Eustace “Eustie” Gresley Cohen (1881 - 1938)

Eustace Cohen was a well known Western Australian Architect who was trained in England and came to Western Australia in 1904 with his brother. He began his own practice in Bunbury in 1907 and designed many buildings and houses in the south west even after he moved to Perth in 1913 and went into partnership with J. Herbert Eales.

Early Life

Eustace Cohen, the second of three sons,  was born in Kensington, London in 1881. His father, Frederick, who died when Eustace was 6 years old, was a stockbroker (reference). Eustace attended Repton College and after completing his education began training in architecture with Thomas Lockwood and Sons at Chester (reference). Later, he worked for Guy  Dawber, past president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (reference). 

In 1902, Eustace’s mother, Elizabeth,  died leaving the boys a substantial amount of money (reference). At that time Eustace gave up architecture due to  ill health and, in 1904,  he and his older brother Gilbert, immigrated to Western Australia to take up farming (reference). They bought a farm “Beachlands” in Busselton and although it was not a financial success, Eustace recovered from his illness while there and returned to being an architect (reference).

Bunbury

Architect

In 1906, Mr Cohen moved to Bunbury and started his own architectural practice in Spencer’s Buildings on the corner of Victoria and Stephen streets (reference). Many of his designs were inspired by the Arts and Craft Movement, popular in Britain in the 1890s, which moved away from opulent designs to simple and easy to maintain homes and buildings (reference, reference). During his time, he became the leading Western Australian architect in Federation Arts and Craft Architecture (reference)

One of Mr Cohen’s early projects was St. Patrick’s Anglican Church in Rathmines. Built in 1908, the Southern Times commented on how little it cost to build considering it was artistic in design and at the opening ceremony, the Bishop “drew attention to the beauty and skill of the architecture of the building.”(reference, reference).

Also in 1908, Mr Cohen designed a house for Mr John Walker at 3 Turner Road. After seeing the plans, the Southern Times reported “The main idea adopted is modernised Tudor, the result being strikingly picturesque, and from the commanding site which the residence will occupy should prove a pretty and effective addition to the architectural features of the town. The materials to be used in the construction are Armadale and local bricks and cement stucco. The accommodation provided for includes three sitting-rooms, two of which are connected by folding doors, four bedrooms, hall, kitchen, bathroom, porch, commodious balconies, and usual conveniences. Casement windows will be used throughout, while the interior fittings will be solid and plain, in which the local jarrah will be largely utilised. The cost of the building will run well into four figures” (reference).

By the end of 1908, Mr Cohen was busy with several projects including  extensions to the Esplanade, Freemasons  and Ship Hotels in Bunbury and the Vasse Hotel, Busselton, additions  to the offices of  Millar’s Karri and Jarrah Mill Company, a new butcher shop for butchers  Fouracres and Wass in Busselton and a villa for Mrs Ed Brockman (reference, reference). He was also admitted into the W.A. Institute of Architects (reference)

In 1909, Mr Cohen designed a homestead for Mr W. Dempster, an orchardist, now known as Hazelwood in Hurst Road, Argyle (reference, reference). The Southern Times congratulated both the owner and Mr Cohen on its beauty and added: “ It is a new departure in the style of homesteads in the South-West. The house is a careful blending of the useful and the artistic and in addition is so designed as to be specially adapted to the rigors of our Australian summers” (reference). 

In the same year, he  designed St Thomas Church at Thomson’s Brook, built a new shop for Mr Clark and did alterations on Mr Spencer’s shop (reference, reference). He also designed a church pulpit for the Molloy family that was gifted to St Mary’s Church in Busselton (reference).

By 1910, Mr Cohen was well established as an architect and had projects in various south west towns including churches at Cuballing and Kojonup and the Freemason’s Hall at Bridgetown along with many private residences (reference, reference, reference). The Busselton South-Western News noted that the young architect was “making rapid progress in his profession” (reference)

In Bunbury, he designed the Grand Coffee Palace in Victoria Street (see 83 - 89 Victoria Street) for Charles Egglestone, houses for Captain Dodds and  Mr Money , improvements and extensions to the Anglican manse (reference, reference,reference). The Bunbury Herald commented that Mr Cohen was “leading Bunbury in a new path.” (reference). 

Also in 1910, Mr Cohen designed a “model of what a butcher's shop should be as well as an attractive feature” in South Bunbury  for Fouracre and Wass . The Bunbury Herald gave a detailed description of the shop picking out features that were both attractive and useful such as the small dome which was attractive and “of exceptional utility acting as it does as a lantern light and providing a cool current of air through the shop even on the hottest and stillest of days” (reference). This combination of beauty and utility was a hallmark of the Arts and Crafts movement (reference). 

