Stranraer

Statement of Significance

‘Stranrear’, 285 Roberts Road, Subiaco is of cultural heritage significance for the City of Subiaco: • As a representative example of the work of Austin Bastow, architect, during the time in which he was in partnership with Harry Marwood. • For its direct association with a prominent and successful Subiaco businessman, Subiaco councillor (c.1898-1904 & c.1906-1917) and MLA for Subiaco (c.1917-1921), Samuel McConnell Brown. • For its landmark values as a good example of a well-designed and detailed Federation Queen Anne villa, located on a prominent corner site (diagonally opposite the Subiaco Oval). • For the additional landmark value provided by the mature palm trees to the northern part of the grounds (which possibly date from the early twentieth century). • As a representative example of the adaptation of several large early-twentieth century residences as private hospitals in Subiaco from the early inter-war years through to the mid-twentieth century.

Physical Description

Architectural style • Federation Queen Anne style. Plan form at the street frontages • Picturesque, asymmetrical, stepped façade with main frontages facing north and east (addressing both Roberts and Townshend Roads). Roof form and materials • Hipped-gabled roof clad with corrugated profile sheeting. • Small crenelated parapet over the main entry with the word ‘Stranraer’ in a moulded rectangular panel. • Large decorative gable to each of the shallow projecting wings on the north and east sides. Each gable is divided into 4 panels with sun-ray fret-work to the triangular corner panels and a moulded plaster ‘shield and flower’ decoration to the central rectangular panel. The panels are framed by robust moulded timber detailing, which includes a timber ‘button’ moulding to the carved ends of the gable boards. • Louvered gablets to the highest (north-south) ridgeline. • Moulded leaf pattern eaves brackets. • Pair of vermiculated rendered eaves panels below each gable. • Three tall chimneys with tuck-pointed brick panels framed by smooth render; and moulded rendered cornice panels and capping. Wall materials and finishes to the main (north and east) elevations • Tuck-pointed brickwork. • Smooth rendered, projecting plinth course. • Two smooth rendered stringcourses, one at window sill height and the other at head height. Verandah • Return, stepped verandah with a bullnose roof, turned timber columns, cast iron frieze, and concrete floor. • On the eastern side, in front of the gabled wing, the verandah breaks out with a framed gable entry, which features a timber ‘button’ moulding to the carved ends of the gable boards; flower pattern fretwork to the frieze board and a curved timber valance. This element was designed to frame the garden entry from the side verandah, and was clearly separated from the main entrance to the house. Other detailing to the north elevation • Projecting wing at the western end of the original house (under the decorative gable). On the face of the projecting wing there is a shallow rectangular window bay. This has a casement window with an arched head, 3 sashes, 3 highlights, and a moulded rendered sill set over 4 decorative moulded brackets. On the eastern side of the projecting wing there is a large arched wall niche, with a moulded rendered frame and decorative moulded base. • Main entrance abutting the eastern side of the projecting wing. This is set within a slightly projecting vestibule, under the crenelated parapet feature. The entry has a traditional six-panel door, framed by timber architrave ‘columns’, sidelights and highlights. • Pair of full-height double hung windows with timber kick plates to the room on the eastern side of the entry. Other detailing to the east elevation • Projecting wing midway along the east elevation (under the decorative gable). • On the face of the projecting wing there is a shallow rectangular window bay with detailing to match that of the projecting wing to the northern elevation. • Door opening on the northern face of the projecting wing. This currently has a plain flush panel door. Consistent with the style of the house it may have originally had French doors. • Full-height double hung window with timber kick plate to the room on the southern side of the projecting wing. • Full-height double hung window with timber kick plate to the room on the northern side of the projecting wing. Alterations/additions • The current external detailing is generally consistent with the detailed 1909 Campbell painting. However that picture also shows:  Large timber finials to the apex of each gable element.  Cast iron verandah brackets.  A timber verandah floor. • The house was extended as an enclosure of the verandah at the south-east corner in c.1963 (brick bathroom wing). • The house was extended along the western side in c.2007-2008 (inclusive of the crenelated wing at the north-west corner). • External works undertaken as part of the 2019 adaption as a childcare centre include:  Tall verandah balustrades.  New fencing (both around and within the grounds).  The erection of shade structures in the grounds. Other • Four mature palm trees are important landmark elements along the Roberts Road frontage. General condition • The house has been renovated as part of its adaptation as a childcare centre and, based on a streetscape inspection, appears to be in good condition. The streetscape setting of Stranraer has changed extensively since the mid-twentieth century. Historical aerial photographs indicate that, in the mid 1960s, the northern end of Townshend Road (between Roberts Road and Hay Street) included nine free-standing houses (in addition to Stranraer). Since that time all but two of these sites have been redeveloped with a mixture of townhouses and commercial premises. The two traditional houses immediately to the west of Stranraer (along the Roberts Road frontage) were demolished in c.1999 and replaced by a two-storey residential unit development, Kitchener Close. The tennis courts on the opposite side of Roberts Road were removed in the late 1960s-early 1970s and since that time this area been occupied as a passive recreation reserve (now known as Market Square). The Subiaco Oval (diagonally opposite Stranraer) has undergone numerous phases of development and further changes are planned.

