COMMERCIAL BUILDING, 127 HAMPTON ROAD, SOUTH FREMANTLE WA 6162
DESCRIPTION
Heritage TitleCOMMERCIAL BUILDING, 127 HAMPTON ROADAddressHampton Road, 127, South Fremantle WA 6162Summary127 Hampton Road SOUTH FREMANTLE WA 6162Geo tag[1] Heritage Place No20782Location DescriptionStreet Number127Construction Commenced1898Construction MaterialRoof – METAL: Corrugated IronWall – RENDER: SmoothFormer W.A. Heritage ThemesDEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY: Land allocation & subdivisionStatement Of SignificanceCommercial Building, 127 Hampton Road, is a typical rendered masonry and iron single storey commercial building dating from 1898. The place has aesthetic value for its contribution to the streetscape and the surrounding area. It is representative of the typical commercial building stock located in the Fremantle area.ArchaeologyConditionCondition assessed as good (assessed from streetscape survey only).HistoryHampton Road was originally called Prison Road. It derives its name from John Stephen Hampton (1810-1869), the Governor of WA from 1862-68. He was previously Comptroller of Convicts in Tasmania. His son, G. E. Hampton, was Acting Comptroller-General of the Fremantle Convict Establishment. Commercial Building, 127 Hampton Road was built in 1898 for John Gilbride, a pensioner. James Gilbride, a dealer, was listed as the first occupant of the shop. William Simmons, a shopkeeper, was listed as the occupant in 1900. Mary Anderson was operating a grocery shop from the premises the following year. By this time, the property was owned by A B Kidson. Alfred Kidson owned the property until 1906/07, when it was purchased by Matthew Lang, a plumber. A Metropolitan Sewerage plan dated c. 1910 shows a small stone building built to the street line, with a verandah extending over the street. There were several additions to the rear and a separate stable in the back corner of the lot. The store may have been associated with the house at 125 Hampton Road. Mr Lang was listed as the occupant of the shop until 1908/09, when Emily Fernighough moved in. A succession of tenants subsequently occupied the shop until Mr Lang sold the property in the mid-1950s to Norman Ablett and John Fitzgerald, who traded as Swan Hardware until at least the mid-1970s. This place was included in the list of heritage places in the City of Fremantle identified by the Fremantle Society (1979/80) - RED -significant for contributing to the unique character of Fremantle. Between 1995 and 2004, the place was renovated and used for an artist’s studio.
In August 2025 the place was changed from a LHS Level 3 to Level 2, retained on the Heritage List and Identified as a Contributory Place in the South Fremantle Heritage Area.Physical Description127 Hampton Road is a single storey rendered masonry and iron commercial building constructed in 1898 in the Federation Period. The walls are rendered masonry with a decorative parapet wall to the front façade. There is a central pair of timber front doors with fanlight flanked on either side by large timber framed shop front windows. The roof sits behind the parapet wall and is a corrugated iron hipped roof. The building is situated on the front boundary line. This place contains a limestone feature.AssociationPlace UseOriginal Use – COMMERCIAL: Shop\Retail Store {single}Present Use – RESIDENTIAL: Single storey residenceArchitectural StylesIntegrity/AuthenticityHigh degree of integrity (original intent clear, current use compatible, high long term sustainability). High degree of authenticity with much original fabric remaining. (These statements based on street survey only).Place TypeIndividual Building or Group
In August 2025 the place was changed from a LHS Level 3 to Level 2, retained on the Heritage List and Identified as a Contributory Place in the South Fremantle Heritage Area.Physical Description127 Hampton Road is a single storey rendered masonry and iron commercial building constructed in 1898 in the Federation Period. The walls are rendered masonry with a decorative parapet wall to the front façade. There is a central pair of timber front doors with fanlight flanked on either side by large timber framed shop front windows. The roof sits behind the parapet wall and is a corrugated iron hipped roof. The building is situated on the front boundary line. This place contains a limestone feature.AssociationPlace UseOriginal Use – COMMERCIAL: Shop\Retail Store {single}Present Use – RESIDENTIAL: Single storey residenceArchitectural StylesIntegrity/AuthenticityHigh degree of integrity (original intent clear, current use compatible, high long term sustainability). High degree of authenticity with much original fabric remaining. (These statements based on street survey only).Place TypeIndividual Building or Group
Statutory Heritage Areas
Statutory Heritage Area CustodianCity of FremantleStatutory Heritage Area South Fremantle Heritage AreaHeritage Area StatusContributoryHeritage Area InHerit Number22386Statutory Heritage Area Date14/10/2000
Local Government Statutory Heritage Listings
Local Government Statutory Listing CustodianCity of FremantleLocal Government Statutory Listing TypeHeritage ListLocal Government Statutory Listing StatusYesLocal Government Statutory Listing Date8/03/2007
Local Government Non-Statutory Local Heritage Survey
Local Government Non-Statutory Local Heritage Survey CustodianCity of FremantleLocal Government Non-Statutory Local Heritage Survey Date18/09/2000Local Government Non-Statutory Listing Local Heritage Survey Management CategoryLevel 2
PARENT PLACE
Parent Place No22386Parent place nameSouth Fremantle Heritage Area
RELATED
COMMERCIAL BUILDING, 127 HAMPTON ROAD, SOUTH FREMANTLE WA 6162. City of Fremantle Local History Centre, accessed 10/04/2026, https://history.fremantle.wa.gov.au/nodes/view/37077