House, 20 Kenny Street

Statement of Significance

• This place has aesthetic value as a well executed and predominantly intact example of the
Federation bungalow style.
• The place has historic value for its association with the development of this area of Bassendean early 20th century.
• The place has historic value for its association with Richard (Dick) McDonald the longest serving Chairman of the Bassendean Road Board and later Shire of Bassendean who made a significant impact in shaping the development of Bassendean.
• This place has social value as the house demonstrates the form and scale of housing for professional families in the 1910s.

Physical Description

Single storey brick and iron house positioned in a slightly elevated position behind a high brick wall. The roof is a hipped form extending down at the same pitch to form the verandah canopy that wraps around three elevations and is supported on paired timber posts. The verandah deck is raised with limestone retaining wall and timber deck. Symmetrical façade with centrally placed entrance flanked by full height windows.

History

This portion of Bassendean was subdivided by a group of investors in the early 1900s under the promotional name of 'Tanner's Estate' or the 'Tanner's Extension Estate'. The group of investors included some of the most well known members of colonial society: S.H. Parker, G.H.Leake, H. Anstey, Dr D. Kenny, J. James, J. Grave, H.E. Parry, Dr. J. Hope and W. Paterson. Three of these men; Parker, Leake and Paterson; were at various times members of parliament. Kenny Street was named after Dr Daniel Kenny (1860-1915), born in Ireland
and trained as a medical doctor at Trinity College; he achieved several prominent postings in medical, political and business life in Western Australia. The street began to be settled in the 1910s with most intense development in the Inter War period. The house is one of the larger in the street and occupies two housing lots. The house was constructed c1912 for prominent local citizen, Richard (Dick) Alexander McDonald and his family. Dick McDonald originally
worked at Midland Railway workshops as a wagon builder from 1911 and was soon involved in most aspects of the Bassendean community however he made his most significant impact as the longest running Chairman of the Road Board and later the Shire Council. The McDonald family, consisting of Dick (1885-1967), his wife Ethel May, née Walsh (c1886-1948) and their children Alex, May and Donald lived at this residence until the mid-1960s.
The building has undergone some additions in recent years. An extension to the northern side was undertaken c2013 which included the replacement of tile roof cladding with zincalume. This change was consistent with the original cladding of corrugated iron which was removed c1980.

Integrity/Authenticity

High
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.