Quartermaine's Building

3-5 Henry St (was 21-23 pre 1938), Quartermaine’s Buildings (former)

1903 a building was constructed on the lot built for William Balchin Ltd, replacing earlier buildings.

From 1925-1943 this was the office of Frank G. Unmack (1873-1943), Fremantle’s most famous solicitor.

In 1936 the building was the Fremantle Workers' Social & Leisure Club, when additions were carried out by Ochiltree & Hargrave architects.

1956/7 occupied by Quartermaine Travel:

‘The company was established in 1954 but the move to the premises in Henry Street would have been around about 1956, 1957.  So that’s a lovely old building; it was formerly a bank, I believe, number 3.  Murray Quartermaine had two buildings there, number 3 Henry Street and number 5 and he joined them together.  There was like a hospital ramp going from the upper floor from one storey to another and it was a typical old Fremantle building: you walk in and there’s a huge walk-in safe down the back.  There’s a big cellar underneath which goes halfway across Henry Street and as children I can remember vividly running around the whole remit of the building and going into the cellar.  My father continued the export/import agency for wine, so he also had the official customs bond store there, so he had to hold all the wine in a secure location because I think at that time duty wasn’t paid or tax wasn’t paid until the wine was actually sold…

Quartermaine Travel had been developed into quite a successful business: it was probably the largest privately owned travel agency in the country at the time and it’s a very strong brand today: I speak to elderly people—they still remember the name Quartermaine Travel… we had, I think, seven or eight travel branches in the Perth area, we had an office in Singapore, an office in Barclay Street in London…

As the travel agency grew, it sponsored the America’s Cup with Southern Cross II, and also I guess it was good for him because he got a lot of corporate accounts out of his association with Alan Bond as well, which enabled the travel agency to flourish.” From oral history interview with Lance Quartermaine for the Fremantle Library (2021) Interviewer Anne Yardley.

In 1984, it was converted to commercial/residential use. Part of the warehouse was leased by Spare Parts Puppet Theatre until mid-1985. There was also a craft outlet on the ground floor.

From early 2000’s was usewd for residential-warehouse apartments

OCCUPANTS

Lot 57 owners:

1829 - 1837 Gresswell, John

1855 - 1859 Lodge, O

1876 - 1878 Gregory, Mr

No 3 (was 21 pre 1938)

1913 - 1916 Moss & Dwyer, solicitors

1917 

Moss, Unmack & Thomas, solicitors

Moss, M L Dwyer, solicitor (M. U & T)

1918 - 1920 Moss, M L, Dwyer, Unmack and Thomas, solicitors

1920 - 1924 British Bye Products Co Ltd (reg off)

1921 - 1929 Dwyer, Unmack & Thomas, solicitors

1930 - 1943 Unmack F G, solicitor

1944 - 1946 Vacant

1947 Crouchleys Ltd, wine & spirit merchants - wholesaler

1949 Luscane Wine & Spirit Merchants, wine & spirit merchants - wholesale

1956- Both 3-5 occupied by Quartermaine Travel- Murray Vernon Quartermaine

No. 5 (was 23 pre 1938)

1900 - 1910 Moss & Barsden, solicitors

1901 - 1907 Balchin Ltd. W. wine, spirit & general merchants

1908 - 1909 Lohmann & Co. merchants & manufacturers' agents

1910 Manford & Co. Frederick commercial agents

1912 

Joyce Bros. Ltd. bag & sack manufacturers

Wm. J. Drafflin, manager

Moss & Dwyer, solicitors

1913 Wood & Son, G. wholesale grocers

1916 - 1922 Thompson, Walker & Co Ltd, green & product merchants (1916 & 1921: W Ockerby, manager; 1917 - 1920: H Rose, manager)

1916 - 1925 Ockerby & Co Ltd, product merchants

1927 - 1929 vacant

1930 - 1949 Brown & Dureau Pty Ltd

1930 - 1934 merchants, manufacturers agents and brokers

1934 - 1935 bus agents & house & land agents

1935 - 1949 wholesale / Rosella Preserving & Manufacturing Co Ltd, jam manufacturers / McKenzie & Co Pty Ltd / James F, manufacturing grocers

1956- Both 3-5 occupied by Quartermaine Travel- Murray Vernon Quartermaine

3-5 henry st.JPG

5 MOUAT ST

5 Mouat St (was 17 pre 1938) Tarantella nite club

This three storey building, a unique Federation Romanesque style, was designed by architect Edward Herbert Dean Smith for William De Lacey Bacon and the North German Lloyd Steamship Company in 1902, and constructed in 1903. The facade is constructed from limestone with contrasting bluestone columns and plinths. There are decorative string courses defining the floor levels and the building is entered through an arched opening supported by two bluestone columns with bowl capitals. It has a steep gabled roof which has been topped with an elaborately decorated square turret that has a steep pyramidal roof. The side and rear external brick walls are constructed in English bond brickwork.

