23 High St OWSTON'S BUILDINGS

Notre Dame University ND23 - Owston's Buildings

9-23 High St, (was 17-31 pre 1938) corner Mouat and High Sts.

Architecture: Two storey rendered building, separated on the façade by pilasters with ashlar effect, separating the building into eight sections with zero setback from the pavement. It has a roof parapet above the moulded cornice with low pier balustrading and a centre pediment with the 'Owston's Buildings' name and date- 1903.

Lots 31 & 32 were owned jointly in 1876 by William Owston, W. S. Pearse and George Pearse. Captain William Owston established the firm of Pearse and Owston, shipowners and importers of Eastern produce. The firm owned a number of vessels, including coastal ships.

From 1899 until 1902 the first real estate agent in Fremantle John Twinem, (bio), worked here in the old William & Co. Sandover building (see photo). Twinem “had a seductive smile, and soon had a rent roll that made other agent’s mouths water”. He was dubbed the ‘father' of real estate agents in Fremantle. (reference) (reference)

1903 Designed by F. W. Burwell and built by R. Rennie, a new building was erected and known as the Owston Buildings. It had eight shops on the ground floor and six flats above, originally with a verandah on both sides. At Owston's death in 1903 the property passed to William Mason Owston, his grandson (1881-1946).

From 1907 to 1914 Watson's Luncheon or Refreshment Rooms operated from the site and then it became Watson's Supply Stores. See image: Watson's Luncheon rooms c 1910, courtesy Fremantle City Library History Archives no 2696

From 1953 to 2005, no 9 was the Roma Restaurant , which was established by Nella and Frank Abrugiato. It time became an iconic Fremantle destination. Frank was from Abruzza, Italy and arrived in WA in 1953. Nella was from Catania, Sicily and arrived in 1954. They had been married by proxy in 1952. The restaurant served family style Italian food, and became an iconic Fremantle destination especially in the 1970s and 1980s. In 2005 the Roma was taken over by Nunzio Gumina as the Villa Roma. in 2016 it was reopened by Abrugiato family members, changing the name to Roma Cucina.

In 2012- Sergio Guazzelli opened Blink Cafe at no 19

2002 nos 21-23 became Notre Dame University, Admissions Office

Occupants

Lot owners 19, 31 & 32: 1829 - 1837 (19 & 31) Lyon, Robert M (32) Dixon, W M, 1855 - 1859 Brown, R, 1876 - 1878 Pearse & Owston

No. 9 (was 17 pre 1938)

1905 - 1910 McKenzie & Chisholm, printers

1914 - 1916 Woods, F W, sail & tent maker

1915 (office) Miller, Mrs. J W

1916 - 1918 (office) Magripilis, Anthony

1917 - 1925 Willis, Geo, sail & tent maker

1919 Lanza, Silvatole

1926 - 1932 Hood A, sail maker

1933 - 1935 Vacant

1938 - 1949 Moullin & Co. Ltd. J. H., customs agents

No. 11 (19)

1903 Construction Completed

1905 - 1908 Gorrie & Co. independent agents

1909 - 1910 Guiseppe Re, importer

1914 Urquhart & Newbill, electrical engineers

1914 - 1916 Atlas Engineering Co. (Show rooms)

1915 - 1917 (office) Traira, Basillo

1915 - 1922 Urquhart, A D, electrical engineer

1923 - 1925 Sadlier Ltd, R C, customs agents

1926 - 1927 Brice A G, customs agents

1928 Vacant

1929 - 1930 Gills Carrying & Baggage Agency (A Gill)

1931 - 1935 Vacant

1935 - 1946 Sherborne F J, customs agent

1947 - 1949 Fiocco Giovanni, tailor

No. 13 (21)

1899 BERESFORD & NEVILLE, barristers, solicitors & notaries, public & commissioners for taking affidavits in the Supreme Courts of W.A., N.S.W. & S.A.

