ARCHITECTURE
Interwar / Bungalow Porch House
No 64 Irwin Street is a single storey house constructed in rendered brick with a hipped and gabled corrugated iron roof. It is an expression of the Inter-War Bungalow style. The front elevation is asymmetrically planned with a central hip roofed verandah. The verandah is supported on masonry piers. A half-timbered gable extends above the verandah. There is a central door flanked by casement windows.
HISTORY
1920 Social Notes. On October 20, at St.. Patrick's Church, Fremantle, the marriage was solemnised between William Bradford, of the R.A.G.A. Fremantle (formerly of the 12th Battalion) and Myrtle, daughter of Mrs. Barry, of East Fremantle. The Rev. Father Flynn, O.M.I. officiated. The bride, who was given away by Mr. E. Taylor, wore a dainty bridal dress of creme crepe-de-chine, lined with creme silk, and finished with silver beads and georgette, tactfully arranged to fall in roles at the side and clasped with a silver horseshoe... (reference)
1940 Death on November 8, Kathleen Walker, the dearly beloved youngest daughter of the late William and Margaret Barry, of East Fremantle, also fond sister of Myrtle (Mrs. Bradford, of East Fremantle) and Mary (Mrs. McCreery, of Beaconsfield), also fond sister-in-law of Will and Joe, and fond aunt of Mollie, Will, Frank, Roma, John, Basil, Margaret. Denis, Rose, Isabella. Always remembered. (reference)
1946 For sale radio sets and repairs—Dynamic Speaker, 12in., P.M. Speaker, 12in., £5. 64 Irwin-st., East Fremantle. (reference)
1946 Situations Wanted. Dance to the world's best dance orchestra by having Bradford's Sound System, complete with microphone for dances. etc. Phone L2876 or call 64 Irwin-st., East Fremantle. (reference)
1946 Situations Wanted. Are You Holding A Party, dance or wedding reception, if so make it a success by having Bradfords Sound System, complete with a library of modern and old-time dancing records and microphone. Phone L2314. (reference)
1947 Situations Wanted. Available for dances, weddings, parties. Bradfords Sound System Microphone and Dance Music. Phone L2314 (reference)
1947 Gruesome Find Sequel To Deckhand's 20th Birthday. Death was closely shadowing Ripley as he stepped ashore from the gang plank of the Trident at Fremantle on November 8, to celebrate his 20th birthday. When soldier William Bradford, of East Fremantle, last saw him a few hours before he died, the seaman was sitting on the roadway after alighting from a taxi a few feet from the spot where his body was later found. Bradford told A/SM R. P. Rodriguez that shortly before closing time on November 7, a barman at the National Hotel, Fremantle, asked him if he would show a colored seaman (whom he identified later as Omer, at a line-up aboard the Trident) where to get a taxi. As he was taking Omer to the railway station rank, he saw Ripley, who "appeared to be very drunk", staggering across the footpath in Market-Street. Omer, Bradford said, took Ripley by one arm and then walked him over to a taxi. Bradford added that when he told taxi driver Joseph Davies to drive the 2 men to North Wharf, Davies refused to do so at first unless he accompanied them also. Ripley pulled a wallet from his pocket, and Bradford told him to put it back. After Davies had promised to drive him home to East Fremantle afterwards, Bradford said he got into the front seat of the taxi and Ripley and Omer climbed into the rear. Then, at Omer's request, they drove to a cafe in High-st, where Omer collected 6 bottles of beer which he had left there previously. They then drove to North Wharf, pulled up near where Ripley's battered body was later discovered. As Omer stepped from the taxi, Bradford added, one of the bottles of beer he was carrying slipped from the parcel and shattered on the roadway. Omer, he said, appeared to be sober. (reference)
1947 Lineups On Trident. Following the early-morning discovery of Ripley's body, PCC Sgt. George Robert Johnson drove into Fremantle to find taxi-driver Joseph Davies. From there, with Davies and Det. W. Neilson, he went to East Fremantle to locate soldier William Bradford. Returning to North Wharf, Johnson saw Omer in a police van. Telling to Coroner Rodriquez what he said took place, Johnson said Omer told him he went ashore by himself the previous night. Omer, Johnson added, told him that he returned to North Wharf "with the taxi man. Only the taxi man." Asked what time it was then, Omer replied, "About 8 o'clock." Johnson said he was present on the Trident during a line-up and was also present when Davies touched Omer on the shoulder and identified him as the man who had been in the taxi with Ripley the previous night. Bradford identified him after. Later Omer, according to Johnson, when told that Ripley was dead and that he (Omer) was suspected of having murdered him, stated: "Is that boy dead? Why would I kill him?" After saying "I will tell the truth. My Koran makes me tell the truth," he allegedly gave a statement. (reference)
1951 Death on March 30, at her residence, 64 Irwin-street, East Fremantle, Myrtle Bradford, dearly beloved wife of William Bradford, loved mother of Bill, Frank. Roma (Mrs. G. A. Anderson), John, Basil. Margaret, Dennis, Rose, Isobel and Tom, mother-in-law of Doreen and Gordon, and fond grandmother of Kathleen and Gordon: aged 54 years. R.I.P. (reference)
1952 Motors, Vehicles, Etc. WTD. front right M/guard for '34 Chev. Std. sed. Bradford. 64 Irwin-st., E. Ftle. L1955 (reference)
RESIDENTS
1931 - 1949: Bradford, William
