House, 142 South Street

Statement of Significance

House, 142 South street, comprising a single-storeyed, timber framed and weatherboard clad, Marseilles tiled roofed, residence constructed in 1919/20 exhibiting late stylistic influences of the Federation Arts and Crafts style, has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons: the place is a rare extant example of a timber residence exhibiting late influences of the Federation Arts Crafts style, constructed in the developing area of Beaconsfield on the outskirts of Fremantle in the post World War l period; the place represents the development of the suburban areas of Fremantle resulting from the increase in population due to the discovery of gold in Western Australia in the 18880s and 1890s; and the place is rare for its unusual floor plan featuring a side verandah and bay window, Marseilles terracotta roof tiles and fine timber detailing.

Physical Description

House, 142 South Street comprises a single storeyed, timber framed and weatherboard clad, Marseilles tiled roofed, residence constructed in 1919/20 on a suburban lot on the corner of South and Wood Streets in White Gum Valley House, 142 South Street address South Street, and has side access onto Wood street. There is a rendered masonry corner shop on the western and opposite corner of Wood Street. Houses along Wood Street comprise modest homes constructed from circa 1910s to circa 1950s, generally of timber framed construction. The house is located centrally on the lot with a timber picket fence, 1300mm high, along the southern boundary with South Street. The fence continues around the corner truncation to the western boundary on Wood Street. Dense foliage from plants and trees along the fence line obscures the house from view from the street. The house is setback approximately 12.3m from the South Street boundary, 10.3m from the western boundary (Wood Street), 10.8m from the eastern boundary and 12m from the northern (rear) boundary. The land is approximately level across the site. House, 142 South Street appears from visual inspection to date from one period of construction. There are no additions or major alterations. The house is of timber framed construction with painted, square profile weatherboard cladding and a steeply pitched roof with gambrils to front and back elevations. The roof is clad with Marseilles profile clay tiles with terracotta finials and no eaves overhang on the eastern side. The roof extends over a partially enclosed verandah on the western side. There is a straight pitched, cropped verandah to the front (south) elevation and at the back of the house an enclosed verandah with a skillion roof. There are two brick chimneys, one to the front with stepped brick corbelling, and a simply detailed one to the rear. The house exhibits design influences of the earlier Federation Arts and Crafts style of architecture, through the use of simple, well constructed timber elements. The front door is located under the verandah on the front (south) elevation and is flanked by a pair of timber framed double hung sash windows. The verandah roof is supported on timber posts and has a concrete slab floor and a concrete step. Low brick infill walls have been constructed between the posts with brick planters either side of the step. The name ‘Pine Grove’ appears on a sign over the main entrance. At the western end of the verandah is a door to a section of the side verandah enclosed with fibrous cement sheets. The east elevation of the house is clad with weatherboards and features a series of four double hung sash windows approximately equally spaced. There is a verandah along the western side that features a bay window with a pair of timber framed French doors that open into a living room. The western verandah has been partially enclosed with low masonry walls that have been rendered and painted. There are a series of unevenly spaced panels of fibrous cement that extend from the top of the low walls to the eaves. The back of the house comprises a weatherboard clad enclosed verandah with lattice panels. House, 142 South Street is a substantial seven roomed dwelling with a central passage. Internally the rooms are accessed from a central passage that runs from the front door to the back of the house. At the time of inspection five of the rooms were used as bedrooms. The main room of the house, a large living room is located centrally on the western side of the house, with the kitchen and pantry are adjacent. The bathroom is located at the back of the house on the eastern side. The laundry is located on the western side of the enclosed back verandah. A water closet is attached to the north eastern corner of the house. The main living room is located in the centre of the house with a bay window with French doors to the western verandah approximately on the central axis of the room. The bay has an arched opening with timber framed casement windows on either side of French doors with fanlight over. There is a fireplace on the southern side of the room, located approximately centrally, and with a simple timber surround in the Arts and Crafts style. The room has tongued and grooved paneling to dado height, lathe and plaster or plasterboard lining above with wallpaper finish and a timber picture rail. There is a plaster ceiling rose in the centre of the ceiling. Internal walls to the other rooms and ceilings generally are a combination of original lathe and plaster and more recent plasterboard. Floors are tongued and grooved floorboards with simple timber skirtings. Internal doors are paneled, some with glazed fanlights. Windows are generally double hung sashes, some with split pane detailing. The front door is original and has an unusual timber framed diamond pattern to the top panel, in a frame with side and fanlights. The entrance hall has tongued and grooved paneling to dado height and a timber frieze over the passage marking the transition from the front two rooms to the back part of the house. Internal fittings in the kitchen and bathroom are generally not original, but there are timber framed cupboards and a Metters stove in the kitchen and a concrete laundry trough in the enclosed back verandah laundry. The house is moderately intact. Alterations include fibrous cement enclosure to the western verandah and recent bathroom and kitchen fittings. Generally the house is in fair to good condition. (Information has been extraced from HCWA's assessment documentation) The following places form a significant group and contribute to the streetscape South Street; 75-77, 79, 80, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86,87, 88, 90, 91, 94, 98, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 109, 114, 140 & 142.

