Bayswater Historical Society

14/06/2026

𝟳, 𝟵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟭𝟭 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺 𝗦𝘁 - 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀

Looking back 100 years, to the 1920s, when 7-11 King William St comprised buildings typical of a small town. Some residents lived here and many residents still relied on horse and cart for transport (hence the grain store at number 11).

The blurry pic is from a photo taken in 𝟭𝟵𝟮𝟴, looking south-east from Whatley Crescent (then named South Tce). Compare it to a similar angle in 2024! (Thanks Google Maps.)

In 1928 the local businesses were very different to those now. Starting on the left, there was 𝗥𝗮𝘆 𝗧𝗼𝗯𝘆’𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲 (now Pharmacy 777). Then a business or residence, where 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘃𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗼𝘀 worked or lived. Then three houses, these homes (𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝘀 in number 5, 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘀 in number 7, and 𝗔𝗹𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘀 in number 9) were all still residential, set back from the street. Then there was 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗠𝗰𝗟𝗲𝗶𝘀𝗵’𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲 (number 11), then a bootmaker, a hairdresser and then a butcher (number 15, now King William Antiques and Collectibles).

On the right we can see what was once the general store owned and run by the McLeish family. Now a Liquorland, and without its verandah.

As to local business operator, Ray Toby, he was a World War 1 veteran, and we’ll share more about him in a future post.

With the changes likely ahead for the town centre, we think it’s important to look into who once lived and worked in the town centre so we can relate to the stories of the past through these buildings. Ideally we will uncover more stories from our records and from descendants. 🤞

📷BHS collection, KWS in 1928
📷Google Maps Street view Feb 2024

07/06/2026

𝟳 - 𝟭𝟭 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺 𝗦𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

Community Housing Ltd is holding a community webinar on their plans for this site - this week.

Tuesday 6 to 7pm - see below for more details.
You can lodge questions prior - remember to register!

CHL delivers safe, secure and affordable places for people to call home and belong, because every life deserves a solid foundation.

04/06/2026

𝟳, 𝟵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟭𝟭 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺 𝗦𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 – 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀

30 years ago…

While we’re looking into the history of 7, 9 and 11 King William St, we’d also like to remember the people who once lived nearby. Especially when they featured on the front page of the West Australian in their gardening jumper! This is Milton Grenfell, he lived with his family at 19 King William St for many decades until he passed away in 1996 at the age of 83. While the West's article was mainly about his VW we can see his well-kept house and garden in the background. Perhaps this was how numbers 7 and 9 King William St once looked before they became commercial sites?
See also a photo of Milton and his wife Evelyn, and of 19 KWS taken many years ago. We are very grateful to Milton's family for sharing these photos with us.
📷 News article WAN 1993
📷 Milton and Evelyn Grenfell
📷 19 King William St, 1950s?

02/06/2026

𝟳 - 𝟭𝟭 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺 𝗦𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁
In case you haven't seen already, the development proposal for
7 - 11 KWS is out for public comment. Comments can be made until 18 𝙅𝙪𝙣𝙚 2026.

The proposal includes a Heritage Impact Statement and a Tree Impact Assessment (for the Jacaranda at the back of 9 KWS), links in comments. 🌲🏠

❓Any stories you know of people associated with these properties through the years are very much appreciated!
☑️Please comment below, or send an email to us at [email protected] or visit us at the Halliday House museum.

Western Australia’s land development agency

16/05/2026

𝟳, 𝟵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟭𝟭 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺 𝗦𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 – 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀

100 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘰…

The image is from plans drawn up by the Metropolitan Sewerage Dept, this one was done in 1928. It shows the area that numbers 7, 9 and 11 King William St are within. While the town centre’s buildings were mostly commercial, some were residential then.

B stands for brick, W for weatherboard, V for verandah, GI for galvanised iron. Note how numbers 5, 7 and 9 are set back from the road while the surrounding commercial buildings are in line with the lot boundary.

