HOUSE, 28 RUSSELL STREET

Statement of Significance

House, 28 Russell Street, is a typical rendered masonry and iron single storey house dating from 1899. 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 Bungalow style of architecture.

Physical Description

28 Russell Street is a single storey, rendered masonry and iron house with an asymmetrical facade designed as an example of the Federation Bungalow style of architecture. The walls are rendered masonry. The roof is gabled and clad with corrugated iron. The facade has a front door with fanlight with a timber framed window to the side under the verandah. The verandah has a separate corrugated iron roof and is supported by ionic columns on masonry piers. There is a projecting front room with a pair of double hung sash windows. There is a low level rendered masonry wall to the front boundary line.

History

House, 28 Russell Street was formerly 8 Russell Street; the numbering changed in 1935/36. This house was built for prominent local merchant and land owner John Bateman in 1899. John Bateman owned a significant number of investment properties in the area which he leased out to tenants. The adjacent properties at 24 and 26 Russell Street were built by Bateman at the same time and the City of Fremantle rates books does not differentiate between the houses in these years. The first three tenants in these houses were Robert Knox (engineer), John Ross (tailor) and George Forsyth (engineer). By 1905/06, 28 Russell Street was owned Myra Edgar who continued to lease the house. One long-term tenant was Eliza Arnold. In 1920/21, the house was owned and occupied by Mary Fraser Doig. Mary married John Alexander of ‘Hooky’ Doig in Fremantle. The Doig brothers (John, James, Charlie, Norman and Cleave) were all well-known footballers in Fremantle. John played for East Fremantle from 1899 to 1912 and was killed in France in 1915. In 1930/31 the owner and occupant of the house was Joseph Frederick Doyle. Later owners were Dustan Goynich, Guiseppe Pittoriono and Vincenzo and Christine Paparo. During this time long term tenants were William and the Eva Delfs. The 1908 sewerage plan of this site shows the brick house with a verandah at the front on the eastern side. At the rear of the building were a verandah, two water tanks and a bathhouse. In the back yard were two galvanised iron sheds and a galvanised iron closet. The property was sewered in 1915 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") A photograph of the house in 1978 shows that the front façade was rendered and the roof tiled. The verandah pillars and balustrade brick wall are of a later design. The low brick wall on the front boundary was also of a later design and construction. Information from a real estate article of 1996 indicates that the house has been extended and renovated prior to that date including a new bathroom and laundry. In 2001, the place was substantially unaltered.

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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