History

The original weatherboard cottage was listed in the Rate Book in 1896. A stable was added in 1904 /05. The land on which House, 142 South Street is located originally formed part of the Fremantle Suburban Lot 30 owned by Edward Henry Fothergill from the early 1890s. Captain E. Fothergill immigrated to Victoria from England around 1865. He traded extensively between Victoria and Western Australia, and provided a regular means of communication between the two states. Fothergill was also well known as a licensed victualler and owner of the Cleopatra Hotel. After Fothergill’s death in 1896, Fremantle Suburban Lot 30 became part of his estate and was administered by a succession of trustees including h8is son, Edward H. Fothergill in 1918. In 1818, the majority of Lot 30 was sold to Frank Simper. The remaining land, which comprised one lot at the corner of Samson and Wood Streets and one lot at the corner of south and Wood Streets (House, 142 South Street), was purchased by Edward Thomas Fuller in 1919. It was during Fuller’s ownership that House, 142 South Street was constructed. On 3 November 1919, the Fremantle council granted Fuller approval for the erection of a residence at a cost £600 on the South Street property. In March 1920, a note was written in the 1919.1920 Rate book recording a ‘new cottage and stables’ on the lot. A carpenter by trade, it is possible that Fuller was involved in the erection of the house himself; however, no evidence has been to confirm this as yet. Very little biographical information has been located about Edward Thomas Fuller. He was form 1865 and later married Elizabeth Ann booth. By the mid 1890s the couple resided in the Fremantle area and it was here that they had six children. From 1900/01 until the construction of 142 South Street, the Fuller family lived in Nelson Street Beaconsfield. Wise’s Post Office Directories show that Edward Fuller occupied 142 South Street from c1921 until 1949, in which year the final edition of the directory was published. During this period, in June 1941, a new Certificate of Title was issued separately for Fuller’s property at the corner of Wood and South Streets. In 1955, this lot was subdivided with the southern portion on which the house was located remaining in the ownership of Fuller and the northern portion transferred to his son William Walter Fuller. Electoral rolls indicate that by this time Edward had retired and lived at 58 Wood Street (now 66 wood Street, Beaconsfield with his Daughter Rosa and sons carpenter William Walter and seaman Thomas. Edward Thomas Fuller died 23 August 1958 and it was only some months prior to this that Albert Henry and Lillian Blanch Carter became the owners of 142 South Street. Information from the Title states that the property was subject to a mortgage between the Carters and the Director War Services Homes. This meant that the Carters were eligible for housing under the War Service Homes Act, which was established in 1918 to provide low cost housing for war veterans. Under this scheme, the Carters chose to obtain a loan for the purchase of an established property in the Beaconsfield area. The Carters lived there until at least 1968. It is interesting to note that they continued to reside there despite having sold in October 1964 to Francesco and Domenica Amara. The Amara family owned and occupied the adjoining residence at 144 South Street which was built by them in the late 1950s. On 8 January 1971, the property was transferred to the Crown as part of the State government 1963 Metropolitan Region Scheme’s plans for the construction of the bypass and since this time land was resumed or purchased by this and subsequent State Governments to carry out the highway. It was during the next stage of the north-south highway that the affected community and local governments began to vocalize their strong opposition to the project. In January 1992, the Main Roads was registered as the owner of the place. Opposition to the controversial Fremantle Eastern Bypass gained strength through the 1990s. Such was the extent of public reaction against the project that it led to the removal of the Fremantle Bypass from the Metropolitan Scheme by Geoff Gallop’s Labour Government in early 2004. This in turned led to the need to dispose of the now excess Government-owned property which had formed the reserve required for the construction of the Eastern Bypass highway. As part of the Government Heritage Property Disposal Process, the matter was referred to the Heritage Council of WA for its consideration and, as a result heritage assessment of House, 142 South Street was required. (Information extracted from HCWA's assessment documentation) The place was used for rental purposes while under government owned and in 2006 it transferred to private ownership. The origin of the name 'Pine Grove' is unknown. On file at the Local History Collection: Notes and floor plans.

Integrity/Authenticity

High authenticity. Changes that have been made to the building include enclosure of the verandahs and other minor changes. These changes are generally reversible.

Condition

Fair to good condition as a result of maintenance and care by the occupants of the building. There is a need for continued maintenance of the grounds and for regular termite treatments, painting and repair of timber work to protect the building on an ongoing basis.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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