Wilhelmsen House

Wilhelmsen House, Barwil House, Dalgety & Co, Elder Building

Architecture

Wilhelmsen House was designed by J.J. Talbot Hobbs, a prominent Perth architect and is associated with the 1890s gold rush and the opening of the Harbour. It is significant for:

  • its aesthetic qualities- imparted by its stone and rendered facades worked in classical details balanced about the domed tower and for the rich decoration of its interior spaces with a fine staircase under a domed roof-light and dark stained timber paneling.

  • its landmark qualities being the visual closure at the west end of the triangular space formed by the widening of Phillimore Street as it approaches Mouat Street.

    the focal point of the vista west along Phillimore Street flanked with complimenting facades of the predominantly nineteenth century buildings.

History

1897 - 1899 Article mentions Adelaide Steamship Co. of Cliff street, Fremantle participating in Fremantle’s Children’s Day celebrations (reference)

Article mentions an application to build the Melville Park Hotel (old Majestic Hotel) supported by W. E. Moxon, Manager at the Adelaide Steamship Company. (reference)

1900 Advertising:  North-West Mail Service. For freight or passage apply to:  Emanuel Forrest and Co, Sub-agents or W.E. Moxon, manager for W.A. Cliff street Fremantle. (reference)

The second contingent:  The Westralian Unit mentions R. Harper and Co of Cliff street Fremantle, donating a chest of tea and biscuits. (reference)

Fremantle has fully determined to celebrate the foundation of the Commonwealth.  Various committees of citizens have been working assiduously towards this day.  

Advertising page:  Fremantle horticultural society desire to return thanks to the following ladies and gentlemen for the assistance rendered at the chrysanthemum show including D and J Fowler of Cliff street, Fremantle. (reference)

The Deaf and Dumb Institution desires to acknowledge with thanks the following people who contributed in Fremantle in support of the institution  — including H.J. Preston of Cliff street, Fremantle. (reference)

Advertising:  Nestle’s milk food.  Is a complete diet for infants.  It builds up a robust constitution and is recommended by the medical faculty throughout the world.  H.J. Preston and Co, Agents. (reference)

Advertising:  for freight or passage, apply HG Barker and Co, Agents or Melbourne Steamship Co. Limited, Cliff street, Fremantle. (reference)

Fremantle merchants have made a generous response to contribute medical and other comforts for our boys who are going to the front in the Surrey next week.  The dull monotony of life at sea will be relieved by plenty of drills but thanks to the liberality of the undermentioned, our men will be enabled to live a little better than under ordinary circumstances.  They will have plenty of hardships to endure after they get to South Africa.  An up to date list includes: Burns, Philp and Co. Ltd - a case of beer. (reference)

1901 - 1902 (See Advertising image) MESSAGERIES MARITIMES. FREMANTLE TO LONDON, Via Colombo, Marseilles, and Paris. F.M.S. ARMAND BEHIC, Commander, N. Coispellier, application to Dalgety and Company Ltd.,  Cliff street, Fremantle.  (reference)

June 1902 Messrs. Dalgety and Co. have out-grown the limits of their central offices in the state and will move into a new centre.  The new offices are situated at the corner of Cliff and Phillimore street, Fremantle.   The warehouse, which has frontages to the railway, High-street, and to Phillimore-street, has some 30,000 ft. of floors pace and is a model of convenience. The floors are of jarrah, 2 in. thick, laid on joists 12 in. x 4in., of the same material. Sliding doors open to the railway siding, and the warehouse is well lighted by large windows in both flank walls… (reference)

1903 - 1905 The Fremantle Harbor Trust commissioners have issued a neatly printed and elaborately prepared copy of the regulations framed under the Harbor Trust Act, with a most comprehensive index like book will be extremely useful to all having business at the port and copies may be obtained on application at the commissioners offices, Dalgety’s buildings, Cliff street, Fremantle. (reference)

Advertising: Passage to London.  Full particulars on application to J.M. Mare, Agents.  Branch office, Dalgety’s Buildings, Cliff street, Fremantle. (reference)

1903 At the beginning of the year the control of the Fremantle harbor, agreeably to Act of Parliament, was delegated to a Trust of five Commissioners nominated by the Government or, more accurately, by the Colonial Secretary. The Trust was composed of Captain Laurie, MLC (chairman), Mr. A. Leeds (Fremantle manager for Dalgety and Co.), Alfred Sandover (of W. Sandover and Co.), Mr. W. Hudson (insurance agent}, and Mr. T. Coombe (of Coombe, Wood and Co. ) Their duties were generally to administer the harbor… (reference)