When  Mr Cohen left Bunbury in 1913 to go into partnership with Perth Architect,  Mr J. Herbert Eales, another local Architect, Mr F. W. Steere commented: “that once he entered the larger field he would never come back to them again to live. His ability in his profession would ensure that” (reference). However, Mr Cohen was still involved in many projects in the South-West throughout his professional life (reference). Some of his later projects include: Myrniong, completed in 1926 at 50 Beach Road, Bunbury (reference); plans for a proposed Anglican cathedral in 1920 which did not come to fruition (reference, reference); and an extension to the Forrest homestead in 1930s of which it is noted that it “betrays Eustace Cohen’s intense interest in arts and crafts architecture and his early training with the British Arts and Crafts architect, Guy Dawber” (reference).

Mr Cohen became a well known  Western Australian Architect  and was involved in the profession as a whole. He was President of the Royal Institute of Architects of Western Australia in 1924 (reference). He was also President of the Town Planning Association in 1936 and at the time of his death was serving on the Architect’s Registration Board (reference, reference) As well, he instigated the bronze medal to encourage architecture students which was renamed the E.G. Cohen Medal after his death (reference). Examples of his work are still dotted around the state.  Many of the private residences show his leaning towards the Tudor revivalist style (reference).

Musician

Eustace made a significant contribution to the Bunbury music scene. He was an organist for the Anglican church and also played the organ for many weddings around the district (reference, reference, reference). 

Mr Cohen was also a versatile pianist and would sometimes perform piano solos in concerts (reference) He also supplied the music for the amateur theatre group and was  the musician in a local entertainment group called “The Red Tie Antediluvians” (reference, reference). As well, Eustace occasionally provided dance music for various functions (reference, reference).

In 1911, Eustace became the conductor of the Bunbury Amateur Orchestra (reference). The Southern Times predicted that the Orchestra would make quick progress under the hand of Mt Cohen who was “ a gifted musician and a talented pianoforte player” (reference). The position, however, presented problems that conductors would not usually have to deal with and on the first night Eustace was the  conductor, the whole orchestra had to retune their instruments to a piano that was a full tone below concert pitch and due to its amateur status, the composition of the orchestra would be in a constant state of change as there were often times when the players of different instruments would not  be available for a performance (reference).  At his final performance before he left Bunbury, he was presented with a baton which they Jokingly hoped might “be used to conduct a Society that more approached his ideas of perfection than the one he had worked with so long” (reference).

Sportsman

Golf

Mr Cohen was involved in a wide range of sports while he was in Bunbury but his foremost passion was golf. In the early 1900s, golf was still a new game in Western Australia and in 1901, there were plans to set up a golf course on the banks of the estuary but this  was not done until 1903 at the initiative of  Dr Williams (reference, reference, reference). However, due to flooding, the club didn’t continue for long so when Eustace came to Bunbury, his golf ties were still in Busselton (reference, reference).

In 1907,  Eustace presided over a meeting with the intent to start a golf club in Busselton. He said he was a keen golfer and that golf was “an interesting game and is played to a great extent in England and Wales also in Perth.” adding that he thought it would draw visitors to the town (reference). It was decided to form a club at the meeting and Eustace was elected as one of the vice presidents of the newly formed Busselton Golf Club. 

Eustace then assisted Mark Oliphant, who was the champion player of Western Australia at the time, to lay out the Busselton golf course (reference). Unfortunately, the links were flooded two months later and the club played in a paddock while the grounds dried out (reference).

In 1911, Mr Cohen was one of the  Bunbury residents who met with the purpose of forming a golf club in Bunbury. In the meeting, it was brought up that most of the major towns in Western Australia now had local golf clubs and Mr Cohen said that it was a disgrace that the town did not have one. A committee that included Mr Cohen was formed  to select suitable grounds (reference). This resulted in the Leschenault Links - a small private but free nine hole golf course being laid out by Mr Cohen on Mr J. Lawson Johnson’s Leschenault property. In 1913, another course was laid out in Sandridge but eventually the Bunbury Club returned to an expanded course at Leschenault Links (reference). 

However, both courses could not be played all year around due to the nature of the soil which baked hard in summer and flooded in winter (reference). To remedy this, a new site was selected and in 1927, Mr Cohen was engaged to lay out the new course (reference).  In 1928, the new Bunbury Golf Club was formed and moved into the  Sea Links course which Mr Cohen, while designing it, said it would be “one of the best sporting links in Australia when completed” (reference, reference). Mr Cohen also designed the Sea Links Clubhouse (reference). Of this clubhouse, historian, Mr J. A. Jane , when discussing the move to the new Clifton Park Golf Course, said:“This Clubhouse had originally been designed and constructed under the supervision of Mr. Eustace Cohen of Perth, an old friend of the Bunbury Golf Club, and had proved very efficient and easy to run and the members found it hard to part with.” (reference)

Eustace also wrote a series of three articles on golf course design in Western Australia for the Western Mail in 1934 and another one on the same subject in 1936 (reference, reference, reference, reference). Also in later years, Eustace Cohen wrote “A History of Golf in Western Australia” which was published posthumously by the Western Mail  in twenty two weekly installments from the 31st March, 1938 to to the 25th August, 1938 (reference).

