Pollard. By 1880 he and his wife had saved enough to settle their large family, by then numbering fifteen, on 100 acres of land in what was to become Hope Valley.
A plan of the property in a surveyor’s field book (name of surveyor illegible) is dated August 1880. The plan, drawn to scale, shows a 100 acre block of land attributed to George Postans, with two fields, one approximately 10 acres and ‘under cultivation’ in the southern half of the allotment. The survey plan was drawn during the very early settlement of the allotment, prior to the official transfer of title of land to George Postans in 1882. There are two other small features noted on the plan, in approximately the middle of the block, which may illustrate the presence of a dwelling or other structures.
In 2014, descendants of the Postans and de San Miguel families identified an extant structure located at 233 Hope Valley Road (Lot 241, P245456) as the original Postans’ homestead, built by George Postans. This structure corresponds with the general location of the Postans’ Homestead indicated in the 1880 plan.
In 1900, 28 acres of the original Cockburn Sound Location 241 allotment was transferred to George and Harriet’s son Frederick.40 George Postans retained the remaining 72 acres, in addition to the extra 100 acres he acquired in 1887. Frederick Postans’ Cottage, Hope Valley is located in the south-western corner of the property located at 41 Hendy Road. In 2014, descendants of the Postans and de San Miguel families identified this structure as Frederick Postans’ cottage, built circa 1900.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Moderate
Authenticity: Moderate

Condition

Ruinous

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.