The Robert Harper Building, also known as Jebsens, is a heritage-listed building located at 49 Phillimore Street, on the corner of Pakenham Street in the Fremantle West End Heritage area. It is one of many commercial buildings constructed in Fremantle during the gold boom period in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.
| Robert Harper Building | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Alternative names | Jebsens, Genesis Travel |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Inter-War Stripped Classical style |
| Address | 49 Phillimore Street |
| Town or city | Fremantle, Western Australia |
| Country | Australia |
| Completed | 1890 |
| Renovated | 1922 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 2 |
| Type | State Registered Place |
| Part of | West End, Fremantle (25225) |
| Reference no. | 984 |
The two storey building was constructed in 1890 for the Fremantle branch[1] of Robert Harper and Co., a manufacturing and distribution business.[2] It was designed in the Inter-War Stripped Classical style.[3] It was a built with a combination of offices and warehouse space,[4] but as of 2021[update] comprised only offices. There is a basement level partially below ground.
The building was gutted by fire in 1922, causing between £40,000 and £50,000 worth of damage.[5]
The building was classified by the National Trust in 1974 and placed permanently on the Register of the National Estate in 1978.[3]
In 1976 a development application was made to build a 9-storey office block on the site.[6]
Changes were made to the facade in the 1990s[4] with the modification of the north side entrances and windows to accommodate the warehouse area of the building being turned into office space.[7]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "ROBERT HARPER AND CO. LTD". The Weekly Herald. Vol. II, no. 196. Fremantle, Western Australia. 22 December 1925. p. 5. Retrieved 20 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "ROBERT HARPER AND CO". Brisbane Courier. 23 December 1902. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
- ^ a b "Former Robert Harper Buildings". InHerit. Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
- ^ a b Garry Gillard (7 May 2016). "Robert Harper Building, aka Jebsens". Fremantle Stuff. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
- ^ "Another Fremantle Blaze". Sunday Times (Perth). No. 1273. Western Australia. 7 May 1922. p. 1. Retrieved 22 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Robert Harper and Evan Davies". Fremantle. The Fremantle Society. 1976. Archived from the original on 22 October 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
- ^ F.A. Sharr (12 November 1979), Front corner elevation of building