HOME OF PEACE IN HAMERSLEY ROAD, SUBIACO
Campaigning for a home for the elderly and those with incurable diseases began in the 1890s. It was built and opened in 1902 on land set aside by Subiaco’s first Mayor, Henry Doyle, for a hospital. It was called ‘Home of Peace for the Dying and Incurable.’
One of the people who helped get the home built was Lady Onslow, wife of Chief Justice Sir Alexander Onslow (1880-90s). The main building was demolished in early 2000, and new aged care units established on the site. [Ref: Spillman, Ken, Identity Prized: A History of Subiaco, City of Subiaco, UWA Press, 1985, pp. 163-164; West Australian 11.12.2000, p. 14.)
The earliest development in the Triangle was, naturally, closest to the Hay Street commercial centre. Churchill Avenue and Barker Road, and the side streets such as Axon Street, Townshend Road, Olive Street and Coghlan Road, were mostly developed by 1905. Development then spread into the central area between Bagot and Heytesbury Roads by 1915, followed by the southern portion, along Thomas Road.
One of the first land releases was Berry Brow Estate which extended from Rokeby to Townshend Roads, between Hay St and Barker Road. It was marketed as the ‘Toorak of Perth.’ Others were Bowral Park (1896), the north east corner of the Triangle around Barker and Coghlan Roads, and Parkerville Estate, the stretch of Townshend Road between Barker and Bagot Roads. The area has always been predominately residential, and indeed, the Triangle gained a reputation in the early days as being a prestigious area – workers settled along the railway line, and the more affluent moved up the hill to what was perceived as the better part of Subiaco.
One of the earliest public buildings in the area was the Home of the Peace, on Hamersley Road and Thomas Street, which opened in 1902. Other public buildings include St Andrew’s and St Catherine’s churches.
Thomas Street was gazetted by 1883, and named after Mr J H Thomas, Director of PWD.
(Sources: Wise’s Post Office Directory 1905-1925; Real Estate Maps, Battye Library Collection; Spillman, Ken, Identity Prized: A History of Subiaco, City of Subiaco, UWA Press, 1985, p. 74; Chate, A, H., History of Subiaco, c1952; Moore, D., Subiaco – Attitudes and Ecological Succession, no date, c 1980.)
https://inherit.dplh.wa.gov.au/public/inventory/details/5adbdcb3-3999-4624-97a4-580fd9b9d19c
The Home of Peace for the Dying and Incurable opened in 1902 on the corner of Hamersley Road and Thomas Street in Subiaco.
History and Evolution
- Founding: Lady Madeleine Onslow and Dr Athelstan Saw established the institution after an 1898 public meeting to care for the chronically ill and frail aged.
- Location: The site covered a triangular block bounded by Hamersley Road, Townshend Road, and Thomas Street.
- Name Changes: It became “The Home of Peace for the Chronic Sick” in 1948 and “The Homes of Peace” in 1966.
- Transition to Brightwater: The organization adopted the name Brightwater Care Group in 1997.
Modern Site
- Redvelopment: The original Subiaco buildings were redeveloped, and a new facility opened in 2001 for the organization’s centenary.
- Current Use: The location is now home to Brightwater Onslow Gardens at 39 Hamersley Road, providing modern residential aged care.