DUPLEX, 17 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, 17 Grey Street was formerly 27 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 Neil Nelson, a mariner. 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. 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. In 1953, architects Allen and Nicholas submitted plans and specifications to the City of Fremantle for the owner L. Sgherza to demolish the existing kitchen and build a new kitchen, bathroom, laundry and porch at the rear of the house. This extension necessitated the demolition of the existing kitchen. In 1961, the owner L. Sgherza demolished the front verandah and installed a flat concrete roof in its place. The builder, P. Amaro undertook similar work at the adjacent property at 15 Grey Street. A photograph of the house in 1978 shows this new roof and the new supports and balustrades. A low brick wall was located on the front boundary. 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")

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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