House

Statement of Significance

The place has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
• As a representative example of the application of materials and detailing which were derived from the Federation Queen Anne style, but which were applied in a more restrained manner that suited the budgets and expectations of the middle classes in Subiaco during the early twentieth century.
• For its historic value as a demonstration of the period in which Subiaco underwent rapid development in the early 20th century.

Physical Description

131 Lawler Street is a single storey face brick dwelling with a corrugated steel hip and gable roof displaying characteristics of the Federation Queen Anne style of architecture. The residence is located on the corner of Lawler Street and Railway Road on a triangular lot. The residence has an asymmetrical form with a projecting bay addressing the corner. The hipped roof has two ridge gablets and face brick and rough rendered chimney. The projecting bay has a panelled infill with a turned timber finial above. A corrugated steel verandah continues off the main roof pitch. The verandah is supported by square timber posts with decorative timber brackets and a timber panelling. The walls are tuckpointed brick with a timber weatherboard extension to the western façade. The front façade has a timber framed entry door with a highlight and timber framed casement windows with multi-paned glazing. The openings set within the verandah feature brick voussoirs above. The windows within the gable bay have a timber framed awning above. The front yard is predominately a grass area with some gardens and hedges along the inner fence line. The place in enclosed by a solid limestone pier wall approximately 2000mm high largely obscuring the residence. A steel gate addresses the corner with a secondary larger steel gate to the rear of the property accessed off Railway Road. The place is serviced by a rear laneway.

History

The land around Lawler Street was the earliest residential settlement within West Subiaco. By 1898, ten residences are listed in the street. By 1901, post office directories list about sixty residences within West Subiaco Precinct, of which 21 were listed in Lawler Street and twenty in immediately adjacent streets. There were around 35 houses in Lawler Street 1910, 45 in 1915, 50 in 1920 and 55 (almost all the available lots) in 1925.2 A c.1903 plan shows a vacant lot at 131 Lawler St.

This house was first listed in the PO Directories in 1919 and George Newell was identified as the primary occupant until 1920. The first long-term occupants were the Christie family, who had settled here by September 1920 (when they announced the birth of a daughter). James Christie (salesman) and Lewis (also Lewes) McLeod were married in Perth in 1919. James died in 1971, aged 79, and Lewis in 1979, aged 83. Both lived at Subiaco at the time of their deaths. Electoral rolls from the 1970s suggest they were at 131 Lawler Street to the end of their lives.
A sewerage plan from 1955 shows a brick residence aligned with Lawler Street, therefore at 45 degrees to Railway Parade. A verandah wraps the corner nearest Railway Parade, with a truncated corner, which matches the extant building in 2021. There appear to have been some changes made to the rear of the house in the 1980s, although the place maintained approximately the same footprint.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity - High
Authenticity - High

Condition

Based on a streetscape inspection the building appears to be in a good condition.

Uses

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.