Redbanks Road 50 Willaston
| Place type: | Building |
|---|---|
| Address: | 50 Redbanks Road |
| Town or Locality: | Willaston |
DESCRIPTION:
This generously scaled asymmetrical Federation-style villa with projecting bay is set back from the street in a generous setting. It is constructed of dressed sandstone, brought to course and tuckpointed to the façade, with red brick quoins and dressings, including a red brick string course above the verandah. The transverse Dutch gable roof, with projecting gable bays to the façade and south, is clad with overpainted corrugated metal and finished with decorative acroteria. Gables are detailed with timber battens, bargeboards and horned finials. Four overpainted brick chimneys with corbelled caps are evident. Windows are timber-framed, double-hung sashes and the door is timber-framed with sidelights and fanlight. The bullnose return verandah with corner gablet is clad with overpainted corrugated metal and supported on turned timber posts decorated with cast-iron frieze and corner brackets. A later brick and aluminium palisade fence defines the front boundary.
STATEMENT OF HERITAGE VALUE:
Likely constructed around 1910, the large villa at 50 Redbanks Road, Willaston, demonstrates the ongoing demand for generous residential allotments north of the North Para River, beyond the initial subdivisions of Willaston and Waltham at a time of renewed industrial and commercial activity in Willaston. The generously-scaled dwelling is a fine and largely externally intact example of an asymmetrical villa of the Federation-era displaying local stone and brickwork.
BRIEF HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
The original plan of Gawler Town prepared by Light, Finniss and Co in 1839 was extended as additional townships were added over the next two decades. These townships included: Willaston in 1848; Gawler East in 1849; Bertha in 1850; Evanston in 1853; Gawler North, Gawler West and Bassett Town in 1 857; and Gawler South in 1858. Later smaller subdivisions included the Edith/Blanche Street area of Gawler East in 1873, Gulf View in 1876, and Waltham in 1878. A later stage of development saw the creation of Olive Hill in 1891 and Berrett Town in 1910. By the turn of the twentieth century the town boundaries had extended into adjoining farming lands and larger allotments were gradually being subdivided and developed.
Section 692 in the Hundred of Mudla Wirra, County of Gawler, was first granted in 1853 to Eli Holmes, Publican, and Thomas Lacey, Mining Captain, both of Gawler, and subsequently partitioned with part to Alfred Atkinson, gentleman of Adelaide. Though not originally included in the nearby formal subdivision of section 134 of Waltham this locality in the vicinity of Redbanks Road came to be known in the early 20th century as Waltham. The township name is no longer used.
In 1907 a Certificate of Title covering a portion of section 692 was issued to Carl Friedrich Hermann Scholz of Willaston, shoemaker, and Johanna Augusta Scholz, his wife. This land comprised a little less than 32 acres and was bounded by the government road on three sides. Over the next twenty years one to two acre building blocks were progressively sold off with frontages to the northern road, which would later become Redbanks Road.
A portion of section 692, Hundred of Mudla Wirra, County of Gawler was transferred from Carl Freidrich Hermann Scholz of Willaston, shoemaker, to Alexander Frank Stewart, of Gawler, blacksmith, in September 1908. The land comprised just under two acres with a frontage to the Government Road (later Redbanks Road). Alexander Frank Stewart (1849-1922) was born in Sydney, and in 1872 came to Gawler where he became the proprietor of the Old Bushman Shoeing Forge until 1903, when he moved to Jones’ premises in Murray Street.
In 1910 the title was transferred to Mary Wake, of Willaston, married woman. Twenty years later in 1928 she transferred it to her husband Laban Russ Wake, of Willaston, retired farmer. Both Mary and Laban Wake died within weeks of each other in early 1934 and the executors of the estate transferred the title to Evelyn Grace Dawkins, of Willaston, married woman in 1935. to Douglas Leon Bennett of 12 Marsh Avenue Gawler West, milk vendor. A recent housing development now surrounds the Federation era villa, which was built by Mary and Laban Wake for their own home after retiring from farming. Evelyn Dawkins was their daughter.
Please <click here> to view photos of 50 Redbanks Road Willaston.
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 772/11 3; CT 791/178; CT 4375/832
- State Library of SA: Frederick Foote Turner BRG 178/1 Series 1
- Hignett & Company Gawler Heritage Study Stage 1 December 1981
- Bunyip 15 December 1922
- p2 ; 23 March 1934 p7 ‘Obituary’
- Critic 23 October 1907 page 11
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