Three Attached Houses Palmerston St

This single-storey terrace, comprising three modest-sized attached residences, was constructed in 1907 for Dr William Trethowan.  Trethowan came to Western Australian in 1896 from his home state Victoria, after having completed his medical studies in the UK.   He married Madeline Amy Rigby, also from Victoria, and they had four children.  In their early years in Perth, they lived in two different houses in Aberdeen Street including a grand c.1892 house at No.162 (formerly 170) and later moved to a large house at 267 St Georges Terrace.  Trethowan worked at the Perth Hospital and served as President of the Western Australian Branch of the St John’s Ambulance Association and was also active in other sporting and philanthropic organisations.   When he died in 1929, he was remembered as one of Perth’s best known medicos and surgeons in his day and for his services to the community.     

In 1902, Trethowan acquired a substantial parcel of land in Northbridge, Lot Y164, with frontages to Palmerston and Newcastle Streets.   Here he had built two sets of three single storey terrace houses along the Palmerston Street frontage (numbered 17-21 and 11-15) and an elaborate two-storey commercial building on the corner of Newcastle Street (No. 309) with an attached two storey residence facing Palmerston Street (No. 23).   Although the name of the client is not given, in April 1907 a tender notice appeared in the local papers placed by architect Thomas Anthoness.  The buildings described were a block of residences, two-storied dwelling and residential shop on the corner of Newcastle and Palmerston streets.  It is assumed this is the same set of buildings.  Trethowan and Anthoness were known to each other.  Both were from Victoria and in fact travelled on the same boat from Melbourne to Perth in 1896.  Anthoness and his wife were often reported in the local papers as attending the same social events as the Trethowans as well as gatherings at the Trethowans’ residence in Aberdeen Street.  Anthoness also attended Trethowan’s funeral.   

The terrace residences were designed by Anthoness in the Federation Queen Anne style, while the corner shop and two storey residence were more a simple expression of the Federation Free Style.  The residences and shop were purely an investment for Trethowan, as he never lived in them but rented them out.   Already living in the area, Trethowan would have been aware of the increased land and property speculation that was occurring north of the city which started during the 1890s gold boom and continued into the early years of the twentieth century.  The area was ideally located for the growing population, and in particular the growing working or middle class which needed affordable modest housing close to the city and the train.  

Among the first tenants to live at Nos. 17-21 Palmerston Street were Mr and Mrs Harrie West (music teachers), Lionel Robertson (doctor) and Mr Dugald Stalker (salesman).  The Wests were the longest term residents with many of the others changing over regularly.  The shop and attached dwelling was leased by the Kerr family who ran a grocery store.   A portion of Lot Y164 further along Newcastle Street was leased out by Trethowan as a timber yard. 

In 1914, ownership was transferred to William and Elizabeth Pead who also rented out the properties.  Ownership didn’t change again until 1946 to Waddy Waddy Co. Ltd, a pastoral company.  During the 1930s and 1940s, the names of the tenants living in the Palmerston Street houses started to reflect the demographic changes that were taking place in Northbridge as a result of post-war immigration; names such as Isavaris, Kalaf, Rossi and Tula.  Significant numbers of Greek and Italian immigrants moved into the area, so it is not surprising that the Greek Orthodox Cathedral and the Hellenic Community Centre were built in this vicinity.   

From the 1960s and up until the late 1980s a great proportion of properties in Northbridge were resumed by the State Government then leased out at a low rental in anticipation of construction of the northern city bypass at which time a fair number were to be demolished.  The acquisition of so many houses by the government, in conjunction with the type of residents now drawn to the area, coincided or possibly triggered the notable social and cultural changes in Northbridge from what it was in the gold boom years.  Many of the houses changing from domestic dwellings to drug rehabilitation centres, hostels, social housing or backpackers or were just taken up by squatters.  Owing to the future uncertainty of what would happen to the properties acquired by the Government, little to no maintenance was carried out on them and many would deteriorate significantly even before they were earmarked for demolition. 

Lot Y164 not acquired until 1987 and was one of those place that was starting to deteriorate and attracting squatters.  In 1989, the WA Council on Addiction took over the lease of all three residences and carried out refurbishments.  This included removal of sections of some party walls creating new doorways to enable the original separate residences to function as one place.  The terrace was later renovated again and converted to a backpackers.   Despite the modifications and alterations, the terrace was looked after and used (as was the adjacent shop and attached residence) which was a better fate than some of the other early historic buildings in this area.  For example, the other set of three terrace houses built for Trethowan at 11-15 Palmerston Street were demolished to make way for the construction of the bypass, named the Graham Farmer Freeway and Northbridge Tunnel. 

During construction of the Tunnel, cracks appeared through the ceiling and walls of the terrace.  However, the place did retain much of its original finish, fabric and detailing.  Although a modest design, the terrace displays features typical of the Federation Queen Anne style of architecture such as prominent roughcast finished half-timbered gables, tall corbelled chimneys and timber framed front doorways with decorative fanlights and narrow sidelights.  Note too the sunburst motif in the gable of No. 21.  The interior finishes to all residences include ceiling roses, elaborate plasterwork moulding and arches and timber floorboards.    

Western Mail 31 January 1896 p. 22  

West Australian 20 April 1907 p. 7 

Daily News 4 February 1929 p. 9