1903 The P and O. Co.'s offices at Fremantle will at the end of this week be removed to Dalgety's Buildings, in Cliff-street, one of the specially designed suites at the entrance having been secured. Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company stated in their last annual report that they had a net surplus for the last year. (reference)

Francis Maitland Wyborn Parker able to practice as a Legal Practitioner, of Dalgety’s Buildings, Fremantle. (reference

1903 The Fremantle Harbor Trust Commissioners have issued a neatly printed and elaborately prepared copy of the regulations framed under the Harbor Trust Act, with a most comprehensive index, the book will be extremely useful to all having business at the port, and copies may be obtained on application at the commissioners' offices, Dalgety's - buildings, Cliff-street.

On the board of management for the Fremantle Technical and evening classes was held at the Boy’s school on Friday evening. Amongst those who were present include A D Rankin. (reference)

Advertising: For sale. The Norwegian Barque LALLA, as she now lies at Fremantle, with all gear and equipment on board. Has a good boiler with steam winch and steam pump. Spars, rigging, sails all in first class condition. Vessel had a thorough overhaul and coppered June 1902.  Apply to R.E. Arundel, Fremantle. (reference)

Advertising: The Fremantle Harbor Trust. Secretary F.W.B. Stevens. (reference)

Advertising: Office boy wanted for stamp desk. Apply to Brown and Dureau, Cliff street, Fremantle. (reference)

Advertising: Boy wanted, smart and intelligent.  McKenzie and Chisholm, Printers, Cliff street Fremantle. (reference)

1906 Advertising: Contractor tenders, apply to Ronald. G. Oldham (Architect and Sworn Valuator), Cliff street Fremantle. (reference)

1907 Advertising: Melbourne Steamship company, Cliff street, Fremantle. (mentions - Dalgety & Co. Ltd. Albany / Maughan & Gurner, Kalgoorlie / Barnett & Co. Hopetoun). (reference)

OCCUPANTS

Lot owners 3 & 4:

1829 - 1837 (3) Lamb, W

1855 (3)Scott, D / (4) Scott, D

1856 - 1859 (3) Homfray, R R / (4) Scott, D

1876 - 1879 (3) Shenton, G / (4) Scott, Mrs. Dan

1897 Samson, William Fk

1897 - 1899 Coolgardie Grimbly, Samuel, painter

1897 - 1900 Adelaide Steamship Co. Limited (The) (W E Moxon, manager in W.A.)

1897 - 1911 Union Bank of Australia Limited (1897: Jocelyn B Percy, manager; C J A Norie, accountant)

1898 - 1899 Grimbly Mrs. Maria, laundry

1900

Forrest Emanuel & Co., stock & station agents

Harris Bros, produce merchants

19 Samson, William F (L. S. & Son)

HARPER & CO. PROPRIETARY LIMITED (ROBERT), importers, manufacturers & Eastern products

FOWLER LIM. (D. & J.), merchants & shipping agents

North China Insurance Co. D. & J. Fowler Limited, agents

PRESTON & CO. (H. J.) (estab. 1187), manufacturers' agents & importers

MELBOURNE STEAMSHIP CO. LIMITED (H. R. Reid, manager for W. A.; Burns Philp & Co. Ltd. agents, Geraldton / Robert Forrest, agent, Bunbury)

1901 - 1938 DALGETY & COMPANY LTD. merchants, shipping agents & c. (1901-1905: A G Leeds, manager; 1907-1911 Tom Carter, manager; 1915: A G Leeds, general manager; 1917-1920: Tom Carter, manager; 1925 Tom Carter, manager)

1903 - 1904 McKenzie & Chisholm, printers

1903 - 1905

H. G. Barker & Co, agents

Diamond Arthur J. customs, forwarding & merchants agent

Parker, F M W, solicitor

Frossard Levic & Co, cigar importers

Rankin, A D, accountant

Trade Auxiliary & Land Agency

A Anderton-Gledhill, manager

Fremantle Harbour Trust

F W B Stevens, secretary

1903 - 1906 Brown & Dureau, mercantile brokers

1903 - 1910

Burns Philp & Co. Ltd., agents

Robert Forrest, agent

1903 - 1911

MELBOURNE STEAMSHIP CO. LIMITED  (1903-1905: A M Reid, manager for W.A.; 1906-1908: D York Syme, junior manager for W.A.; 1909-1911: A. W. Leonard, manager for W.A.)

