Maryann Lloyd...Subiaco Business Woman (1909)
Maryann (known as Minnie) and her husband William Lloyd bought land in Catherine Street, Subiaco and constructed terrace houses from 1902 to 1906. Minnie Lloyd also established a private maternity hospital. Today the terrace houses and house used as a private maternity hospital are of significant heritage value in Subiaco.
Mary Ann Lloyd (Britten) was born on 3 September, 1859 in Bega, New South Wales to William and Elizabeth Ann (Haigh) Britten and was one of thirteen children. She trained as a nurse. William John Lloyd was born in 1853 in Kent England to William and Bridget Lloyd. He trained as a builder. Minnie and William met and were married in 1878 in Sydney, New South Wales.
The couple then moved to Subiaco, Western Australia where they had six children. They bought land and constructed terrace houses which were rented out to a range of working class people and widows. The story of their building developments are contained in the Heritage Council of WA database and the City of Subiaco Local Government Inventory Place Record.
Minnie trained as a nurse and was a registered midwife. She established one of the first private (lying in) maternity homes in Subiaco in 1909 at 23 Coolgardie Street, Subiaco and played an important role in providing local maternity services. Louise Elizabeth Reid took over the hospital in 1925. The story of this residence is from the City of Subiaco Local Government Inventory Place Record.
Minnie died on 21 July, 1924 aged 64 years at 23 Coolgardie Street, Subiaco due to natural causes. She was buried at Karrakatta in Western Australia. William died on 9 June, 1919 in Subiaco aged 66 years.
This information comes from the Heritage Council of WA - Places database...
"History
Building lots along Catherine Street had been laid out by 1891, but initial development was slow and there were no buildings along the eastern side of the street until 1904. In February of that year a block on the corner of Catherine and Gibney (later York) Streets (Lot 23 and Part Lot 22) was purchased by Minnie Lloyd.
Minnie’s husband, William Lloyd, commenced work almost immediately on the construction of the first group of four terrace houses, advertising for bricklayers for the site in March of that year. By May 1904 he was advertising a house on the corner of Catherine and Gibney (now York) Streets for rent: A FIVE-roomed HOUSE, bath, copper, troughs, splendid position, one minute from tram or train, only £1 weekly to good tenant. W. LLOYD, Gibney and Catherine sts., Subiaco
In April 1904 Minnie Lloyd purchased the adjacent block along Catherine Street (Lot 24 and part 22) and building work continued with the construction of a second group of four houses, creating the current terrace of eight.
Newspaper advertisements calling for experienced tradesmen, and advertising rental properties, confirm that the Lloyd family were particularly active as builder-developers in Subiaco in the period 1902-1906. However, it appears that they over-extended themselves financially as, in December 1906, “32 new, well-built, and finished Villas and Houses, situate the best localities of the popular suburb of Subiaco” (valued at a total of £20,765), were offered for sale under the Bankruptcy Act, as means of clearing Minnie Lloyds debts. These related to residential lots in PSL 196, 213, 254, 276, 278 and 284.
This debtor’s sale valued the eight terraces on Lots 22, 23 & 24 at £4,100 (approx. £512 each). This was similar to the Lloyd’s second row of four terraces at 2-8 Catherine Street, which were built in 1905 (approx. £625 each), but considerably less than their much larger and more favourably located terraced houses at 15-27 Hay Street, which were built in 1904-05 (approx. £923 each). Interestingly, the value of the Catherine Street terraces was similar to the value placed on some of the Lloyd’s freestanding residential developments, such as a ‘double fronted brick dwelling’ at 80 Heytesbury Road (£550).
In early 1907 the terrace houses at 18-32 Catherine Street were more specifically described as:Lots 23, 24, and part of 22, Catherine-street ….. 132ft. and a good depth to a r.o.w. Improvements consist of a terrace of eight two-storey brick houses, each containing four rooms, kitchen, bathroom, and laundry.
It seems that neither these, nor the terrace houses at 2-8 Catherine Street, sold quickly as, in February 1908, they both advertised again – this time as part of a foreclosure on mortgages taken out by Minnie Lloyd.
Subsequent changes of ownership have not been researched for this report, but the pattern of occupation through to the mid-twentieth century indicates that they were primarily used as rental accommodation for the working classes, including tradesmen (such as a butcher, baker, bootmaker, plasterer, painter, barman, wicker worker, furnace man, and fitters and turners), as well as general labourers.
The occupants also included a number of widows. Generally there was a relatively high turn-over of occupants (with most staying less than 10 years), but longer term occupants included the families of a butcher, Richard Kyrwood (no 18, c.1925 to 1939), a mental hospital attendant, John Maddigan (No 20, c.1917 to 1954) and a flour miller, Frederick Davis (No 32, c. 1924 to 1963).
From the late 1970s renewed interest in the Subiaco lead to the conservation/ refurbishment of many of its early twentieth century houses. By this time 18-32 Catherine Street had been purchased by Thomas Malone and Elizabeth Clarke, who undertook considerable restoration works with the assistance of Brian Klopper, architect. Works believed to have been completed at that time included two-storey rear extensions, internal upgrades, fabrication of cast iron panels to replace missing elements (based on surviving examples), a new iron palisade fence, replacement of some of the external joinery (with closely matching details), new verandah tiles and new stained glass to the entrances. The tuck-pointed face-brick walls may have been painted at that time or as part of an earlier refurbishment.
Subdivision approval was granted in 1982 and the houses were subsequently sold to individual owners. Since that time owners have undertaken further alterations, which are primarily visible in the public arena through varied colour schemes. The major alterations to the principal façade have been to No. 28, where the French doors and windows have been replaced in a slightly different style.
This information is from the City of Subiaco Local Government Inventory Place Record...
Nurse Lloyd's Private Maternity Hospital (fmr) 23 Coolgardie Street....
"...Minnie Lloyd officially applied to establish a registered lying in hospital at 23 Coolgardie street in October of 1909. The business was obviously successful, with rapid enlargement of the original residence as a purpose designed hospital, and by 1915 it was described as having 16 rooms available, and being licenced to take 12 patients at once – which at that time was a relatively large maternity hospital.
Louise Elizabeth Reid took over ownership of both 19 and 23 Coolgardie Street in August 1928, and she continued to be known professionally as ‘Nurse Reid’ after her marriage to Arthur Colin Victor Kildahl (a motor mechanic) in c.1930.
During this time newspaper notices suggest that, while 23 Coolgardie Street was primarily a maternity hospital, it also took in general patients. 19 Coolgardie Street was used as the Kildahl family home..."
The photographs are from the Geni heritage websites. No copyright infringement intended.
