HERITAGE COUNCIL OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

ASSESSMENT OF CULTURAL HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE TOM BURKE HOUSE, Northbridge area of Perth.

The criteria adopted by the Heritage Council in November 1996 have been
used to determine the cultural heritage significance of the place.
PRINCIPAL AUSTRALIAN HISTORIC THEME(S)
• 4.1.2 Making suburbs • 4.4 Living with slums, outcasts and homelessness

11. 1 AESTHETIC VALUE
The place has aesthetic significance as a robustly detailed Federation Queen Anne style residential terrace. (Criterion 1.1) The two-story limestone and brick terrace with a full width verandah to both floors has aesthetic value as a significant landmark building in the Northbridge area. (Criterion 1.3)
11. 2. HISTORIC VALUE
The place reflects the diversity of housing opportunities in the city of Perth in the area north of the railway line. The place was built as three prestigious dwellings in the late nineteenth century, converted to smaller apartments during the 1920s-1930s and finally adapted for low income housing in the latter part of the twentieth century. (Criterion 2.1)
The place reflects the expansion and development of residential and commercial buildings on the city fringes during the rapid population increase of the 1890’s gold boom and the early years of the twentieth century. (Criterion 2.2)
The place is important for its association with the architect Louis Bowser Cumpston, who owned and possibly lived in the building for a short time in the late 1890s. There is a strong possibility that Cumpston was the architect for the building. Cumpston, who had thrived in Melbourne designing inexpensive housing, designed similar low-cost housing in East Perth, Northbridge and the less expensive parts of West Perth. (Criterion 2.3)

Register of Heritage Places - Assessment Doc’n Tom Burke House 2
14/12/2001
The place was owned by the Green family, who were substantial property owners in central Perth, Northbridge and elsewhere (Criterion 2.3) The place is important for its association with the Federick Darly North, who bought the building from Louis Cumpston in 1901. North was Secretary to the Premier Sir John Forrest, and Clerk of the Executive Council. He was also a brother-in-law to the Forrests having married Margaret Forrest’s youngest sister Flora. (Criterion 2.3) The building was named after Tom Burke in recognition of his involvement in community affairs, association with the Australian Labor Party, and contribution as Federal Member for Perth from 1943 to 1955.

11. 3. SCIENTIFIC VALUE
11. 4. SOCIAL VALUE
The place is important for its role in providing low cost housing for residents
in Northbridge. (Criterion 4.1) The place is highly valued by those who live and work in the building. (Criterion 4.1) As a building, which has remained largely unaltered despite the changes that have occurred in the area, the place has importance in contributing to the
community’s sense of place. (Criterion 4.2)
12. DEGREE OF SIGNIFICANCE
12. 1. RARITY
The place is rare as an example of a substantial two-storey late nineteenth century residential terrace still extant within close proximity to Perth City centre. (Criterion 5.1)
The place is significant as the only extant residential building of a former group of three buildings, built on adjoining lots and comprising two duplexes and one triplex, of which Tom Burke House is the triplex. (Criterion 5.1)
12. 2 REPRESENTATIVENESS
The place is representative as an example of a substantial residential building in the Federation Queen Anne style dating from the late nineteenth century. (Criterion 6.1)
The place is representative as an example of a residential building adapted for housing low income residents, in close proximity to the city centre of Perth. (Criterion 6.2)
12. 3 CONDITION
The whole of the place is in good condition. Maintenance and alterations appear to have been carried out with sensitivity to the original building fabric.
12. 4 INTEGRITY
The place remains in use as a residential building, although it no longer functions as three separate residences. The place has a moderate to high degree of integrity. Register of Heritage Places - Assessment Doc’n Tom Burke House 3
14/12/2001
12. 5 AUTHENTICITY
The place has a moderate to high degree of authenticity. Although there have been some modifications to the place over time to accommodate changing needs, most of the original fabric is intact and additions to the fabric have only marginally obscured the rear of the building at ground floor level.