1899 - 1900

Maxwell, Andrew, fire claim adjuster

Yeats, Jabez G, baggage agent

1900 Forbes, Alexander, mercantile broker

1901 - 1903 Yeats, Jabez G, baggage agent

1905 DIAMOND EXPRESS (H W Petherick, manager) customs, baggage, shipping & forwarding agents

1906 - 1927 PROUT, George E, London accountant & licensed customs & general commission agent

1909 - 1920 Gorrie & Co, independent agents

1915 -1922 (office) Riley, Mrs A

1917 - 1922 Sadleir, R C, customs agent

1923 - 1927 (office) Eardley, Mrs Jane

1925 Brice A G, customs agent

1926 - 1927 Gorrie & Co, independent agents & (office) Ross, Miss L

1928 Vacant

1929

Cowie, John A, sharebroker & Wild, Aubrey M, customs and forwarding agent

National Mutual Life Association Of Australasia (J A Cowie, agent) & Brown, Edward, carrier

1930 Brice and Co. Ltd, A E store

1931 - 1938 vacant

1938 - 1940 Tortur, Les

1940 - 1941 Rodriguez & Lee, wool merchants (store)

1941 - 1943 vacant

1944 - 1946 Gill's Carrying Agency, carriers

1947 - 1949 Shamrock Tea Rooms, refreshment room

No. 15 (23)

1899 Collyer, A F, indentor

1899 - 1903 Twinem, John, estate agent

1900 BERESFORD & NEVILLE, barristers, solicitors & notaries, public & commissioners for taking affidavits in the Supreme Courts of W.A., N.S.W. & S.A.

1900 - 1903

SANDOVER & CO. WILLIAM, iron, hardware & machinery merchants, wholesale & retail ironmongers Union Oil Co. (William Sandover & Co., representatives), oil merchants

1900 - 1901 Alliance Marine & General Assurance Co. Limited (William Sandover & Co., agents)

1901 - 1903 BERESFORD, Richard, de la Poer, solicitor

1905 Adams & Co. (G. H.), wine & spirit merchants

1907 United Insurance Co Ltd. (fire & marine) (C.H. Cray, district inspector)

1907 - 1909 Ferguson Limited, J.M. (J, Cowan, manager), timber & hardware merchants

1913 Papaaoine, John, fruiterer

1914 Magrciplis, Antonio, fruiterer

1915 - 1916 Kakuloes, S, fruiterer

1917 Kakulas, Varthelamos, fruiterer & Lanzer, S

1918 Fermanis, Gregory G

1919 - 1922 Kakulas, Atherinos, fruiterer

1923 - 1932 Urquhart, A D, electrical engineer

1933 - 1935 vacant

1938 - 1946 WA Temperance League, association

1942 - 1946 Wray Thomas, shipping & forwarding agent

1947 - 1949 Fremantle Refrigerating Co, emgrs-refrigeration

No. 17 (25)

1899

Central Queensland Meat Export Co. Limited (F A Jaggard, representative) Sandover & Co. (William), iron, hardware & machinery Merchants, wholesale & retail ironmonger

Alliance Marine & General Assurance Co. Limited (William Sandover & Co. agents)

Union Oil Co. (William Sandover & Co., representatives), oil merchants

1905 Levy, L, furniture warehouse

1907 - 1908 Learmonth, Duffy & Co., auctioneers & commission agents

1911 - 1925 Re & Co Guiseppe, importers

1926 - 1949 Vergona & Co O, Italian importers

No. 21 & No. 23

1897 - 1899

Maxwell, Andrew

BERESFORD RICHARD DE LA POER, barrister, solicitor & notary public & commissioner for Taking affidavits in the Supreme Courts of W A Victoria, N S W & S A

Collyer, A F, indentor

1897 - 1902

Yeates, Jabez G, baggage agent

Twinem, John, estate agent

1900

Forbes, Alexander, mercantile broker

BERESFORD & NEVILLE

Perth Alliance Marine & General Assurance Co. Limited (William Sandover & Co., agents)

Union Oil Co. (William Sandover & Co. representatives), oil merchants

1900 - 1901 SANDOVER & CO. (WILLIAM)

1904 Vincent, Mrs. M A, refreshment rooms

1906

Sears, J, Refreshment Rooms

Watsons & Co. (William), dairy produce merchants

1907 - 1922

W M Watson, Refreshment Rooms

Watson’s Supply Stores - Dairy Products Merchants

1922 - 1949 Watson’s Supply Stores - Dairy Products Merchants

1955 - Purchased by the Waterside Workers' Federation

2002, no 15 was Life Editions Bookbinders; no 17 was Marine Surveyors, Magazines & Journals, Tax Accountants & Graphic Design

In 2012 - Sergio Guazzelli opened Blink Cafe at no 19

2002-2021 nos 21-23 became Notre Dame University, Admissions Office

Owstons Buildings corner Mouat and High Sts

21- 23 Henry St

Notre Dame University ND21 - St John of God Hall

21-23 Henry St (was 53-63 pre 1938) former Central Wool Company

Single storey painted brick and rendered building with zero setback from the pavement. Engaged ashlar effect pilasters flank the entrances, and a decorative parapet has a decorative pediment over the arched entrance on the right side of the building.

