Trenoweth, 101 Northwood St, West Leederville

Statement of Significance

The place has aesthetic value as a good intact example of a Federation Arts and Crafts style residence built in brick and tile which retains much of the original detail and form although the setting has been diminished.

The place has aesthetic value as a prominent landmark in the street since the early 20th century.

The place has historic value for its association with the establishment and development of the West Leederville district in the 1910s.

The place has social value for its demonstration of the type of housing for professional men and their families in the early 20th century.

Physical Description

Substantial brick and tile house of traditional planform and detailing. The house is sited on a slope with the faceted bay being supported on a deep limestone plinth.

The house is located on a corner lot and has a relationship with both Northwood Street and Ruislip Street, the principal façade being to Northwood Street. The house is tuckpointed, to the top of the windows with render above.

The front elevation is of asymmetric planform with a faceted bay window tucked underneath a decorated gable. A verandah extends across the recessed section of the façade and wraps around the return frontage along Ruislip Street. The main roof is hipped with a gable to the projecting wings to both frontages. The bullnose verandah canopy is a separate structure, positioned below the eaves, and clad in red colorbond.

The faceted bay contains three windows, each with lead lights with floral stained glass patterns. The main window is a three section opening with highlight windows whilst each of the side panels contains a single window with highlight. The sills are moulded render. The chimneys are a combination of brick to the lower courses of the stack and rendered to the upper section and to the corbelling, each with a terracotta honeypot flue.

History

The Municipalities of Leederville and North Perth were incorporated into the City of Perth in November 1914. As part of the amalgamation some of the road names were rationalised to avoid confusion. Northwood Street was formerly Monger Street, and Ruislip Street was formerly Ruby Street.

This area of West Leederville had been approved for subdivision as residential lots in 1894. There is no information to suggest the lots were occupied in any form until purchased by Alfred Colliver Trenoweth (1879-1949) in c1915. Alfred Trenoweth and his brothers were builders and traded under the name, Trenoweth Brothers. In 1915, an advertisement was placed in The West Australian for a Plasterer to work on the 'Trenoweth job' on the corner of Monger and Ruby Streets. Alfred Trenoweth and his wife, Ellen Elizabeth (Nellie) were living at the house in 1916, therefore it is concluded the house was built in 1915 by Trenoweth Brothers. If an architect was used for the design no details have been found in the current research. The Trenoweth Bros advertised many properties for sale during this period so it is likely this small scale property development was one of their business techniques.

Alfred and Nellie, nee Kneale (1889-1948) married in 1906 and had no children. They lived at this house until c1919 and relocated to Nedlands. From the available information it appears the Trenoweth family purchased a large parcel of land in c1914 for this house and for a short period of time the Trenoweth Bros operated their building operations from the adjacent lot (HN 107).

Subsequent occupants included the McLellan Family and the Fitzpatrick Family. For a brief period in the early 1920s the place was occupied by manager William McCorkhill and his wife Mary, they sold the house and advertised the house and its contents as follows:
'Magnificent Brick Bungalow residence, tiled roof, containing 6 rooms, kitchen, and bathroom with porcelain bath, oak mantelpieces, cupboards built in … hall, vestibule, 3.6 passage, 12ft walls, 8ft verandah, wire doors. The whole in thorough repair. Sewered. A very comfortable home.'

In addition to the exhaustive list of furniture and household goods on sale the household 4 year old Jersey cow was on sale.

Long term occupants from the late 1920s until the 1960s were traveller, Leslie Ernest Cary (c1900-1965) and his wife Hester Annie, nee Oldfield (c1901-1990). The couple married in 1928 so it is likely they moved to this residence and made it their family home until Leslie's death in 1965.

Aerial photographs indicate the form and extent of the residence have not changed significantly since the mid 20th century. The roof cladding of the verandahs to the front and rear of the place were originally corrugated iron and these have been changed to red colorbond. A small carport has been present to the north of the lot from the mid 1960s which was extended to its current form in the 1980s.

In 2016, a new residence was built to the rear of the lot, facing Ruislip Street which was in the former garden of the original residence.

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.