13. 1 DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE
Number 191 Newcastle Street, known as Tom Burke House, was constructed c.1897-8 as a terrace of three residential dwellings. Early water and sewerage maps for the area indicate there were two other similar buildings, both duplexes and probably two-storied, located in the area to the east of No.191.1 The three buildings were built across Perth Town Lots Y70/71, apparently for the Green family who owned these Lots from at least 1884.2 The two duplex buildings, which were the first to be constructed, no longer exist and the area is now used as a car park. A number of structures once stood behind No.191
but these were removed during the 1980s when the building was renovated,3 and the 1990s when the Northbridge Tunnel was constructed. From c.1899 to c.1907/8, the three dwellings that originally made up No.191, were numbered 129 to 133, after that date they were renumbered 191 to 195. The post office directories and rate books suggest the possibility that Louis B. Cumpston, an architect and building surveyor who moved to Western Australia from Victoria in 1891, and who was responsible for several
buildings in the Northbridge area, may have designed all three buildings.4
There is also the possibility that William Smith, the first resident of No.133 (later 195) was the contractor, though there is no supporting evidence for this assertion. According to the City of Perth rate books, Lots Y71 and Y70 which extended from Newcastle Street (then known as Ellen Street) and Aberdeen Street (then Lamb Street) were owned by Mrs Green, a widow, prior to 1892. Members of the Green family maintained an interest in the properties variously as owners and residents until at least the 1930s. Evidence from the
1 According to the Property Co-ordinator of Perth Inner City Housing, a former tenant
had found a photograph, which they originally thought to be of No.191 because of its
similarity with the existing building. It is now believed the photograph represented
one of the duplexes. Unfortunately the tenant left the premises some years ago and
took the photograph with him. No photographs of any of the three buildings in Newcastle Street could be found in the Battye Pictorial Collection. 2 City of Perth Rate book for 1884, State Records Office (SRO)
3 Plan drawings, Upgrading of Lodging House at 191, 193 and 195 Newcastle Street,
Perth, Homeswest, dated October 1987.
4 An unsuccessful search has been made of the City of Perth's archives for an original
building licence and plans to verify the date of construction and the name of the
architect and builder. Cumpston would become a prominent architect in Western
Australia with a number of major buildings to his credit. These included the Ocean
Beach Hotel, Cottesloe, the Collie Municipal Chambers, and in 1911 new premises in
Perth for carriage builders Messrs Daniel White & Co. This was reputed to be the
largest motor garage in the state. See the entry for Cumpston in the Cyclopedia cited Rate Book for 1898, together with the post office directories, suggests Nos
191-195 was constructed in 1897-1898 with occupants moving in during 1898-
1899. The architect Louis Bowser Cumpston owned the terraces at 191-195
from at least 18985. In 1901 portions of Lots 70/71, were transferred to Frederic Dudley North of Cottesloe.6 F.D. North was the Secretary to the State's Premier, Sir John Forrest (from 1891-1901) and Clerk of the Executive Council (1901), and also the Forrests' brother-in-law7. Sir John held the mortgage on the property.8 From 1903 ownership was taken over by Mr A.W. Wallder, a butcher by trade and a resident at No.125 (later 187), and progressed through members of his family.9 until it was transferred to the West Australian Trustee Executor and Agency Company Limited, in 1963, and subsequently to the Metropolitan Region Planning Authority in 196710. A substantial part of Northbridge between Newcastle and Aberdeen Streets and Lord and Fitzgerald Streets, was being resumed by the government for the future development of a northern city by-pass. No. 191-195 was part of this resumption. The 1890s gold boom in Western Australia brought tremendous growth in the economy and an urgent need for housing for a rapidly expanding
population. The Northbridge area was highly attractive for investment purposes and, because of its proximity to the city and transport routes, the building of fine residences such as those constructed on Perth Town Lots 70/71.
Cumpston is listed as the owner of Lot 70 in 1896, and 1898, but not 1897, leading the author to believe the 1896 entry is an error. On the reverse side to the Certificate of Title made out when the Title was transferred to Frederic North in 1901, the name of Daphne Norah
Cumpston is given under Encumbrances. The entry is dated 31 July 1897

Taken from the report of the Heritage Council of Australia