1905 A large number of the Italian residents of Fremantle called on the Italian Vice-Consul, Mr Louis Ritazzi, to pay their respects to him as the representative of their King on the occasion of His Majesty's thirty-seventh birthday. The Italian ensign and other flags were flown over the consulate in honor of the.occasion, and His Majesty’s health was drunk by those present. (reference)

1907 Chevalier Zunini, the Italian Consul, proposes leaving the State on a visit to Italy. Mr. Ratazzi will assume the duties of Acting Consul for Italy during Chevalier Zunini's absence. (reference)

1909 The outbreak of fire on the German steamer Borkun, which put back to Mauritius on Friday last, has not yet been under control and according to a cable received by the local agents for the steamer (Messrs. Ratazzi and Co.) on Saturday morning from Captain Stolberg, the cargo is still burning fiercely… Captain Stolberg tried to save as much of the cargo as possible, but just prior to arrival at Port Louis the fire gained so that he decided for the safety of those on board to jettison 4000 cases of dynamite and 20 cases of detonators. The explosives were all consigned to Messrs. Barrymore and Co., of Fremantle and it is stated were valued at about £10,000. (reference)

1911 Herr L. Ratazzi, the German Consul in this State, who recently returned from a trip to Europe, states that the people in Germany are not obsessed with Anglophobia, but rather are satisfied with the feeling that both nations understand each other better and are content to let matters stand as they are. (reference)

1913 The Chevalier L. Ratazzi, Consul for Germany in West Australia, and local manager for the Nord Deutcher Lloyd- asked whether the feeling between Great Britain and Germany was any more cordial, he said ‘There is no doubt that a strong friendly feeling now exists between the two countries.’ (reference)

Prior to World War I it was rumoured that C. P. Ratazzi, the German Consul in WA, used the attic in the building to spy on movements in Fremantle Harbour and in 1914 Ratazzi was ordered by the Federal Government to cease acting as Consul. (reference)

1914 On Saturday night a noise as if some persons were breaking windows was heard by a man as he was walking in the direction of the North German Lloyd office in Fremantle. One of these offices is occupied by Mr L. Ratazzi, formerly the German Consul. On arrival at the scene of the disturbance, it was found that the front windows of the office had been broken. (reference)

1915 Apparently some of our Fremantle patriots are unable to taste the sweets of victory with a spirit unperturbed. When Mr. Lovekin, with scare headlines in the "Daily Ooze" on Monday evening announced a great Russian naval victory, the exuberance of their spirits got the better of them, and they began to simmer with excitement. That excitement soon reached the boiling point of resentment… Having given Wittorf what they considered enough, they moved on, drunk with: excitement and bug-juice, to ex-Consul Ratazzi's residence, the windows of which they also wrecked. (reference)

1915 There is a good deal of talk in Perth and Fremantle concerning the anomalous position of one Ratazzi, who lives and has his lager beer at the port when he isn't travelling on the continent. It reminds one forcibly of Mrs. Malaprop's Gereberus "Three gentlemen in one, aren't you?" The gentleman's full moniker is Carl Peter Ludwig Ratazzi. A naturalised Australian, he was born at Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany. In addition he is the consular agent for Italy in this part of King George's dominions, and has been decorated by the King of Italy for services rendered to that country. As a naturalised Australian, he is bound to hope that victory should crown the British arms, as a German bold he could hardly be blamed for thinking kindly of his native country, and as an Italian consul he is voluntarily expected to throw his hat in the air and whoop for the descendants of the Caesars. It is a complicated case. (reference)

1919 On Saturday last Mr. H. Momber (local manager for Messrs. Wm. Crosby and Co.) together with his wife and child, sailed per the s.s. Hermiston for Melbourne, all of them having recently recovered from severe attacks of the flu. (reference)

1924 Two more commercial houses are installing Dodge Brothers cars for business purposes. Both Messrs William Crosby and Co., of Fremantle... (reference)

1926 The firm is one of the oldest in Australia, established in 1857 (reference) Notice is hereby given that the registered office of William Crosby and Co. Pty Ltd is situated at 17-19 Mouat street, Fremantle, and that such office will be open to the public between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m, on weekdays, except Saturdays, when the hours will be from 10 a.m. to noon. (reference)

1931 Demolition of an old two-storey building in Pakenham-street, Fremantle, near Short-street, is to make room for a new brick building for the Federal Stevedoring Co. The bottom floor will be occupied by William Crosby and Co shipping agents, and the top floor will be let as private offices. The architects for the new building are Messrs. Owen and Nicholas, of Fremantle, and the cost of erection is £1700. The builder is Mr. C. W. Melrose. (reference) 

 In 1951 it was purchased and occupied by Dickenson's Transport Agency and in 1971, L.H. & A.E. Webb acquired the building.

