Heritage Houses of New Junction – 43 Sayer Street

Council, at its meeting of 03 August 2022 resolved to include 35 new properties into the Local Heritage Survey. This included 9 properties within the New Junction precinct.

 

History:

In 1886, the Midland Railway Company took up significant landholdings in the area and established its operations to build its planned railway north to Geraldton. The townsite of Midland Junction was gazetted in 1890 and private investor James Morrison, subdivided and sold large parcels of land to new settlers.  With gold discoveries in the mid 1890s, Midland Junction became a hub of the state road and rail system and was a logical site for the government railway workshops which relocated there in 1904.

This portion of Sayer Street was formally subdivided in 1914 but homes had been constructed prior to this date.  Sayer Street was named in honour of William Frederic Sayer, legal advisor to the Midland Railway Company. This house was previously designated as 33 Sayer Street.

From the readily available sources, this residence was built c1908.  Given the similarity of form and remaining detail it is possible this residence and the two adjacent at 41 and 45 Sayer Street were constructed at the same time as a modest property development for the owner to sell or rent.  This was not an unusual practice in metropolitan Perth in the early 20th century.  It is probable the houses were originally tuckpointed brick on the main façade, face brick on the other elevations, with red corrugated iron roofs. No detail of the builder or architect has been found in this research.

This place had short term occupants until 1912 when labourer Arthur George Lynch and his wife Ellen (Nellie), nee Collett occupied the place.  The couple originally from Victoria had married in 1888 and had three daughters.  Arthur and Annie lived at this house until their deaths, Arthur in 1949 and Annie in 1955.

A survey of the property prepared in 1935 for the purpose of planning water and sewerage services, together with aerial photographs since the mid 20th century indicate the place has changed minimally since that time.

 

Statement of Significance:

The place has aesthetic value as a modest example of Federation era form and detail.

The place has historic value for its association with the establishment and development of Midland in the early 20th century.

This place and the adjacent houses at 41 and 45 Sayer Street have historic value for their association with small scale development which was common in the early 20th century.

The place has social value as a demonstration of the form and scale of housing for working families in the early 20th century.

 

Management Category:  Category 3 Some/Moderate

This is an extract from the Local Heritage Survey Place Record Form.  For the full Place Record Form  please visit www.newjunction.com.au/about/heritagehousesof newjunction

 

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Heritage Houses of New Junction – 41 Sayer Street