PENINSULAR & ORIENTAL STEAM NAVIGATION CO. (1903-1910: J M Mare, agent; 1911: L Plummer, agent)

1903 - 1949 Laurie, Capt. Robert, stevedore(1921-1949: Laurie & Co. Ltd.)

1903 - 1937 Arundel, Capt. R E (1903-1905: marine surveyor; 1912-1937: Lloyds' surveyor; 1915-1918: agent)

1903 - 1942 Dalgety's buildings

1906

[1F] Paterson & Co. (John Hector, manager) product auctions

Oldham, Ronald G, architect

1906 - 1910

Dalgety & Co. Ltd. Albany

Maughan & Gurner, Kalgoorlie

1907

Barnett & Co. Hopetoun

Ld. (H F Briggs, manager)

Millars' Karri & Jarrah Co. (1902)

1907 - 1910 F J Daw, Esperance & F J Daw, Ravensthorpe

1909 Oliphant A M, shipping supply agent

1909 - 1910 [1F] Rankin, Morrison & Co, accountants

1910 - 1911

PHOENIX ASSURANCE CO. LTD. (Dalgety & Co. Ltd, agents)

Dalgety & Co. Ltd, wool stores

1911 Hudson, A W, caretaker

1912 - 1934

Netherlands Consulate (Sir Edward Wittenoom, acting Consulate)

North & Co, R. P., customs & forwarding agents

5 Cook and Sons, Thomas, tourists agents

Craig, F, electrical contractor

1912 - 1935 Union Castle Line

1912 - 1936 WAS Navigation Co Ltd & Ocean Steamship Co United Service

1912 - 1938

White Star Line S S (1936-1938: Cunard-White Star Line Ocean Steamship Co Ltd)

Messageries Maritimes

Huddart Parker & Co Pty Ltd

Ocean S Shipping Co, Matson Line

1912 - 1941

Dewez & Co Pty Ltd, wool & skin brokers

Wool & produce, brokers, exchange

Baker, Beverley, caretaker

1912 - 1942

Millars Timber and Trading Co. Ltd. (1940-1942: shipping office)

Sinclair, Capt R J, surveyor

[11-12] Commonwealth Health Dept Quarantine Office (1912-1934: Dr Dowling; 1934-1936: Dr Moore, G H; 1936-1941: Dr Redshaw, G M)

1912 - 1949 Elder Smith and Co (store)

1915 - 1917

PENINSULAR & ORIENTAL STEAM NAVIGATION CO. (1915: H W D Shallard, aft, for W.A.)

Hendry, John, caretaker

1915 - 1920

MELBOURNE STEAMSHIP CO. LIMITED  A. W. Leonards, manager for W.A.

Dalgety & Co. Ltd. wool department

1917 - 1918 Nettlebeck, J M O, produce merchant

1917 - 1920 Commonwealth Lighthouse Service, Capt J J Airey, district officer

1918 - 1919 Gadd, Thomas W, caretaker

1920 Ellice, William Charles, caretaker

1920 - 1938 Aberdeen Line S Ships

1925 Mercantile & Marine Office (Capt J J Airey, superintendent; R E Jarmen, department superintendent)

1925 - 1927

Commonwealth Navigation Service (1925: Capt. J J Airey, department director; 1927: Capt J J Airey, superintendent; R E Jarmen, department superintendent)

Commonwealth Savings Bank (Seamen's receiving Office)

1935 - 1938 Shaw, Savill & Albion Co Ltd

1935 - 1941 Davies W G, shipping & engineering surveyor to Lloyds (1938-1940: shipping & engineering surveyor to "Lloyd's Registry", & consulting engineer)

1937 - 1938 Dew & Co Pty Ltd, wool & skin brokers

1938 - 1941 Sanderson & Co. (John), wool buyers

1940 - 1941 Beaumont & Son (T. S.), wool sample room

1940 - 1946

Naval Sea Transport

Naval Control Staff

Naval Exam Service Offices

1941 - 1942 Gallus (Charles), caretaker

1942 - 1946 Department of the Navy (offices)

1947 - 1949 Elder’s Buildings

1947 - 1949

Australian Wool Realisation Commission, W.A. office

[1F] Woods & Coy (Alan), wool brokers

Bland (H. W.), wool broker

American Subscription Agency Corp., magazine agents

1949 Australian Pacific Traders Pty. Ltd., shipping agents & merchants