Assessment of the Kershaw Street Heritage Area

City of Subiaco – Community Heritage Survey ASSESSMENT OF THE KERSHAW STREET HERITAGE AREA Prepared by Annette Green, Greenward Consulting For the City of Subiaco September 2012 City of Subiaco – Community Heritage Survey City of Subiaco – Community Heritage Survey Address KERSHAW STREET HERITAGE AREA Kershaw Street, Subiaco, plus the gateway properties at 65 & 67 Hamersley Road and 14 & 16 Heytesbury Road. Statement of The Kershaw Street Heritage Area is of: Significance Aesthetic Value As an aesthetically pleasing streetscape with a strong heritage character, featuring a narrow avenue of mature street trees, which frame views of the largely intact Federation and early Inter-War villas. For its retention of many good, representative, examples of Federation Queen Anne villas (which collectively illustrate a gradual evolution in architectural detailing between 1904 and c.1918). For the cohesive streetscape created by a limited palette of materials and styles. Historic Value As a representative collection of houses that illustrate the scale and standard of housing considered appropriate for the families of professional men, such as merchants, bankers and civil servants, in the early twentieth century. For the evidence it provides about the manner in which the residences of senior professional men and business owners existed side by side with the smaller residences of more junior employees in early twentieth century Subiaco. For its association with the subdivision of this area by James Chesters, an investor from Melbourne, in 1892. In this context it also represents the status of Western Australia as a place of opportunity during the gold rush era of the late nineteenth century – attracting significant investment from the eastern states. For its association with the efforts of James Chesters as a local land agent and property developer, following his move to Western Australia in 1905. For its association with Joseph (Joe) Totterdell, who was responsible for the construction of many of Subiaco houses (including some in Kershaw Street), and who, for a brief period (1916-17), lived at 25 Kershaw Street (one of his development properties). Representativeness As a good representative collection of the early twentieth century housing developed on the elevated areas of Subiaco, near Kings Park. As a representative part of James Chesters residential estate, which was bounded by Townsend, Heytesbury, Rokeby and Hamersley Roads. Physical Form in the Public Realm The houses, which (with the exception of one modern dwelling) were developed in the period 1904 to 1926, have largely retained their original external detailing and form. The defined period and nature of development has resulted in a consistent palette of materials and form, enlivened by diversity of individual details, within a cohesive streetscape. Kershaw Street Heritage Area – September 2012 Page 1 City of Subiaco – Community Heritage Survey Integrity, Integrity Authenticity and The integrity of the place as a residential street is high. Condition Authenticity All of the houses have undergone some degree of adaptation and/or extension to meet modern living standards. Changes include rear extensions, a small number of carport/garage addition’s, alterations to verandahs, boundary treatments and re-roofing. However, the houses (as viewed from the street) have, overall, retained a medium to high level of authenticity. Condition Based on a streetscape survey all of the buildings appear to be in a good condition and well maintained. Within the public realm, the verges range from well to poorly maintained and sections of the kerb have suffered from cracking caused by the street trees. Levels of Contribution Note: The extant fabric at 14 Heytesbury Road does not contribute to the significance of the Kershaw Street Heritage Precinct. This place does, however, have some important historical associations (see individual place record) Management Based on the assessment of significance, above, the Kershaw Street Heritage Recommendation Precinct warrants identification as a Heritage Area under the Town Planning Scheme. This relates specifically to the streetscape characteristics of those early twentieth century properties identified as being of considerable or some/moderate contribution, and to the setting of these places. Management of these characteristics, and of new development, would be best achieved by the preparation and adoption of Design Guidelines aimed at conserving the streetscape. Subject to the nature of these guidelines the separate listing of individual houses in the Heritage List under the Town Planning Scheme may not be required to achieve heritage outcomes relevant to this area. Consideration may be given to expanding the heritage area to include the whole of the residential component of James Chesters residential estate. The other streets (Chester, Salisbury and Rupert) have similar qualities, and Kershaw Street Heritage Area – September 2012 Page 2 City of Subiaco – Community Heritage Survey collectively represent a wider range of development styles and themes (including the more modest weatherboard houses on Rupert street). Description of The Kershaw Street Heritage Area includes a good representative example of Heritage Area the early twentieth century housing developed on the elevated areas of Subiaco, near Kings Park. These houses, and their setting, create an attractive streetscape with a distinctive heritage character, as described below: Kershaw Street is a narrow side street lined by mature plantings of Camphor laurels (Cinnamomum camphora) and Queensland box trees (Lophostomon confertus). More recent street trees include three Weeping bottlebrush (Callistemon viminalis) and one Kurrajong (Brachychiton populneus). These trees create a continuous avenue along much of the street and frame all streetscape views – although the loss of some trees and the introduction of the Weeping bottlebrush (which have a very different scale and canopy structure) has, to some degree, diminished the visual impact. The street trees are set in narrow grassed verges, framed by a concrete kerb and, on the inner face, with a variety of pavement treatments. The verges also include areas of garden beds (generally planted with clumping grasses and low shrubs) and paving. The mismatch of paving treatments (to the footpaths, hardstands and cross-overs), and the poorly maintained condition of some sections of the verge currently detracts from the aesthetic quality of the streetscape. The houses along Kershaw Street, and at the Hamersley Road and Heytesbury Road entries, have a generally consistent early twentieth century character, with a predominance of Federation Queen Anne detailing. Single storey facades, face-brick walls and highly articulated corrugated metal or tiled roofs are a dominant feature, while other important streetscape elements include the retention of many of the original chimneys and the diversity of the decorative timber detailing to front verandahs. Within this context the street trees, building materials, setbacks and the Federation and early Inter-War architectural styles, provide an overall sense of consistency, while the varying block widths, and the individual designs and detailing add a richness and complexity to the streetscape. None of the front fences are original, but many houses have low picket fences and modern cottage gardens, which are sympathetic to the building stock. Fences that have high masonry walls or tall brick piers impact upon streetscape views and are intrusive, while others, with vertical timber boards, are inconsistent with the traditional character of the area. The only two storey facades are to the modern house at 24 Kershaw Street, and the rear extension to 14 Heytesbury Road. The latter is one of only two early twentieth century houses that have been assessed as making no contribution to the heritage character of the street, due to major alterations in the mid-twentieth century. Of the other eighteen properties, twelve have been assessed as making a considerable contribution to the heritage character of the street (due to a high degree of authenticity). The remaining six have had more alterations, but still retain clear evidence of the original detailing and form, and have been assessed as making some contribution. Off-street car parking is generally at the rear of the blocks, or under open carports at the side of the houses. The only significant variations from this Kershaw Street Heritage Area – September 2012 Page 3 City of Subiaco – Community Heritage Survey are the modern garages to houses at 65 and 67 Hamersley Road and 16 Heytesbury Road. All of these have been designed with ‘heritage’ detailing, but their construction against the street frontage and the use of large face- brick walls and high decorative gables has had the effect of emphasising their visual impact at the entries to Kershaw Street. Detailed descriptions of each individual property (with the exception of the modern house at 24 Kershaw Street) are included in separate place records. Key Features/ Mature Camphor laurel and Queensland box street trees Elements Narrow grassed verges Single storey facades The predominant Federation Queen Anne detailing Face-brick walls and highly articulated corrugated metal or tiled roofs Articulated facades including the use of projecting wings, recessed entries, shallow projecting window bays and verandahs Roof gables with roughcast render and a ‘half-timbered’ effect Original chimneys Front verandahs with a

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