Union Stores Building

About

The former Union Stores Building is a heritage listed building located at 41–47 High Street on the corner with Henry Street in the Fremantle West End Heritage area. Construction of the building commenced in 1895 for prominent local merchant John Wesley Bateman to house his growing hardware business. Bateman's business had occupied a building at the corner of Mouat Street and Croke Street for the previous 25 years before he decided to build larger premises at the present address.

The new building designed by architects, Davis and Wilson, was built at a cost of £7,000, equivalent to A$1.27 million in 2022, giving Bateman a more central location and more space. Built in the Federation Free Classical style the two storey building was constructed from brick and stone. The tuck-pointed brick facade features extensive decorative detailing, indicative of the original four-store street frontage.

On the rood parapet there are alternating segmented arched and triangular pediments separated by stucco corinthian pilasters and featured urns. The corner feature of the facade is an ornate shell pediment. The widely arched windows are spaced alternately with triangular topped casements separated with...