HOUSE, 4 STAPLES STREET

Author

City of Fremantle

Place Number

22490

Location

4 Staples St North Fremantle

Location Details

Local Government

Fremantle

Region

Metropolitan

Construction Date

Constructed from 1929, Constructed from 1928

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type Status Date Documents
Heritage List YES 08 Mar 2007

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type Status Date Documents
(no listings)

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type Status Date Grading/Management
Category
Municipal Inventory Adopted 18 Sep 2000 Level 3

Parent Place or Precinct

22385 North Fremantle Precinct

Statement of Significance

House, 4 Staples Street is a typical brick and iron single storey cottage dating from 1928-1929. The place has aesthetic value for its contribution to the streetscape and the surrounding area. It is representative of the typical building stock located within the residential areas of North Fremantle. Historically significant as a representation of typical workers' houses in the North Fremantle area.

Physical Description

House, 4 Staples Street is a single storey brick and iron cottage with symmetrical facade constructed in 1928-1929. Walls are face brick. The roof is hipped corrugated iron with no eaves. The verandah is under a continuous corrugated iron roof supported by square timber posts. Front elevation is symmetrical with two timber sash windows with rendered sills and a central front door. The verandah is at ground level and has been tiled. There is a limestone wall to the front boundary line. There is a rear extension and alterations.

History

Bounded in the west by Stirling Highway and in the east by Rule Street, Staples Street is divided by Thompson Road. The area forms part of an original land grant to the Pensioner Guards (lots P57 and P66). On 31 May 1895, Lot P66 was subdivided, while Lot P57 was not subdivided until 26 February 1897. The street was listed as Davis Street in the Post Office directories between 1898 and c. 1915, and then as Davies Road until 1962. The street name was officially changed in June 1962 in honour of Ronald John Staples who served on the North Fremantle (1940-61) and Fremantle (1961-73) councils. Staples was born in Harvest Road, North Fremantle, in 1910; attended North Fremantle Primary School and Fremantle Boy’s School and worked in clerical occupations. Staples Street was developed between 1904 and 1920, although some lots remained vacant until the 1940s. The street was predominantly working class, with many male occupants employed on the nearby waterfront, the railways or in the construction industry as sawyers or bricklayers. Buildings in the street are characterised by small, modest cottages on small lots, with building materials ranging from weatherboard and asbestos or fibro cement to brick. House, 4 Staples Street was built 1928/29 for owner Edward Oldfield, a bricklayer. It replaced an earlier house on the site. The house has had a number of owner/occupiers over the years, including William Houlahan (driver), Arthur Onley (labourer) and Leslie Onley (tanner). A 1939 plan shows 4 Staples Street as being the largest house in the street, with a greater street setback than neighbouring properties. The brick house had a full length front verandah and brick outbuildings in the rear yard. A paved path led to the centrally located front door. The place was identified in the North Fremantle Heritage Study (1994) as being of cultural heritage significance to the development of North Fremantle. By 2004, extensive renovations had been completed to the house, including conversion of a well into a wine cellar, accessed through a trapdoor in the floor of the formal lounge. At this time, the house had three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a natural stone storeroom under the rear of the house.

Integrity/Authenticity

Medium degree of integrity (original intent clear, current use compatible, high long term sustainability, some later unsympathetic materials). Medium degree of authenticity with some loss of original fabric. (These statements based on street survey only).

Condition

Condition assessed as good (assessed from streetscape survey only).

Place Type

Individual Building or Group

Uses

Epoch General Specific
Present Use RESIDENTIAL Single storey residence
Original Use RESIDENTIAL Single storey residence

Construction Materials

Type General Specific
Wall BRICK Face Brick
Roof METAL Corrugated Iron

Historic Themes

General Specific
DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY Land allocation & subdivision

Creation Date

20 Jul 2011

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

22 Mar 2019

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.