If you lived at numbers 5, 7 and 9 KWS shopping would have been easy, being so close to a butcher, a baker, a bootmaker and a feed supplier (oats for your horses and maybe hay for the cow in the backyard!). 🥾 🥧🥩🍞

Refs:
Retro Maps, State Records Office of Western Australia, link in comments.
City of Bayswater Local Heritage Survey

13/05/2026

𝗕𝗮𝘆𝘀𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲
We've been hearing a lot about the Development of 7, 9 and 11 King William St in Bayswater so thought we would share what we know.
* The Bayswater Town Centre Structure Plan (BTCSP) shows a zoning of R-ACO (high density) for the sites.
* While the Developer has stated that a Development Application is scheduled for approval in 2026, it hasn’t been assessed yet.
* Demolition is only legit after the Development Application has been approved by Development WA (Metronet East).
* The BTCSP has a list of heritage objectives, see image for this list.

𝗪𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘀…

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹’𝘀 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆:
✴️ 9 King William St, Category 3 '...a Federation bungalow, originally a residence, the remaining house of a pair built on land acquired by local builder and prominent citizen Henry Halliday in 1905.'
✴️ 11 King William St, Category 3, formerly McLeish's Grain Store, 'The place has historic value for its association with Robert McLeish and his family who were prominent members of the Bayswater community in the first half of the 20th century.'

𝗔𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱, 𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀. 𝗔𝘀 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗮𝗻 𝗮 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝟭𝟬𝟬 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀!
Please comment below, or send an email to us at [email protected] or visit us at Halliday House.

23/04/2026

𝐀𝐍𝐙𝐀𝐂 𝐃𝐀𝐘
There will be an ANZAC Day Dawn Service at the 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗪𝗮𝗿 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹, Bayswater as well as services at the Maylands War Memorial, Remembrance Park Bedford and Peninsular Farm. See the link to the City of Bayswater post for details.

🌹 More than 100 years ago the war memorial in Bayswater was unveiled. Built with funds raised by the community, it was located in front of the then Roads Board Hall and Administration office, Slade St, Bayswater. In 1960 the office space was extended and the war memorial relocated to Halliday Park.
🌹 Memorial Drive, Bayswater was built in 1997 and named Centennial Memorial Drive to commemorate both the Centenary of the City of Bayswater and the service people who died in the conflicts of WW1, WW2, the Korean War, the Malayan Emergency, the Vietnam War and the Borneo Confrontation.
🌹 Through these memorials we are reminded of the sacrifice and service given by many local men and women.
𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐖𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻, 𝟭𝟬 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟭𝟵𝟮𝟮
'Sunday last was a red letter day in the district, when in the presence of about 600 of the residents His Excellency the Governor unveiled the local War Memorial. The chairman of the Memorial Committee briefly introduced His Excellency, and also paid a warm tribute to the efforts of the ladies of the district and the energetic secretary (Mr. Arthur Wardley) for their untiring efforts to raise funds for this memorial. Sir Francis made mention of the sacrifices made by the lads, and also spoke personally to the relatives of the fallen. Sir Talbot Hobbs spoke feelingly of the heroism and courage displayed by the junior officers and the rank and file and urged all returned men to join the League so as to safeguard the interests of those who had made the great sacrifice. He was followed by Mr RG Ardagh, MLC (Chairman Bayswater Roads Board), Dr Saw, MLC and Mr JT Davies, MLA, who in the concluding portion of his remarks made a suggestion which should appeal to all, viz that at least once a year, preferably on Anzac Day, all should gather at the district memorial, and pay tribute to those who made the great sacrifice in the cause of freedom. Wreaths were placed on the memorial by the RSL, relatives of deceased soldiers, and the memorial committee. During the afternoon, many items were rendered by the choir and selections by the 11th Battalion Band and Batey's Orchestra.'

15/04/2026

🏫🕍🏪There are many events celebrating heritage on at the moment! This link is to events being held by The National Trust of Western Australia - all part of the 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥.

🌟 Meanwhile the Lotterywest 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐨 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 is half way through its many events. Link in comments. ⬇️ There is lots to choose from.
🌠 There is an event on at the Boorloo Festival that we at BHS are very happy to recommend: the 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗜𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗲 𝟭𝟴𝟬 performances. Our very own Chairperson Monica Main is one of the writers and performers presenting stories about special parks in the City of Perth. Entertaining, informative and FREE!

Australian Heritage Festival - Western Australia