King Street 5
| Place type: | Building |
|---|---|
| Also known as: | Station Masters House |
| Address: | 5 King Street |
| Town or Locality: | Gawler |
DESCRIPTION:
The former Station Master’s House is a late-Victorian asymmetrical villa with projecting bays. It is constructed of coursed, dressed bluestone with a tuck-pointed finish, and red brick quoins and dressings. The villa features fine detailing with carved timber finials to gables and cast-iron lace to gable and distinctive Gawle-style detailing in the pediment hood mould and gable vent. Clad with corrugated metal, the roof is hipped with projecting gables to the north, east and west elevations. Windows are timber-framed, double-hung sashes, and the doors to the north and west are panelled timber, with sidelights and leaded fanlight to the main door (to King Street). Chimneys are constructed of red brick and feature shaped-brick caps. The ogee verandah to the front and north facades are clad with corrugated metal and are supported on square timber posts with cast-iron feet and lace corner brackets. The fence is a non-original aluminium palisade, with a portion of rendered masonry wall with moulded piers and coping.
STATEMENT OF HERITAGE VALUE:
The former Station Master’s residence at 5 King Street, Gawler, demonstrates the pattern of progressive gentrification and redevelopment of the first generation of smaller cottages in Gawler during the late nineteenth century with more substantial residences, on the back of considerable commercial and industrial growth and success of the town. The property is also associated with the establishment of the Gawler North railways Station in 1911, after which the dwelling was used as the Station Master’s residence. The fine and substantially externally intact villa displays distinctive ‘Gawler style’ detailing, constructed of local stone, brick and cast iron as was regularly employed by local building contractors, Taylor and Forgie and others throughout this phase of development. Of further significance is the association with Taylor and Forgie as a dwelling owned and occupied by partner in the firm, Henry Taylor as his own residence.
BRIEF HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
The Town of Gawler was first surveyed and planned by Light, Finnis & Co in 1839 as part of the Gawler Special Survey sponsored by a consortium of wealthy investors including Henry Dundas Murray, John Reid & others. The original town plan devised by Light and laid out by William Jacob comprised 240 acres, made up of 100 acres of allotments (as 200 half-acre allotments) and 140 acres of streets, parklands, city squares, churches, cemeteries and other public places. Each of the original Special Survey investors was allocated township blocks along with their country acres, proportionate to the extent of their investment.
Allotment 121 of section 24, in the Hundred of Mudla Wirra, was originally allocated to Robert Todd in the 1839 Survey. In 1866 the southern portion was transferred from Benjamin Edward Deland to Richard Barratt of Gawler. At that time the land occupied the corner of King and Stubb Street, which divided Allotment 121 in two. The northern portion was acquired by William Tardif, a builder, in 1868.
The rate books for that year indicate that Richard Barret [sic] was occupying his portion of Allotment 121, which contained a house and garden valued at £15. In 1883 the property was rented to J J E Harkness, and in 1883 the title was transferred to carpenter Henry Charles Taylor, who resided there until 1901. It is likely that the earlier residence on the property was replaced with the current structure during Henry Taylor’s ownership. Henry was associated with the local family business Taylor and Forgie, building contractors and funeral directors.
In July 1901 the property was sold to Emma Smith, wife of Arthur Smith of Gawler, dentist. In 1910 the property was acquired by the South Australian Railways Commissioner. In 1912 Stubbs Street was closed and the land transferred the following year to the South Australian Railways Commissioner to accommodate the extension of the North Gawler railway to Angaston and Nuriootpa in the Barossa Valley. The new line was completed and opened on 8 September 1911. A new North Gawler (Willaston) railway station was built as part of this expansion, and the old Gawler station became a junction station.
The circa 1890 residence located alongside the line at 5 King Street became the Station Master’s residence. The first official occupants may have been Mr Harry Black and family. Mr Black, one of the most senior stationmasters in the SA Railways service at the time, was appointed Gawler Stationmaster at the end of 1909 replacing Mr J P Mackay. Mr Black remained in the position until December 1917.
Please <click here> to view photos of 5 King Street.
Acknowledgments
This report has been prepared by the following people:
• Nancy Cromar (Flightpath Architects)
• Deborah Morgan (Flightpath Architects)
• Kate Paterson (Flightpath Architects)
• Douglas Alexander (Flightpath Architects)
The study team would like to acknowledge the assistance of the following people:
• David Petruzzella (Strategic Planner; Town of Gawler)
• Jacinta Weiss (Cultural Heritage Centre Coordinator; Town of Gawler)
• Jane Strange (Senior Development and Strategic Policy Officer; Town of Gawler)
Gawler History Team Inc. thanks:
Flightpath Architects, Ryan Viney and the Town of Gawler for allowing us access to this important document of Gawler History.
www.flightpatharchitects.com.au
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References
- LTO CT 94/131; CT 956/139; CT 991/28; 118/177; CT 1058/48; CT4272/891 ; CT310/75;
- Hignett & Company Gawler Heritage Study Stage 1 December 1981
- State Library of SA Plan of Gawler Town (Warren 1863)
- Bunyip 10 December 1909 page 2
- Observer 11 December 1909 p32
- Register 29 July 1925 p15; 31 July 1925 p3
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