Perth Voice Interactive

Dr Ingrid van Bremen is a senior lecturer in architectural conservation at UWA and consulting architect in conservation FRAIA. Author of the series – Western Building Construction: Roofs, Walls, Floors & Ceilings, and Friend of the Round House. This is part 2 of her review of Steve Errington’s new book The Round House 1831-1856, the early years of Western Australia’s oldest building – and how it survived

FOR conservation architects and planners, the Round House building is valued for its design in a strong geometrical form, construction with local limestone, and position on the high ground at the focal point of the main town street. 

It was originally the first place-maker of Fremantle town, even before the church in the square. 

Since then, it has been a prominent visual public icon providing a sense of identity to Fremantle people and visitors. 

This is part of the reason it has survived. 

It is alluded to in the Round House book but deserves more. 

The visual continuity is beginning to be obscured again by the latest urban design ‘improvements’ in High Street (trees and planters). 

Arthur Head and the Round House – as “the most significant historic site for all Western Australians” (quoting the FCC 1983 project) is a focus for UWA students in the School of Design studying conservation in cultural landscapes. 

The social history in Errington’s books will add to their understanding and experience of this special place.

For those interested in the history of the building, of Fremantle, and of the administration of the law in the early days of settlement, these books are a valuable addition to the literature. 

For the current volunteer guides who interpret the place for the many visitors it has each year, the books now provide strong documentary evidence to back their often colourful renditions of events and conditions. 

They are already using these books in their daily talks to visitors, and they keep the books handy to show their sources and promote the place. 

The volunteer guides (and Steve Errington among them) know that surviving historic buildings are the best places to bring history to life – telling the stories of people’s lives.

There have been recent interpretation reports prepared for the Round House: in 2015 for improvements and 2021 for a complete overhaul, but the latter has gone very dark. 

Now the publication of these new books provides a reliable source for a more balanced approach to interpretation. 

One that should also be used in the planning for the upcoming bicentennial events where it is likely to involve Arthur Head and the Round House. 

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John Wade has a night out in ‘The Round House’

JOHN WADE’S escape by climbing over the wall in September 1844 was bit unusual in that he broke back in again. 

At daybreak on 12 September Gaoler Nicholas Smith was woken by a noise in the exercise yard. 

Looking out of his window he saw a man moving about the yard. 

It was John Wade… Wade tried to bluff his way out of trouble, accusing Smith of locking him out of his cell, saying that he was starving and had to get out to get some food, and he’d only climbed back in so Smith wouldn’t be in trouble. 

Smith refused to believe that Wade had been out until he noticed that the well rope had been unshipped from the windlass and made into a rope ladder. 

It all became clear when Wade’s cell was unlocked: Wade’s bed was made up to look like someone was in it. 

At 8am came news that Francisco’s store in High Street had been burgled overnight. 

Tried on October 2, Wade was found guilty and sentenced to transportation for 14 years. On October 11 he was escorted to the government schooner Champion and sent on his way to Van Diemen’s Land.

From The Round House 1831-1856