8 Pakenham Street (pre 1938 - 28 Pakenham Street) Warehouse/Quest
This corner building has a most interesting history- and numerous makeovers. The place is fundamentally a facade of a 1929 Warehouse. It now has a third story ( added in 2016).
The first building on this site, Manning Hall, but better known as Manning's Folly, was built in 1858/9 for Charles Alexander Manning (1807-1869), a West Indian merchant, who had also acquired land in the Hamilton Hill area (now Manning Park).
C.A. Manning soon became an important person in town affairs. In 1857 he was recorded as voting with other wine and spirit merchants for the introduction of female convicts (reference) and proposed importing Yorkshire flagstones to pave High St (north side first) in Sept 1858. (reference)
As early as 1851 there had been a call for appropriate accomodation in Fremantle for invalided soldiers of the British Army, fighting in India. ( reference)
1858 “We might hope for the long talked of Indian Sanatorium being established near the new Port, and the much desired communication between India and our metropolis and shipping ports would be established.” M. Walter Clifton (reference)
In 1858 Manning participated in meetings to advance this idea and it may have been that his house was intended as a sanatorium for officers invalided from the Indian Army. (reference).
By 1860 the authorities had chosen South Africa as a sanatorium for troops from China and hope was given up for a sanatorium in Fremantle (reference) Luckily the building had a domed observatory on the roof, and Manning was able to indulge in his hobby of astronomy.
1859 TENDERS will be received at the office of the undersigned, Henry-street, Fremantle, for making and fixing twenty five doors and windows, together with other joiners work, in part of the main storey of a building at the corner of Packenham and Short-streets, Fremantle… C. A. Manning (reference)
Patricia Brown has suggested that the name ‘Mannings Folly’ may have been attached to it because of its many windows- which because of its extravagance- seemed to invite the stones of vandals… ( Brown, p 162)
1862 MR SAMSON, (Government Auctioneer) has been favoured with instructions from C. A. Manning, Esq., to sell by Auction at his Stores, in Packenham-street, on Saturday, the 22nd March 1862, at 11 o'clock, the following articles: A FEW chests of sea-damaged Tea, corn sacks, hhds of Ale and Stout, cases of lucifer matches, cases of black velvet hats, &c., &c. (reference)
Charles Manning was a colourful, though tragic, victim of alcohol. He was short and stout and often a figure of fun when he was drunk and fell over, or fell off his horse on ceremonial occassions…
1867 “No one can deny that since the self-inflated C. A. M. was appointed to the command of the Fremantle Volunteers, the company has been gradually going to the dogs…” (reference)
When he died in 1869, the cause of death was recorded starkly as ‘drink’ in the St John’s parish register. (Brown, p 186)
In 1882 the building was renovated as 3 private dwellings ( reference) and in 1888 the north wing was rented out by Charles’s heir- son Lucius Manning;
1888 North Wing 'Manning Hall' containing 14 rooms, corner of Short and Packenham-streets. These premises are well adapted for a private residence or Boarding House. (reference)
The ‘Hall’ was then occupied by Wallace Bickley, a prominent landowner and businessman, then Tolley & Co, wine merchants. It was condemned by Fremantle Council in 1928 and subsequently demolished:
1928 Contractor Richard Rennie has made a start on demolishing “Manning’s Folly” and the workmen are finding it a hard job. The walls are of great thickness having been solidly built, and the timberwork is well preserved. If any tribute is required as to the lasting qualities of our native timbers it is evidenced in this old building.(Reference)
The following year, Allen & Nicholas Architects built a warehouse on the site for John Lysaght Ltd. The same architects carried out alterations in 1946.
1929 Lysaght’s Building -The Tender of Mr. Alexander Moir, of Fremantle, has been accepted for the erection of a single-storey steel-framed brick warehouse and offices for John Lysaght (Australia). Ltd., at the corner of Pakenham Street and Short Street... for £16,000 (Reference)
1944 Burglars entered the Allied Offcers' Club at the corner of Short and Packenham streets, Fremantle, on Monday night and stole £800. Inquiries in which detectives and the oficer-in-charge of the Shore Patrol, co-operated, resulted in a number of Allied servicemen being arrested at Fremantle yesterday… (reference)
In 1960-63 Patrick Stevedoring took over the building from Lysaghts. Hobbs Winning Leighton & Partners drew up plans for Patrick Stevedoring WA Pty Ltd building in 1975.
In 2002 the building was home to Halco- The Australian Lure Company.
2016 Quest Serviced Apartment hotel demolished the interior of the warehouse and opened their business on the corner site in 2016 with a distinctive artwork above the corner- 'Folly of Follies', by Lorena Grant.
*information from Patricia M. Brown, The Merchant Princes of Fremantle 1996, UWAP
OCCUPANTS
1829 - 1837 Lot 133: Dudley, John / Lot 134, 135: Williams, George
1855 Lot 133: Wood / Lot 134, 135: Williams, George
1856 Lot 133: William, J. / Lot 134: Williams, G / Lot 135: Manning, Charles A
1857 - 1859 Lot 133, 134, 135: Manning, Charles A
1876 Lot 133, 134: Monger, J H, Lot 135: Manning, Lucius A.
1877 - 1878 Lot 134: Monger, JH
In 1882 the building was renovated as 3 private dwellings ( reference) and rented out. Some were occupied by Wallace Bickley, a prominent landowner and businessman, then Tolley & Co, wine merchants.
1917 - 1926 Harvey, J, painter
1924 - 1926 Mather, Byron
1930 - 1942 Lysaght (Aust) Pty Ltd John, galvanized iron manufacturers
1942 - 1943 Department of the Army (stores)
1944 - 1945 US Navy Officers' Club/ Allied Officer’s Club
1947 - 1949 Lysaght (Aust) Pty Ltd John, galvanized iron manufacturers
In 1960-63 Patrick Stevedoring took over the building. Hobbs Winning Leighton & Partners drew up plans for Patrick Stevedoring WA Pty Ltd building in 1975.
In 2002 Halco - The Australian Lure Company.
2016 Quest Hotel
Quest Hotel 2016