This building has been a warehouse and shops since 1880s.

2002 Notre Dame: The building was named after the sisters of St John of God because this Order, under the leadership of Sister Verna Haugh SSJG, had been a strong supporter, and Founder of UNDA.

To commence the project, Mr Horgan, using $5 million in short-term funds borrowed in November, 1987 by him personally from the Sisters of St John of God (Mr Horgan was a member of the Sisters’ Provincial Advisory Board), began acquiring properties in his own name in the West End of Fremantle with a view to on-selling (at cost) or leasing many of them to the University, as required, and as the University gained the necessary fiscal capacity… (reference below)

c. 1993- The Sisters of St John of God retained some of the mortgaged properties (ND6, 18 and 21) which the University could not afford to purchase at the time, and later transferred them, as foundation gifts, to UNDA.

2002 owned by Notre Dame University.

OCCUPANTS

Lot 64 owners:

1829 - 1837 Armstrong, Adam (Not the custom exciser)

1855 - 1859 Pace, A

1876 - 1878 Skinner, George

Lot 65 owners:

1829 - 1837 MacFaull, Eliz

1855 - 1878 Lefroy & Vigors

No. 21 (was 53 pre 1938)

1900 - 1902 Fremantle Lumpers Union (rooms)

1900 - 1904 Bolton & Sons, coach & carriage builders &c.

1900 - 1929 COLONIAL SUGAR REFINING CO. LIMITED

1900 - 1901 H. H. Symonds, manager, 1903 - 1929 J. T. Murray, manager

1933 - 1949 Parsons Bros & Co Pty Ltd, wholesale merchants (1933 - 1938 P H Willoughby, manager)

No. 23 (was 63 pre 1938)

1901 - 1903 BOURNE H. G. auctioneer & manufacturers' agent.; sole agent for Baynes' Graziers' Meats

1905 - 1908 BOLTON & SONS, coach & carriage builders &c. ; & at 45 William st, Perth

1913 - 1921 Pascoe, William H, sailmaker

1922 - 1938 Hood, Alex, sail & tent maker

1938 - 1949 Parsons Bros & Co Pty Ltd, merchants

Reference: the Founding and Establishment of Notre Dame, 1986-2014 by Peter Tannock 2014

Liebler Facade

Reckitt & Colman Building, Facade / Liebler Building

21-29 Cliff St

Architecture Single storey façade only intact, has a zero setback from the pavement. The façade features arched openings (blocked) from engaged pilasters and a decorative parapet with highly decorative pediments.

History The Liebler Building façade is part of former buildings of Lionel Samson and Co, the oldest existing firm of merchants in the state. Lots 7 and 8 Cliff St were owned by John Lewis in 1880, as mixed commercial and residential use. New owners in 1881 were Mason and Liebler, with a residential house on Lot 8 and a shop on Lot 7. In 1882 the ownership changed to Mason and Samson and then in 1890 to Elias Solomon and Lionel Samson. At some time between 1890 and 1895 a facade was constructed in front of stone cottages on the site. The cottages were demolished in 1967 but the facade was retained- due to two Fremantle identities: Alec Smith, then owner of the Fremantle Hotel, and the cartoonist Paul Rigby (reference). The facade was classified by the National Trust in 1974. In 1980 the southern wing of the facade was demolished. In 2018 it was renovated, with the doors and windows openings restored. The site behind the facade is a now car park.

