HOUSE, 36 WRAY AVENUE

Author

City of Fremantle

Place Number

01025

Location

36 Wray Av Fremantle

Location Details

Local Government

Fremantle

Region

Metropolitan

Construction Date

Constructed from 1897

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type Status Date Documents
Heritage List YES 08 Mar 2007

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type Status Date Documents
(no listings)

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type Status Date Grading/Management
Category
Register of the National Estate Permanent 28 Sep 1982
Classified by the National Trust Classified 06 Oct 1980
Municipal Inventory Adopted 18 Sep 2000 Level 2

Statement of Significance

House, 36 Wray Avenue, is a typical timber and iron single storey house dating from 1897. 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 Victorian Georgian style of architecture.

Physical Description

36 Wray Avenue is a single storey timber and iron house constructed in 1897 in the Victorian Georgian style of architecture. The walls are timber framed and clad with ashlar effect timber boards. The roof is hipped and clad with corrugated iron. The verandah is under a separate corrugated iron roof supported by timber posts with decorative timber brackets and frieze. The symmetrical front façade has a central front door with side and fanlights flanked on either side by timber framed casement windows. There are two face brick chimneys evident. The house is elevated from the street level and a set of brick steps lead up to the verandah level. There is a rendered masonry wall to the front boundary line.

History

Wray Avenue was originally Hampton Street. The named was changed to avoid confusion with the intersecting Hampton Road. It became Alexander Road, after Laurence Alexander, Mayor 1901-1902, and a representative of Falk & Co. The street name was again changed to avoid confusion with Alexandra Road in East Fremantle, and became Wray Avenue in 1923. It was named for William E Wray, at one time with the Education Dept as Truant Inspector, and a resident of the street. He was on the Fremantle Tramways Board and Mayor of Fremantle, 1914-1918. House, 36 Wray Avenue was formerly numbered 38 Wray Avenue; renumbering occurred in 1934/35. House, 36 Wray Avenue was built in 1897 for the owner and occupier Caroline Wade, a dressmaker and widow. The house, or villa, consisted of 7 rooms at the time of construction. Caroline Wade was the owner or the place until at least 1911 and the occupant at that time was Edward Maxfield. He became the owner of the place in the 1920s and he and his family were associated with the place until at least the 1950s. The 1908 sewerage plan of this site shows the timber house has basically a simple rectangular form with a verandah at the front and portion of the rear. Steps provide access to the front of the house and a stone retaining wall is present on the front boundary. In the back yard were a small galvanised iron shed, a small timber shed and a timber closet. This place was identified by the Fremantle Society in 1979/80 as being of cultural heritage significance. (Coded: Purple: "Of architectural and historic significance in its own right.”) A photograph of the house in 1979 shows that it was in relatively poor condition. It had a corrugated iron roof and some of the external walls were clad in asbestos. The limestone foundations were rendered. On 8 September 1980 the building was assessed and classified by the National Trust of Australia (WA) and it was noted that the place was undergoing sympathetic restoration and renovation. The citation for the group 28/30, 32/34 and 36 Wray Avenue states that: It is a representative example of the simple attached Victorian housing. It has architectural significance together with environmental significance as part of a group of houses. The group was also included on the Register of the National Estate by the Australian Heritage Council in 1982.

Integrity/Authenticity

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

Condition

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

Place Type

Individual Building or Group

Uses

Epoch General Specific
Original Use RESIDENTIAL Single storey residence
Present Use RESIDENTIAL Single storey residence

Architectural Styles

Style
Victorian Regency
Victorian Georgian

Construction Materials

Type General Specific
Roof METAL Corrugated Iron
Other STONE Local Stone
Wall TIMBER Log
Wall STONE Limestone
Wall TIMBER Weatherboard

Historic Themes

General Specific
DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY Land allocation & subdivision

Creation Date

30 May 1989

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

03 Mar 2020

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.