10 Molloy Street

The house at 10 Molloy Street is a single-story brick and iron house designed in the Federation Queen Ann style (reference). It is unclear when the house was built as no entry for the lot was found in the 1899 Rate Book, and rate books from 1906 and 1921 do not exist according to the Inherit entry of this property (reference). It is estimated that the house was constructed around 1900 (reference).

In 1921 the house was owned and occupied by Frederick A Nix. The Nix family owned the house until at least 1951. Then, in 1931, it was owned by the estate of Frederick Nix and occupied by Catherine Nix, his wife. They rented it out to the Duces in 1929, but by 1938 the Nix family had returned to live at the property (reference; reference). On 19 February 1929, Mrs J Duce held a community meeting at the property to organise the bazaar for the Saint David’s South Bunbury church fund (reference). In October 1938, Catherine Nix passed away, leaving the house to her children (reference).

Gladys Nix was the owner and occupier in 1941, and although she still owned the house in 1951, Selina Grace Nix, Gladys’ sister, was listed as the occupant at that time. Selina lived at 10 Molloy Street until she passed away in 1951 (reference). Other siblings also occupied the house, with Henry passing away at the property on 19 November 1941 (reference).

At some stage, 10 Molloy Street was used as a boarding house (reference).

Molloy Street was named after John and Eliza Molloy, who arrived in Fremantle in 1830 and settled in Augusta and then Vasse (reference).

Researched by Nikki Young for the Streets of Bunbury project