2017- High Tide Festival Fremantle- Artist Zora Kreuzer’s Arcade is deceptively simple. Appropriating the façade of the old Liebler Building she has chosen a palette of fluoro hues to paint to create a rainbow spectrum of spaces in the former arched window cavities. Not only do they re-energise the building but instantly she has created a photo booth for the thousands of visitors streaming through the historic site. (reference)

1897

Licensing Courts article mentions William. F. Samson of Cliff street, Fremantle being granted a renewal for a gallon license. (reference) 

Wanted, general servant.  Must be a good cook, light work , AM Josephson, Cliff street Fremantle. (reference)

1899

NOBELS' EXPLOSIVES Co. Ltd., GLASGOW. DYNAMITE, GELIONITE, DETONATORS,- FUSE, BLASTING GELATINE, GELATINE DYNAMITE, ELECTRICAL BLASTING APPLIANCES. MAGAZINES AT- Coolgardie, Kalgoorlie, Day Dawn, Menzies, Mt. Magnet, Fremantle. (reference)

… At the Queen’s bond, Messrs Lionel Samson and Son will sell cigars, tobacco, furniture and personal effects, in Cliff street, Fremantle. (reference)

OCCUPANTS

1829 - 1837 Lot 8: Lewis, Richard

1855 - 1859 Lot 8: Lewis

1876 - 1879 Lot 8: Lewis, John

1897

A.M. Josephson, pearl merchant, [Right of way]  Willshire, R J, commission merchant

1897 - 1898

Harper & Co. (ROBERT), importers, manufacturers & Eastern produce merchants & co. agents. for MELBOURNE CHILLED BUTTER & PRODUCE CO. and Colonial Sugar Refining Co.

Bank of New South Wales (E A Cameron, manager)

1897 - 1900 Fowler D & J (1898: G. C. Knight, managing director), merchants (1900: merchants and shipping agents) agents for North China Insurance Company (1900)

1897 - 1903 Preston & Company (H. J.) (1897: wine, spirit & general merchants, indenting & commission agents; 1900-1903: manufacturers' agents & importers)

1897 - 1905 William Frederick Samson, Lionel Samson & sons, agents (1902-1905: Sun Insurance Office (London), wine & spirit merchants, wholesale grocers and government auctioneers

1899 Laurie, Robert (custom agents and stevedore)

1899 - 1900 New Zealand Insurance Company

1899 - 1901

Shenton, George, merchant shipping agent & importer of wines & spirits

Smith and Sons Pty Ltd, (William Howard) steamship owners & coal importers

1899 - 1905 Nobel's Explosives Company Limited (1899 - 1901: George Shenton, agents)

1900 - 1903

Harper & Company Pty Ltd (Robert) importers, manufacturers

Melbourne Steamship Company Limited (H R Reid, manager for WA)

1901

Mail Steamers Agency Ltd, (Charles Crewe, secretary )

Longbottom, Percival, estate agent

Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation and Company Ltd (George Shenton, agent)

1901 - 1902

Thomas Horace P, shipping and insurance agent for Royal Insurance Company

Thomas Cook and Son, tourist agents

1901 - 1904 (no 25) John Stewart and company, produce merchant (1904: produce, merchants and mercantile agents)

1904 Goddard (H.A.), C J Ellershaw and company representatives

1904 - 1905

Calthorp Bros., general importers, produce merchants

Elder, Shenton and Company, merchants, importers & shipping, stock & station & general, commission agents

Firth and Sons Thomas, steel manufacturers

1905

Stewart & McDonald, produce merchants & mercantile agents

Lewis, Albert, mercantile agent

Barrow & Reynolds, produce merchants

Palatine Insurance Company Ltd, Elder, Shenton and Co Ltd, agents

Sheffield (Elder, Shenton and Company), agents

1904 - 1949 (23) ELLERSHAW & Co. Pty. Ltd. (C. J.), customs, shipping, forwarding, indent and manufacturers' agents

1909 - 1927 (25) McBean & Deason, commercial & shipping agents, bulk stores

1918 - 1920 (29) Evans & Co, George, ship chandlers

1919 - 1920 (27) Lester, J H, customs agent and carrier

1921 - 1922 (29) Drew, Robinson & Co (bulk store)

1924 - 1934 (29) Barnes Herbert, carrier

1928 - 1935 (25) Bunyip Soap Co. Ltd.

1934 - 1936 (29) Daly Bros, carriers

1936 - 1937 (27) Cook (Lionel S.), wool buyer

1935 - 1946 (27) Sadliers Ltd R C, customs agents

1936 - 1938 (25) Payne (John H.) bus manager

1937 - 1946 (29) Sadleir Angora Yarns Ltd., knitting depot, woollen yarn manufacturers

1947 (23-29) ELLERSHAW & Co. Pty. Ltd. (C. J.), customs, shipping, forwarding, indent and manufacturers' agents

1949 (25) Reckitt & Coleman (Australia) Ltd., blue manufacturers, mustard manufacturers & starch manufacturers