House, 53 Helena Street, Guildford

Author

City of Swan

Place Number

14344

Location

53 Helena St Guildford

Location Details

Municipal Inventory No: 206

Other Name(s)

Pensioner Guard Cottage

Local Government

Swan

Region

Metropolitan

Construction Date

Constructed from 1872

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type Status Date Documents
Heritage List Adopted 30 Aug 2017
Heritage List YES 15 Dec 2010
State Register Registered 05 Oct 2007 HCWebsite.Listing+ListingDocument, HCWebsite.Listing+ListingDocument

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type Status Date Documents
(no listings)

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type Status Date Grading/Management
Category
Municipal Inventory Adopted 10 Jul 1996 Exceptional Significance

Statement of Significance

The place is associated with John Reilly, a Military Pensioner and is important as one of the few surviving cottages in the State initially occupied by a member of the small Pensioner Guard Force, composed of retired soldiers who were engaged as convict guards in the Swan River Colony between 1850 and 1868; The place is associated with early subdivision patterns in Guildford and the residential development in Helena Street; and The place and its setting contribute positively to the streetscape in Helena Street. The later additions at the rear of the house, verandah enclosures and alterations to details of the original cottage, are of relevance to demonstrate the process of refurbishment of early houses up to the present day in 2006, but have little cultural heritage significance.

Physical Description

Comprises a single-storey former cottage dating from the 1870s and an addition from 1940. The original northern section comprises the initial four-room cottage built with thick masonry walls, rendered and painted externally. It has a high pitched hipped roof, clad in galvanised iron sheeting. There are two tall red face brick chimneys on the western wall. The 1940s addition is built in cavity load bearing brickwork, rendered and painted in part onto the enclosed verandahs at the south-west and south-east corners and incorporates a passage, kitchen and laundry. There are three timber clad outbuildings in the southwest corner of the garden.

History

The place was occupied by Military Pensioner John Reilly who was granted the land in 1872.Reilly was appointed to the Convict Depot at Guildford as Temporary Assistant Warder on 20 September 1871 at a pay rate of 3 shillings per day, and was promoted later to Sergeant-in-Charge at Guildford. Guildford was declared a Municipality in 1871, and land was granted to Reilly, Military Pensioner, in 1872 at Lot 83 Helena Street, Guildford. He lived in the cottage built on that lot until his death in Guildford on 16 September 1902 at the age is 82. The title of the land at Lot 83 was transferred to his wife Anne in 1900.

Integrity/Authenticity

High

Condition

Good

State Heritage Office library entries

Library Id Title Medium Year Of Publication

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 Georgian

Construction Materials

Type General Specific
Wall BRICK Rendered Brick
Roof METAL Corrugated Iron

Historic Themes

General Specific
PEOPLE Early settlers
DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY Land allocation & subdivision

Creation Date

15 Oct 1999

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

20 Oct 2017

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.