Henry Wray's residence aka Government House aka 'Marmion Cottage'

South Terrace, c. 1850-1939, near the corner of Alma Street

Lang & Newman: This building was constructed after 1850 as part of the Convict Establishment as the residence of Royal Engineer (then) Captain (later Lieutenant-General) Henry Wray. It later became the summer residence for the Governor, but was rarely used for that purpose. Later again it was later known as Marmion's House (or Cottage). It was on the Mandurah Road (now South Terrace) not right on the corner of Alma St, but roughly where the middle of the western facade of the Fremantle Hospital now is. According to a government media statement (see below) it was used as post office from 1879. It was demolished in 1939, and Fremantle Hospital is now on the site. (Lang & Newman: 13)

Library: Fremantle Library image #LH005168 c. 1935. Vice Regal residence in South Terrace. The Vice Regal residence in South Terrace known as Marmion Cottage was built c. 1850 and rarely used for Vice Regal purposes. In 1850 Lieutenant [Henry] Wray RE lived there and in the 1880s Lady Barker (Broome) was 'at home' there on the 1st Monday of the month. Other tenants included the Colonial Surgeon, Dr Mayhew, W S Marmion MLA and C R Penny, Crown Prosecutor. It was demolished in 1939.

Library: This residence, known as Marmion Cottage, was built in 1852. Lt. R.E. Wray was in residence in the 1850s and Lady Barker (Broome) was "at home" here the first Monday afternoon in the month in the 1880s. The property was used by Fremantle Hospital in the 1930s and demolished 1939. Taken 20 April 1938. Text and 1938 photo #2048B from Fremantle City Library Local History Collection.

Garrick & Jeffery: On grounds directly to the west of the hospital and fronting South Terrace, was [in 1903] a strip of land on which a two-storeyed house had been built at [near] the Alma Street corner. The house which had been used by the Governor on occasion as a summer residence, was currently tenanted by Mrs Marmion. Garrick & Jeffery: 100. [Mrs Marmion was the widow of W.E. Marmion MLA, a prominent man who had died in 1896 aged 51.]

WA Govt: After mid-1830, the postal service was entrusted to a succession of local merchants and it was not until 1879 that a full-time post master was appointed to run the service from a residence in South Terrace which was later known as Marmion House. wa.gov.au.

Hitchcock 1919:
After ceasing to be used as a vice regal marine residence the old Government House was successively occupied by Dr. Mayhew (Government Medical Officer), Mr. L. W. Clifton (Collector of Customs), and Mr. W. E. Marmion. In the centre of the spacious grounds at the back was another large building [The Knowle] which now forms part of the Public Hospital, but was then used as a dept of invalid and convalescent prisoners.

References and links

Campbell, Robin McKellar 2010, Building the Fremantle Convict Establishment, PhD, UWA (Faculty of Design).

Garrick, Phyl & Chris Jeffery 1987, Fremantle Hospital: A Social History to 1987, Fremantle Hospital.

Lang, Karen & Jan Newman 2004, Wharf Rats and Other Stories: 100 Years of Growing up in Fremantle, Fremantle Primary School.

'Heritage listing for historic Fremantle Post Office', media statement, wa.gov.au - which mentions Marmion House in the middle of the story

Freotopia

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 22 June, 2015 and hosted at freotopia.org/buildings/marmioncottage.html (it was last updated on 3 April, 2024), and has been edited since it was imported here (see page history). The donated data is also preserved in the Internet Archive's collection.