Residence & Shop, Northbridge

Author

City of Perth

Place Number

14066

Location

186-188 Aberdeen St Northbridge

Location Details

ALSO PART OF 14590 & 11509

Other Name(s)

Cafe

Local Government

Perth

Region

Metropolitan

Construction Date

Constructed from 1908 to 1912

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type Status Date Documents
Heritage List Adopted 17 Mar 2015

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type Status Date Documents
(no listings)

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type Status Date Grading/Management
Category
Perth Draft Inventory 99-01 YES 31 Dec 1999
Local Heritage Survey Completed\Draft Category 3
Local Heritage Survey Adopted 28 Mar 2023 Category 3
Municipal Inventory Completed\Draft 13 Mar 2001 Category 3

Statement of Significance

The place forms an integral part of a group of residential/commercial buildings and contributes to the historic character of the area. The place reflects the expansion and development of residential and commercial buildings on the city fringes during the rapid population increase of the 1890s gold boom and the early years of the twentieth century. The single storey commercial building with attached residence forms part of an intact streetscape that contributes to the community's sense of place. The place is representative of a modest commercial building dating from the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.

Physical Description

Single storey residential building and shop with medium pitched hipped and gable roof. Shop front with parapet. Facade has lost original detail and is fully glazed.

History

In the early years of the Swan River colony the area to the north of Perth (now known as Northbridge) was low lying and swampy and was therefore settled more slowly than the better land closer to the river. It was also further from the river port and the main means of transport. Northbridge is an inner suburban area, named because it is just north of Perth across the railway bridge. It was approved as a suburb name in 1982. In 1854 some of the swampy land to the north of Perth was drained producing some fertile land for farming and later subdivision. the land was subdivided into allotments circa 1860. Land in the area was taken up by discharged soldiers, artisans and small landholders. The area at this period was characterised by small cottages and businesses. In 1881, they railway from Fremantle to Guildford was opened and became the main transport route. From that period commerce and trade tended to be more fashionable with smaller commercial enterprises and manufacturing to the north. It was less fashionable to live north of the railway line, however the area was close to the city and during the 1890's and early 1900's was substantially redeveloped with further subdivision of lots and mixed residential and commercial development. A number of trade and community organisations had their origins in the area at this time. Over the years the population of the area changed as people relocated to suburban areas of the city. As a result, Northbridge became the home for successive migrant communities for example, communities including Greek, Italian, Chinese and more recently Vietnamese migrants have settled here as property remained relatively cheap and had the advantage of being close to the city. These communities have over the years given this area a distinctive character, generally recycling the existing buildings rather than redeveloping the area. (Extracted from M. Pitt Morrison and J. White in C.T. Stannage, A New History of Western Australia; U.W.A. 1981 and Michael Bosworth, Thematic Historical framework, City of Perth Unpub. 1995). The homes built in Perth in the 1890's and early 1900's were generally larger and more elaborately detailed than the earlier simple cottages there replaced. Although influenced in their design by homes of Victoria in particular, due to the influx of migrants from the eastern states, houses in Perth tended to be constructed as single detached, or sometimes pairs of attached houses, rather than the extensive rows of terrace houses found in eastern Australia. Houses were generally single storey brick with corrugated iron roofs. Some more prestigious homes had slate or tiled roofs. Stucco decoration was popular as was wrought iron lace and timber fretwork.

Integrity/Authenticity

Low level of integrity. Low level of authenticity as the form is intact but it is substantially altered from original detail.

Condition

Fair

References

Ref ID No Ref Name Ref Source Ref Date
The Village Northbridge Heritage Inventory - Part 1 Pages 1-175 Develop WA - MRA August 2002
Draft Municipal Heritage Inventory City of Perth 2001

Place Type

Individual Building or Group

Uses

Epoch General Specific
Original Use RESIDENTIAL Single storey residence
Present Use COMMERCIAL Shop\Retail Store {single}
Original Use COMMERCIAL Shop\Retail Store {single}

Architectural Styles

Style
Federation Free Classical

Construction Materials

Type General Specific
Roof METAL Zincalume
Wall BRICK Rendered Brick

Historic Themes

General Specific
OCCUPATIONS Commercial & service industries
DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY Settlements

Creation Date

15 Dec 2000

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

07 Dec 2023

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.