DUPLEX, 19 GREY STREET

Statement of Significance

Duplex 17 & 19 Grey Street, is a typical limestone, brick and iron single storey duplex pair dating from the 1902/03. The place has aesthetic value for its contribution to the streetscape and the surrounding area. It is representative of the typical workers' houses in the Fremantle area. The place is an example of the Federation Queen Anne style of architecture.

Physical Description

17 & 19 Grey Street are a single storey rendered masonry and iron duplex pair with an overall symmetrical facade designed as an example of the Federation Queen Anne style of architecture. The walls are rendered masonry. Each roof is gabled with the gable facing the street, with a dividing parapet wall and clad with corrugated iron. The front verandah to no. 17 is under a flat roof supported by ionic columns, whilst no. 19 has a separate corrugated iron roof supported by round steel posts. There is a low level brick wall to the front boundary line of no. 17 and a low level rendered masonry wall to no. 19.

History

Duplex, 19 Grey Street was formerly 25 Grey Street; renumbering occurred in 1935/36. This dwelling is one of a group of five dwellings 15, 17, 19, 21 and 23 Grey Street that were built in 1902/03 for the owner Mrs E. H. Fothergill. Mrs Fothergill was the wife of Captain Edward Fothergill, a master mariner who maintained a regular trading run between Fremantle and Melbourne and was at one time the licensed victualler of the Cleopatra Hotel. This property is half of the duplex at 17/19 Grey Street. The properties were leased to a variety of tenants. The first recorded tenant of this house was Annie Foley. Later owners were; George York Hubble and Matthew Lewis Moss; William Birmingham and Matthew Lewis Moss; William Birmingham and Edward Henry Fothergill; and in 1945 Edith Margaret Tindale was the last owner who owned all the five properties. In 1956/60, the property was owned by C. T. Pittorino and occupied by Umberto Pittorino. By 1964/68, the property had been transferred to Helen Del Popolo and occupied by Joseph Castaldi. She retained ownership of the place until 1988 when it was transferred to Hadyn and Donna Wood. It was subsequently owned by Peter Marius Veth and Susan Lillian O’Connor; and then by Amanda and Garry Fraser. The 1908 sewerage plan of the site shows that these five dwellings were identical to each other. The duplexes at 17/19 and 21/23 were mirror images of each other; 15 Grey Street is the only freestanding cottage. The buildings are brick and each had a verandah at the front and rear. Timber additions at the rear included the bathroom and water tanks were located adjacent to the bathroom. In the back yard of each property were a galvanised iron shed and a timber closet. A 1978 photograph of the place shows that the façade is in good condition and the verandah roof appears to be original although the supports are not. The low brick wall on the front boundary is a later addition. This place was identified by the Fremantle Society in 1979/80 as being of cultural heritage significance. (Coded: Brown: "Positively contributing to the built environment") In 1993, a photograph of the house shows that the verandah roof had been clad in tiles or an imitation tile product.

Integrity/Authenticity

Medium degree of integrity (original intent partially clear, current use compatible, high long term sustainability). Medium degree of authenticity with some original fabric remaining but with some alterations. (These statements based on street survey only).

Condition

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

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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