ARCHITECTURE
Federation
No. 3 Riverside Road is a single-storey house constructed in limestone and brick with a gabled, corrugated-iron roof. It is a restored dwelling in the Federation Bungalow style. The verandah is a broken, back-roofed verandah supported on stop chamfered timber posts. All opening have brick quoins which are later additions. The building sits highly elevated above street level with a terraced garden. There is a later garage addition at the front of the lot. The north-east section of the residence has been reconstructed. There have been several modifications to the interior.
HISTORY
It is thought this house was built for John Hugh Gracie, one of the owners of the Castlemaine Brewery, who resided at 3 Riverside Road, close to Castlemaine Brewery, until 1915. It is the only surviving building associated with the Brewery.
On 4th January 1892 Lots 10, 11 and 12 of Swan Location 62, were transferred to Gracie and Walter Frederick Walkley. In December 1894 the same pair obtained Lot 9. Lot 9 was procured to facilitate an expansion of their brewing business they obtained in 1906. The brewery was located on Lots 1 and 2. This was formerly the Fremantle Brewing & Ice Co.In 1906 Gracie obtained (as sole proprietor) the title to Lots 5 and 6. It has sometimes been assumed that this date coincides with the construction of the property currently on this land. However the Post Office Directories indicate that Gracie resided on Riverside Road closer to East Street and that Henry King and Matthew Moss occupied properties between Gracie and the Castlemaine Brewery.
Harry Digby Beard acquired the place in 1915, according to the Post Office Directories. Beard was the son of a renowned local draper, Fisher Beard, who operated a draper business in Fremantle.
The place was restored in the 1980s (refer to physical description). A number of early post-World War II interventions were reversed to achieve a good outcome. (reference)
1919 Birth on January 9, at Peradeniya, Riverside road, East Fremantle, to Mr. and Mrs. Digby Beard—a daughter. (reference)
1931 Impressive Funeral Of The Late Mr. Digby Beard. The high esteem in which Mr. H. Digby Beard was held was shown in the large gathering of friends at the funeral this morning. A number of people were unable to secure entrance to St. John's Church, and had to wait outside. The augmented choir numbered 40 and included several men who were regular members of the choir when Mr. Beard was choirmaster. The Dean drew the moral that religion made Mr. Beard the man he was a man who won the respect of every one. (reference)
RESIDENTS
1900 - 1912: Graccie, John Hugh
1915: Beard, Harry Digby
