Notre Dame University ND37 - School of Nursing & Midwifery - formerly the Australian United Steamship Navigation Company Building, P & O Building
17 Phillimore St (was 27 pre 1938)
Lot 27 was originally owned by Lional Samson (1829-1879)
1900 Photo of Mr P Ridley (Representing Australian United Steamship Navigation Co) and other members of the Steamship Owners Association WA Branch (reference)
1903 The Australian United Steamship Navigation Co (AUSN) constructed the existing building, a two-storey, brick and stone structure in the Federation Free Classical style. The ground level has a recessed colonnade entrance porch while the upper storey has a recessed colonnade arcade with balustrading. The architect was Charles Lancelot Oldham.
1905 The old Customs House in Cliff-street, Fremantle, has been vacated, and the new premises in the A.U.S.N. Co.'s buildings, in Phillimore-street, opposite the railway station, have been opened for business. The long-room is located on the ground-floor, and there are fifteen offices situated upstairs. A lease has been obtained of the new premises for two years, with the option of renewal for twelve months at the end of that time. (reference)
1908 Captain Sim, marine superintendent of the A.U.S.N. Company, and party left by the Paroo on Sunday en route for the scene of the wreck of the Mildura, which they intend to take off the rocks if possible. (reference)
1913 Yet another step forward has been made in the development of the Australian mercantile marine. The new A.U.S.N. liner, Indarra, which arrived on her maiden trip to Fremantle on Feb 13…Altogether she has seven decks, any of which may be reached by means of an electric lift. This is an innovation in coastal steamers, and one which should be appreciated by the travelling public. On the boat deck there has been fitted an excellent gymnasium, while right down below "D" deck has been installed a swimming bath, which has an area of about 600 square feet… Near the entrance to the saloon there is a special dining saloon for children, the panels of which have been inlaid with pictures representing the animals of the Ark. See photo by E. L. Mitchell (reference)
1914 The steamship company was taken over by P&O in 1914 after the state government broke the company's monopoly by forming the State Shipping Service.
1919 Mr. S. L. Diamond has been, appointed to the command of a new steamer built in England for the A.U.S.N. Co., Ltd., which he will bring to Australia. Captain Diamond, who is only 29 years old has been absent from the Commonwealth since the latter part of 1917, having left as chief officer of the Indarra, the well known interstate liner, which has been employed as a transport in the Mediterranean Sea and elsewhere. He had some stirring experiences in the vessel, which was attacked 13 times by submarines. The young skipper, who was born at Fremantle, from which port he began his career at sea in 1906 in the four-masted barque Buteshire. is a grandson of the late Mr. A. J. Diamond, M.L.A., for South Fremantle. He entered the service of the A.U.S.N. Co. in 1911 as fifth of officer of the Arawatta. (reference)
1974 The building was listed with the National Trust
In 1996 the Danish Consul and the shipping company Maersk had offices on the upper floor, while the University of Notre Dame business school occupied the ground floor.
The building was occupied by the School of Nursing and Midwifery of Notre Dame University c. 2005- 2020. The university spent A$2.78 million refurbishing both the P&O and the neighbouring Howard Smith Building prior to moving in. The architect for the renovation was Marcus Collins, and the builder was Bill Fairweather.
OCCUPANTS
1897 - 1898 Ferguson, J M, timber & hardware merchant
1899 Kilkelly, Miss Teresa, boarding house
1900 Tolley & Co, Limited, Wine & spirit, shipping & general merchants & imposters
1901 Saurmann, George, importer, ship broker, customs, shipping & forwarding agent
1902 Moylan, James, wine & spirit merchant
1902 - 1908 Wills & Co George, general merchants &c
1903 - 1907 Union Insurance Society of canton Limited (registration office), G Wills & Co., agents
1908 Lehmann & Co. C A, produce & provision merchants
1909 - 1918 Mcllwraith, McEacharn & Co Propy Ltd (1910-1918 C H Salmon, manager), steamship owners
1914 - 1917 Mellwraith, McEacharn's Line Propy Ld.
1917
Canadian Australasian Royal Mail line
New Zealand Shipping Co Union S S Co of N Z Limited
1917 - 1918 Macdonald, Hamilton & Co (M J Scott, manager in WA), merchants & shipping agents
1919 - 1925
Australian Steamships Propy Ltd (Howard Smith Ltd, Managing agents; J R Brown, manager), steamship proprs & coal contractors
Perth agents, Eben Allen, James & Co
Kalgoorlie, Dalgety & Co Ltd
Albany, Mcllwraith, McEacharn & Co Pty Ltd
Bunbury, A F Spencer & Co
Geraldton, Dalgety & Co Ltd Howard Smith Ltd, coal ctrs
1926 - 1949 Wills & Co Ltd George, customs, shipping & forwarding agents
1942 - 1949 Bickford, H S, Vice-counsul Denmark
