Quinlan Building/Patersons (Shipstores/PSAS)

The 1907 warehouse building on the corner of Leake and Pakenham Streets. The building is currently tenanted by PS Art Space. On the ground floor is Tom Wearne's coffee shop, Studio 37 - so called because there are 36 artists' studios in the building.

PS Art Space is a project space for the experience of contemporary art which presents a curated program of exhibitions and events by Australian and international artists. Sensitively restored, the heritage listed building is located in the heart of Fremantle’s historic West End precinct, PSAS has become one of Perth’s most exciting and experimental platform to experience contemporary culture. PSAS website.

An earlier photo of the Shipstores building. You can just make out the sign on the Terminus Hotel (as it used to be) on the building on the extreme left. Source and date of the photo unknown.

Photo from Battye's Cyclopedia, 1912-13.

The two storey brick and iron building occupies the entire lot and was constructed in 1907 for owner Timothy Francis Quinlan. Quinlan was a significant property owner and business man in Perth during the early 20th century. The first occupants of the warehouse were Paterson and Co, a business which stored and sold a wide range of goods. The building has most frequently been used for storage since its construction, however for a considerable period it was a depot for transport company, Frank Manford and Company. The form of the building has not changed markedly since its original construction and is currently used for artist’s studios.

Statement of Significance
Warehouse (fmr) 22-26 Pakenham St, a two storey brick and iron industrial building in the Federation warehouse style built in 1907 for owner Timothy Quinlan, has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
The place is a good representation of the Federation Warehouse style. Its external brick walls; saw tooth roof form and repetition of elements are classic features of the style. Its scale and form make a valuable contribution to the streetscape and the heritage precinct of the West End of Fremantle;
The place is rare as one of the most intact examples of a building of the 1700s remaining in the West End of Fremantle and demonstrates both the character and the uses, which represent this section of the West End of Fremantle. It has been largely unmodified since its original construction and demonstrates the simple form and finishes of early 20th century warehouses. The remaining fabric and machinery also provides evidence of former practices; Warehouse (fmr) 22-26 Pakenham St demonstrates the development of the Fremantle Port as a major centre for trade and commerce. Its location demonstrates how the relocation of the harbour and the construction of the Fremantle Railway Station resulted in the creation of a new focus for the town of Fremantle;
The place is a good example of key industries, which have helped to shape Fremantle and the wider economy of Western Australia. Its association with the wool industry, bonded stores and transport are good examples of the types of goods and services associated with Fremantle;

These notes are from the PSAS website, but clearly come from that of the Heritage Council.

References and Links

PS Art Space website

Battye, J.S. 1912-13, The Cyclopedia of Western Australia, Cyclopedia Co., Perth.

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 18 October, 2016 and hosted at freotopia.org/buildings/quinlan.html (it was last updated on 5 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.