From 1972 - 1993 the building was known infamously as Tarantella Nite Club.

The building was leased by Jose ‘Joe’ Faria and Jose Rebelo of Lanham Holdings Pty Ltd. They opened up the ground floor internal walls, making a large open space that could be used as a dance floor and bar area.

1976 Tarantella Tavern was a strip club and hookup joint for prostitutes and drunken sailors; as an undergrouund haven for the crooked, transgendered and otherwise excluded. Patrons would compare the merits of local penitentiaries and make deals while hunkering shadily around the bar tables, watching the strippers out of the corner of their eyes. Each night, one of the prostitutes would climb to the highest point and sing House of the Rising Sun, the performance often descending into an all-in-all brawl, with the singer and her sister- both big ladies - and tough- taking on all comers… (from Nine Parts Water, One Part Sand: Kim Salmon and the Formula for Grunge, By Douglas Galbraith, 2019)

1976 Kim Salmon (of The Scientists) initiated himself into the world of live music with a cabaret band called 'Troubled Waters' They obtained a residency at Tarantellas Nightclub in Fremantle, only to lose the young Kim Salmon after (only) eight weeks…(reference) Troubled Waters was formed by John Farley, (singer bass player and band leader). They played cover songs- three sets a night from 11-3, six nights a week at Tarentellas Tavern… (reference)

In 1986, Faria and Rebelo purchased the building and in 1992 the building was sold to Fabray Pty Ltd, a division of Fini Homes.

As Tarantellas, it earned a well-earned reputation as one of WA’s seediest nightclubs, which served only to make it more popular. ( Freostuff link)

As the Tarentella Night Club in the seventies and eighties, the building is all those things. It is port life in the raw. There were syringes in the street, midnight sex being vigourously and noisily transacted over car bonnets, angry adjoining residents, and insifde there’s metal strippers’ cage painted red. Is it to protect the strippers from the patrons or vica versa? Ron Davidson Fremantle Impressions, 2008 (p 269)

On Friday, 13 February 1993, the night club finally closed.

The building was restored and converted for residential use, by local architect Michael Patroni.

It was sold in 2015 for $1,450,000 (reference)

OCCUPANTS

Lot 28 owner:

1829 - 1879 Samson, Lionel

1903 - 1914 Nord-Deutscher Lloyd ( North German Lloyd Steamship Company) Imperial Mail Steamers (L Ratazzi & Co. general agents for W A)

1903 - 1916 Ratazzi C. P. L.

1903 - 1909 Imperial German Consul

1910 - 1914 Imperial German Consul & consular agent Italy

1915 - 1916 Consular agent Italy

1903 - 1917 Ratazzi & Co. L. general merchants & general agents for W A of the N.D.L. Imperial German Mail Line(1903-1905: wine, spirit)

1918 - 1932 William Crosby & Co Pty Ltd., ship owners & agents(1920 - 1932 Hubert Momber, manager)

1933 - 1934

Pocklington & Co, L H, estate agents, sworn valuators

Atlas Assurance Co Ltd (Pocklington & Co, L H, agents)

1936 - 1940 Parsons Bros & Co Pty Ltd (bulk store)

1940 - 1943 vacant

1944 - 1945 Burns Philp & Co Ltd, ship owners, ship agents & merchants

1947 Colyer Watson Pty Ltd, exporters

1949 Bankers Health Society, organisation; National Packers

1970s Tarentellas Tavern

1980s-1993 Tarentellas Nite club

2011- 2015 Fremantle Bed & Breakfast, owner Peter Donovan

Tarantellas Bed & Breakfast

5 Mouat St.PNG

Seppelts Warehouse

5 Pakenham Street (Pre 1938 - 29 Packenham St) Tolley’s, Seppelt & Sons

Two level painted brick and façade only intact. Façade features a parapet with a decorative pediment, stucco decorative skirts under the stucco arched architraves over the windows, and ashlar effect pilasters on the ground floor. There is a large face brick office complex behind.

Lot 99 was owned by Mr John Gallop, in 1880. Gallop added a warehouse, indicated in the rates books in 1893, and was the owner until 1898.

