House

Statement of Significance

The place at 14 Festing Street has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
The place is associated with Thomas and Elizabeth (nee Moir) Harris who built the house and lived in it. The Harris’s were well-known early settlers in Albany, with Thomas a highly regarded boatman and involved in major maritime infrastructure developments and Elizabeth a member of the famous Moir merchant family.
The house was built by well-known builder James Hamilton who was also involved with building the Town Hall around the same time as the construction of this house.
The place is a relatively rare and finely executed example of a Victorian residence built as semi-detached residence and which still retains a high level of authenticity.

Physical Description

Some of the notable features of this place include:
• Elevated position, set close to the road
• Stone construction with rendered brick quoining to front door and windows
• Stone footings and front fence
• Hipped corrugated iron roof
• Front façade originally symmetrical
• Verandah under separate skillion roof across façade
• Timber verandah posts, flooring and decorative trim
• Two simple chimneys

Some obvious modifications include:
• Extension to front altering symmetry of façade
• Original timber picket fence replaced with random granite stone wall

History

The Rate Book entry for 1890 shows Lot 173 owned by Thomas Harris with two attached houses under one roof. Festing Street was originally called South Street. The tenant was written in as Thomas Harris, boatman, and above this – written in later – is the name Alex Drummond, saddler. The house was built by James Hamilton who was involved with building the Town Hall (1888) for Thomas and Elizabeth Harris.

Thomas Alfred Gunn Harris was an experienced boatman and seafarer. Because of his skill as a boatman, after arriving in Albany in the early 1850s he was commissioned for conveyancing the materials across to Breaksea Island used for the construction of the first Breaksea Island Lighthouse (1858) as well as for the Point King Lighthouse (1858) and the Albany Jetty (1862).

Thomas was married to Elizabeth Moir in 1857. Elizabeth was born in Scotland in 1831, the daughter of John and Elizabeth Moir who came with her parents to Albany in 1850. The Moir family, including her brother Alex Moir, were one of the first British families to settle in Albany and became well known merchants and involved in the development of Albany, not only through their commercial ventures but also their civic and community activities and services. They owned many of the earliest and second wave buildings built in Stirling Terrace.

Thomas died in 1912 and Elizabeth in 1917. Their house was often referred to as Granny Harris’s house.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: High
Modifications: Extension to front altering symmetry of facade

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.