PHOTOGRAPH: 123 TOWNSHEND ROAD, NATIONAL ESTATE SURVEY COLLECTION

The house was constructed in 1904.

While the Post Office Directories did not include street numbers for Subiaco prior to 1906, an analysis of the sequence of entries suggests that 123 Townshend Road was almost certainly the house that had been occupied by Thomas Griffiths by 1905. Harriet and Thomas Griffiths (a mason) lived here until c.1910, but no further details have been confirmed regarding this couple. In the 1909-1910 Rate Books ‘Griffiths’ was identified as the owner and J Mitchell (dentist) as the occupant.

123 Townshend Road had a high turn-over of occupants until at least the mid-twentieth century, with the majority of occupants only remaining here for around 1 to 3 years - which suggests that it was primarily being used as a rental property. An analysis of a historical Metropolitan Sewerage Plan (dated 1927, updated 1955) and historical aerial photographs indicates that this house has been extended to the rear, but that the footprint of the front portion of the house has remained relatively unchanged.