Union Stores Building

The former Union Stores Building is a heritage listed building located at 41-47 High Street on the corner with Henry Street in the Fremantle West End Heritage area.

Union Stores Building
Union Stores Building 2012
General information
Architectural styleFederation Free Classical
Address41 - 47 High Street
Town or cityFremantle
CountryWestern Australia
Construction started1895
Completed1896
OpenedSeptember 1896
Cost£7,000
ClientJohn Wesley Bateman
Design and construction
Architecture firmDavis and Wilson
TypeState Registered Place
Designated9 November 1993
Part ofWest End, Fremantle (25225)
Reference no.915

Construction of the building commenced in 1895[1] for prominent local merchant John Wesley Bateman[2] to house his growing hardware business.

Bateman's business had occupied a building at the corner of Mouat Street and Croke Street for the previous 25 years before he decided to build larger premises at the present address. The new building designed by architects, Davis[3] and Wilson, was built at a cost of £7,000 giving Bateman a more central location and more space.[4]

Built in the Federation Free Classical style the two storey building was constructed from brick and stone. The tuck pointed brick facade contains extensive decorative detailing indicative of the original four stores street frontage. On the rood parapet there are alternating segmented arched and triangular pediments separated by stucco corinthian pilasters and featured urns. The corner feature of the facade is an ornate shell pediment. The widely arched windows are spaced alternately with triangular topped casements separated with decorative stucco architraves. The windows hold stained glass in the upper portion of the frame with regular glass panes below. The front of the building has tiled dado of patterned rectangular green and brown glazed tiles.[2] Much of the facade has Queen Anne style architectural elements[4]

The building has 120 feet (37 m) frontage along High Street and a depth of 104 feet (32 m) along Henry Street. It was opened to the public in September 1896 offering hardware, houseware and grocery lines.[4]

In 1898 a fire started in W. J. Beisley's tobacco shop, on the ground floor of the Union Stores building causing about £200 of damage.[5]

In 2014 the council had some exterior renovations completed on the building's facade and roof including removal of paint and concrete, restoring lime and mortar as well as street frontage maintenance.[6]

See also

List of heritage places in Fremantle

References
  1. "Union Stores Building (fmr), 41 - 47 High Street". InHerit. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
  2. "Register of Heritage Places Permanent Entry Union Stores". Heritage Council of Western Australia. 9 November 1993. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
  3. Dr John J. Taylor (November 2013). "Herbert Nathaniel Davis (1867-1900)" (PDF). architecture.com. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  4. "The Union Stores, Limited". The West Australian. 12 (3, 302). Western Australia. 19 September 1896. p. 3. Retrieved 8 January 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "Fremantle fires". The Daily News. XVII (7141). Western Australia. 29 August 1898. p. 4. Retrieved 8 January 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. "Restoration of Union Stores Building". Fremantle Newsbytes. City of Fremantle. 7 March 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2017.

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