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Bateman's Hardware/Union Stores
1895, cnr High & Henry Streets
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Fremantle Library photo no. 1007, c. 1919.
Library:
Union Stores began trading on the corner of High and Henry Streets about 1896. In 1898 a staff of 31 was employed. In 1901 Union Stores had a single storied bull nosed verandah, but by February 1914, there were verandahs on upper and lower floors with decorative wrought iron. They ceased trading in 1972 and the building was purchased by the City of Fremantle in 1984 and restored. (Library caption, with no mention of Bateman ownership.)
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A slightly later photograph than the one above, this is from Izzy Orloff c. 1925, SLWA 095888PD (made available in Facebook).
On the SE corner of Henry and High Sts is the Union Stores building, 41-47 High Street, designed by architect Herbert Nathaniel Davis (Taylor; Hutchison has John McNeece as the architect) for J & W Bateman, and formerly the largest hardware store in Fremantle, Bateman's Hardware. The building was commissioned by John Bateman and completed in 1895; a second storey was added in 1902, probably after purchase by Union Stores. The stucco embellishment of the facade includes engaged Corinthian columns, pediments, string courses and entablatures: elements that can also be seen on other West End buildings. This building was also restored, in 1986, with the aid of an America’s Cup grant. Restoration, supervised by the architects Duncan, Stephen and Mercer, included reinstatement of the verandas (tho the posts are not load-bearing). It is owned by the City of Fremantle, and has just at the time of writing had more renovations completed. The tenant in the corner store is in 2022 the New Editions bookshop, which was previously on the other side of High Street. Next door is the Record Finder, which moved from the Davies building.
The West Australian:
Messrs. J. and W. Bateman, merchants, of Fremantle, are also erecting five new shops in the main thoroughfare. Three of these when completed they will occupy themselves, and the other two will be let for business purposes. The buildings, which are being erected at the coiner of High and Henrystreets, will have a frontage of 120 feet to High-street, and a depth of 104 feet to Henry street. They will consist of two storeys, with a basement under the full extent of the buildings. The shops will be fitted up so as to minimise the danger attendant upon fire, fireproof doors with Hall's patent sliding wheels being used in order to supply every means of access and egress. The necessary light for the basement will be obtained by the use of Hayward's semi-prism lights which will be fitted up with bulkheads formed under the stall boards. The edifice will be built of brick with cement dressings and ornamental posts, and will be carried out in the Queen Anne style of architecture. The bricks used are obtained from Melbourne. The first floor has been arranged for the sole use of Messrs. J. and W. Bateman for bulk stock and offices. Mr. Herbert N. Davis, of Fremantle, is the architect, and Mr. D. Jardine, also of Fremantle, the builder. The West Australian, Monday 20 May 1895: 5.
References and Links
The West Australian, Monday 20 May 1895: 5.
Heritage Council 'Permanent Entry' page.
This page incorporates material from Garry Gillard's Freotopia website, that he started in 2014 and the contents of which he donated to Wikimedia Australia in 2024. The content was originally created on 16 May, 2016 and hosted at freotopia.org/buildings/bateman.html (it was last updated on 14 November, 2023), and has been edited since it was imported here (see page history). The donated data is also preserved in the Internet Archive's collection.