History

On 13 March 1883, the Western Australian government announced it would survey a section of the Perth Commonage into suburban lots and that these would be made available for private sale. The subject site, which formed part of Perth Suburban Lot 194, had been subdivided into residential lots by mid 1891, but no development appears to have taken place until c.1904. A new Certificate of Title for Lots 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14 of Section E on Deposited Plan 300 was issued to Samuel McConnell Brown (baker) on 12 February 1903. Samuel McConnell Brown (c.1865-1923) and William Burns had established Brown and Burns Bakery in Broome Road (later known as 392 Hay Street), Subiaco, in c.1897. This business grew rapidly and in 1904 it was reported that the Subiaco premises used 150 bags of flour each week, employed 26 adults and 2 lads, and had 9 carts for deliveries, with 14 horses used in relay. Samuel married Grace Cameron MacTaggart (c.1871-1936) in Perth in 1902 and this couple had 3 children: Keith Cameron McConnell Brown (born c.1903), Noel Matheson McConnell Brown (c.1904) and Ross Graham McConnell Brown (c.1907). Members of this family were living in the vicinity of 430 Hay Street in 1904, when tenders were called for the construction of their new house: TENDERS are invited, March 5, for the ERECTION of a Brick Villa Residence, for Samuel Brown, Esq., J.P., at Subiaco. Deposit, £20. BASTOW and MARWOOD, Architects. National Mutual Buildings, St. George’s-terrace. Austin Bastow had commenced practicing as an architect in Perth in 1896, and he worked in partnership with Henry (Harry) Marmaduke Marwood for a short time only, c.1904. Bastow had built himself a brick villa at 116 Heytesbury Road in c.1899 and remained in Subiaco until c.1907, serving as a local councilor in c.1897-1899 and as mayor in c.1899-1902 and 1905-1907. Bastow would therefore have been well known to Samuel Brown who had also served on the Subiaco Council from an early date. In 1917, when Samuel Brown successfully stood as a candidate for the Legislative Assembly (in which he represented the seat of Subiaco until 1921), it was reported that: He entered the Subiaco Municipal Council in 1898, as a representative of the North Ward, a year after the formation of the municipality, and has been a member of that body ever since with the exception of a period of 12 months in 1905. He has for several years past been the senior councillor, and chairman of the finance committee, but his term of office expiring this month, he does not propose to seek re-election. Samuel retired from Brown and Burns Bakery in June 1920, after which William Burns’ widow, Alexandra Burns, maintained sole control until June 1930, when it was registered as Brown and Burns Ltd. After a period of ill-health, and suffering from depression, Samuel Brown committed suicide at Herdsman Lake in August 1923. Grace continued to live at 285 Roberts Road until c.1925 at which time she initiated the sale of the property to Christina Maud Brophy. However, the Brophy family were facing financial difficulties during 1926 and the property was advertised for sale in September of that year, with the Certificate Title reverting back to Grace (as mortgagee) in September of that year. The advertisement of the property for sale at that time provides the best early description of the layout of the place: GENTLEMAN’S BRICK RESIDENCE AND LARGE AREA OF LAND …. being all that piece of land, Portion of Perth Suburban Lot 194, being Lots 10, 11, 12. 