1897, Post Office Directories list Tolley & Co., Wine & Spirit, Shipping and General Merchants & Importers, who also occupied 1 Pakenham Street. The building at No. 5 was a single storey one designed to accommodate numerous clerical staff, as well as having a sample room and store room, and below ground a cellar. At the rear of the building was the stables. Between 1901-06 another floor was added and extensions to the north were carried out by providing an enclosed laneway to the rear of the premises. The Tolley Company's head office remained at No. 5 Pakenham Street until 1911.

From 1913 - 1949 this building was used by B. Seppelt & Sons Ltd. (reference)

1915 Patriotic Merchants B. Seppelt & Sons, Ltd., of 29 Packenham-street, Fremantle, announce in our advertising columns that their office, and cellars will be closed all day tomorrow (Thursday), in order to allow their staff to view the parade and march of the 28th Battalion of the Australian Expeditionary Force through the streets of Perth. (Reference)
This site was purchased by Interstruct in 1984 and there is a new development behind the façade of Nos. 5, 7 & 9 Pakenham St. It houses Centrelink & offices.

OCCUPANTS

(Lot 99)

1827 - 1837 Lamb, Wm

1855 - 1858 Hackett

1859 - 1898 Mr. John Gallop

1913 - 1949 B. Seppelt & Sons Ltd. Manager Ernest Du Rieu (1903-1916)

Union Bank

5/17 Cliff St / 4 High St, ND32- School of Arts and Sciences and Architecture Studios, 4 High St (was 17)

Lot 5 was originally owned by W. Lamb (1829-1837), then transferred to Dan Scott (1855-1859), and Mrs D. Scott (1876-1878). From 1879 the property was owned by the Union Bank.

1889 Union Bank complete. The work was executed by Messrs. J. Hurst & Sons, Barrack-street, Perth, from plans, prepared by Messrs. Inskip and Robertson, architects of Melbourne. (reference) 

1916 - 1924 In part of 17 High Street - George Willis made high quality canvas products. (reference) 

1925 - 1931 17 High Street - Sail maker Alex Hood takes over the business. (reference)

1925 In the Fremantle Police Court yesterday- Arthur Kibble, John Curran, Robert Matthews, Thomas Duggan, Richard Williams, John Prange, Frank Molyneux, and George Lancaster were charged with having been found on the premises of a common gaming house at 17 High-street, Fremantle, on July 11, without lawful excuse. A plea of guilty was entered in each case. Matthews was fined £2 and the others were fined £1 each. Matthews had been fined previously for a similar offence. (reference)

In 1930 the Union Bank moved further down High St.

In early 1931 the Reverend John Wilfred Clift (read bio) set up the Port of Fremantle Mission to Seamen Institute. He borrowed £2000 to purchase the Union Bank building on the corner of High and Cliff Streets. Within a few months this magnificent building was refurbished to function as a Mission to Seamen institute. A main hall, billiards room and reading room were constructed. Billiards competitions between ships’ crews became very popular. (reference)

1938 In the presence of a large gathering, the Mariners' Chapel of St. Andrew at the Missions to Seamen (Flying Angel) Institute, Fremantle, was dedicated yesterday afternoon by the Primate of Australia (Dr HP Le Pann). (reference)

During 1939 the new chapel conducted services for 1,135 people and the mission was visited by 8,804 sailors. (reference)

In 1944 a building was purchased in Queen Victoria Street and this developed into the modern Flying Angel Club which exists for all seafarers today. In 1966 the Seafarers’ Mission abandoned the premises in Cliff Street, deconsecrated the chapel, and moved the whole operation to new purpose-built premises in Queen Victoria Street. Read Reverend Cliff’s biography here (link)

OCCUPANTS

Lot 5 owners: 1829 - 1837 Lamb, W, 1855 - 1878 Scott, D, 1879 Union Bank

1897 - 1929 UNION BANK OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED. (Established 1837)

(1897: Ellot, Lewis & Fowler, Alpin W & J B Percy, manager), (1898: Chamberlain, Charles & Fowler, Alpin W), (1899: Chamberlain, Charles), (1898-1902: G. Gordon, manager), (1903-1924: C W Brebner, manager),(1925-1929: W H Butler, manager)

1916 - 1924 In part of 17 High Street - George Willis canvas products. (reference) 

1925 - 1931 - Sail maker Alex Hood. (reference)

1930 vacant

1931 - 1949 Missions to Seamen Institute

(1931-1935: Reverend J W Clift, chaplain), (1936-1938: W S Henderson, resupt.)

Union Bank.PNG