ARCHITECTURE
Federation Bungalow
No. 9 (previously was no. 21) Glyde street is a single storey house constructed of limestone and brick with a hipped corrugated iron roof. It was adapted in the immediate Post-World War II period but has since been restored to reflect the Federation Bungalow style. The front elevation is symmetrically planned with a central door flanked by windows. The facade features a full width bullnosed roofed verandah supported by timber posts on a concrete floor.
HISTORY
Boat builder Alfred (Alf) Tilley, his wife, three sons and three daughters lived in this house. Born in Hobart in 1869 Tilley did his apprenticeship with his father who was a senior partner of Tilley and Williams. Tilley went to Melbourne at 20 where he married Susan, and 20 years later came to Western Australia, in 1895. In 1911 he established the firm of A. E. Tilley and Co (steamer and launches ) and started a boat service in the harbor and for up-river trade. His boat building business and boat shed operated for more than 30 years. One of the more famous boats built by him was the Mayans. Tilley died aged 65 years in 1993.
Genealogy of Alfred Ernest Tilley Snr
1897 Death of Gladys Tilley, infant daughter of Alfred and Susan Tilley, aged 11 months. The Tilleys were living in Cantonment Road, Fremantle, at the time. (reference)
1903 Alfred Tilly was already hiring out boats and launches on the Swan River. These were based at the East Fremantle Bridge and the Claremont Jetty. (reference)
1930 ‘Dodge’ vehicle registered to AE Tilley of 21 Glyde Street, East Fremantle. (reference)
1931 Alfred’s car collided with a tram in Adelaide Street. (reference)
1934 Notice for Alfred E. Tilley’s funeral, after his death on 3 Feb. (reference)
1934 Full report on Alfred’s funeral, including a full list of the mourners. (reference)
1935 Engagement of Frederick Tilley (youngest son of Alfred and Susan Tilley) to Lorna Romney (reference)
1937 Report on the funeral of Violet Miller, daughter of Alfred and Susan Tilley, who appears to have lived next door to her widowed mother (at 23 Glyde Street) Interestingly enough, Violet’s husband is not among the mourners. Violet’s children were also excluded from Susan Tilley’s last will, written in 1944 (see 1949 court case over her wills below) (reference)
1942 A. E. Tilley charged with assaulting his wife and with obscene language. This seems to be the son of Alfred and Susan Tilley. His age matches. (reference)
1942 Alfred Ernest Tilley warned to stay away from his wife and child by a magistrate. (reference)
1943 Alfred Tilley convicted of stealing his wife’s handbag. (reference)
1947 Death notice of Susan Jane Tilley of 9 Glyde Street. (reference)
1949 Sons challenge the will of Mrs. Susan J Tilley. She had made three wills in the previous ten years (since the death of Alfred) The last will (signed in 1944) left everything to her two surviving daughters Lily French and Isabel Banks and nothing to the sons. Not surprisingly, the sons challenged this on the grounds that their mother was of unsound mind when making the will, and claim that it was obtained by ‘undue influence.’’ (reference)
1949 The Judge rules in favour of the daughters in the will dispute. He rules that the will made in 1944 was in fact valid. Interestingly, Alfred Tilley junior withdrew as a defendant on the morning of the hearing commencement and gave evidence that the final 1944 will was valid. The defendants (sons) were ordered to pay their own costs and the plaintiffs’ (daughters’) costs could be paid out of the deceased estate. (reference)
1950 Alfred Ernest Tilley of Glyde Street convicted of keeping a horse too close to a dwelling, and for keeping feed which was not stored in a rat-proof container. He was also fined for keeping an unregistered dog. (reference)
RESIDENTS
1910 - 1932: Tilley, Alfred E.
1933 - 1949: Tilley, Mrs S. J.