13 and 14 of Section E on Plan 300, the whole of the land in Certificate of Title Registered Vol. 265, Folio 180, having 150 links frontage to Roberts-road, 400 links to Townshend-road and 100 links to York-street. Total area, ½ acre. Brick Residence on stone foundations containing entrance hall, 9 x 7, drawing room, dining room 20 x 18, breakfast room, 4 bedrooms, large kitchen, vestibule, large bathroom, with en. bath and heater, pantry and linen press. Wide verandahs all round the house, the western side is enclosed, providing abundant sleeping out accommodation. The hall and principal rooms are all beautifully finished with fibrous ceilings, cornices, picture rails, massive mantelpieces with grates and tiled hearths, fan lights over the doors, windows opening on to the verandahs, electric light installed and gas connected. The outside improvements consist of brick and jarrah laundry, with copper and three troughs, man's room with fireplace, workshop, wood shed. Motor garage with concrete floor, 2 brick e.c's., fowl runs. etc. This property is one of the finest homes in Subiaco, facing the tennis courts and only needs to be seen to be appreciated. The next owner was Alice Matilda Campbell, who acquired the Certificate of Title in June 1927. Alice Matilda Leeson (c.1879-1958) had married Edward Campbell (c.1869-1934) in Irishtown, Western Australia, in 1897 and this couple had 8 children in the period c.1898-1911. Edward was a police officer who worked in various parts of Western Australia until the late 1920s. During the later years of his service he also occupied a seat on the Council of the Police Union. Edward was based in Wickipen in 1925, and newspaper reports suggest that the move to Subiaco may have coincided with his retirement due to ill-health. Following Edward’s death in May 1934, Alice continued to live at 285 Robert Road until around the time of her own death in December 1958. For much of this time she shared the house with her daughter, Mary, who separated from her husband, Frederick George Perry, in 1931 and was divorced in 1936. In 1938 Alice reduced the size of the block by the sale of Lot 14 (at the corner of Townshend Road and York Street) and newspaper advertisements suggest that she may have also sublet part of the house as a self-contained flat. Mary remained here until c.1963 when the property was sold by her brother, Michael. The next owner was Constance Mizen, wife of Kenneth Albert Mizen, a local builder, and the place has remained in the ownership of the Mizen family until the present day. It was around 1963 that the house was adapted as an aged care nursing home and historical aerial photographs show that a large addition was constructed at the rear of Stranraer (along the Townshend Road frontage) at some stage in the period c.1965-1974. The building continued to serve as a C-class hospital until c.1989 after which it remained vacant for approximately 30 years. The mid-late twentieth century hospital wing was demolished in c.2005, while the original house was extended along the western side in c.2007-2008, inclusive of the construction of the crenelated wing at the north-west corner. It is now (May 2019) being adapted as a childcare centre.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity - Low The former residence has been adapted for use as a childcare centre. However, its original use can still be readily understood. Authenticity - High While the place has been altered and extended for its use as a hospital and now childcare centre the exterior of the original part of the building has retained a high degree of authenticity (as confirmed by comparison with the 1909 Campbell painting).

Condition

• The house has been renovated as part of its adaptation as a childcare centre and, based on a streetscape inspection, appears to be in good condition.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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