When Mr Cohen died in 1938, the secretary of the Golf Association, Mr. Hastings Reid, said in tribute: “No man in this State has done more for the development of W.A. golf courses than Eustace Cohen” (reference).

Other Sports

Mr Cohen was an avid fisherman and, when playing golf on the Leschenault Links, would often interrupt his game to visit several fishing lines baited for kingfish. He was also a prominent member of the Trout Acclimatisation Society and deft at using a fly rod (reference). As well, Mr Cohen was also a keen duck shooter (reference).

During his years in Bunbury, Mr Cohen was a member of the Moorabinda Croquet Club and was a proficient player who won several tournaments (reference, reference)

Eustace played tennis as well and at his final tennis social before leaving Bunbury, Mr Minors deemed him to be “one of the best tennis players in the South-West” (reference)

Military Service

Before World War One, Eustace Cohen served as an officer  of the Australian Intelligence Corps (reference), Due to being a skilled draftsman, he made a valuable contribution to the military authorities of western Australia by carrying out topographical surveys of the main roads of the State, and reporting on the ability of bridges to carry artillery and heavy transport. (reference). While in Bunbury, he also participated in military exercises with the Light Horse Regiment (reference). 

On June 22nd, 1914, Mr Cohen left for an extended holiday in England on the Marmora (reference). During his stay in England, World War One began and England became involved. Eustace put aside any idea of having a holiday and reported to the War Office offering to help with coastal defence while he remained in England (reference). However, in spite of his many years of training and considerable ability, the English forces initially would not accept him as he was an Australian. Instead he had to wait until the Australian troops arrived but when they were diverted to Egypt, he decided he would return to Australia to enrol (reference). He was on the mail boat about to depart England in January, 1915, when he received the news that he had been accepted into the Inns of Court Officers Training Corps - also known as the Devil’s Own Regiment (reference, reference). 

In August, 1915, Eustace was still in his regiment’s headquarters in Chatham, London, but was expecting to leave for the front at any time. Even though the fatality rate of the regiment was at 40%, Mr Cohen wrote that he was confident he would return “sound in wind and limb at the expiry of the war. (reference). 

Soon after this, Eustace was transferred to the 23rd Field Company of the Royal Australian Engineers and served at the Battle of Loos in northern France. His brother Gilbert wrote of the dangers facing Eustace  in a letter to Mr Harry Russell of Busselton:

“I expect you know poor old " Eusty " is in the Royal Engineers, and has been having a very rough passage in France. He was home on short leave recently, and in excellent spirits. He has been in the thick of it at Loos; and was in the great battle there, and afterwards in the job of making good the advance, putting out wire entanglements in front of the advance trenches, etc.. He is quite used to being potted at now, and has acquired the ' sapper nerve,' which enables a

man to quietly do a bit of intricate barb wire fence, and at the same time afford the enemy a battle target that does not attempt to hit back”.

In a letter to Mr A. V. Parkes, Eustace explained one of the duties of the engineers was trying to work out ways to alleviate the intense discomfort suffered by the troops in the trenches (reference). 

By April 1916 Eustace had been promoted to First Lieutenant and reports were coming back that his work was very much valued by the military (reference). He was promoted again in 1917 to Captain (reference).

In 1917, after serving 20 months in the trenches, Mr Cohen took up the temporary position of the Inspector of the Fourth Army Infantry school at Rouen where “he trained engineers in trench work, the construction of gun emplacements and similar duties in the field” (reference, reference).

Ever the golf enthusiast, Captain Cohen likened the war to a golf match in a letter to the captain of the Bunbury Gold Club, Fred Roberts:

“As I write the Boche is putting over some long drives, but is using rather a heavy substitute for balls, which make a very nasty noise in coming to ground after the carry. He is, however, over driving and is a little bit on the slice side, so is not causing me much inconvenience only a little annoyance as it makes me jump.” 

In the same letter, he also mentioned that, if he were to design any more golf courses after the war, he would be loathe to use explosives (reference).

In July, 1916, Eustace was wounded when he was shot in the leg and a piece of shrapnel cut his cheek (reference). By 1919, according to the Bunbury Herald, Eustace had been wounded twice and gassed three times in total without losing a day in the trenches (reference).

During his service in World War one, Mr Cohen was mentioned at least three  times in despatches (reference). He was demobilized in 1919 and spent time with his brothers Gilbert and Hugh on the old family farm in Northern Wales before returning to Western Australia on the Indarra in 1920 (reference, reference, reference). Later that year, he delivered a lecture at the United Services League, St George’s Terrace titled “ Field Engineering: The War and the Manual” (reference).

After his return from the war, Mr Cohen was actively involved with the Returned Services League and was a member of the state executive (reference).

Artist

Although Eustace Cohen never pursued painting seriously,  he completed several watercolours of French and Belgian cityscapes, while serving overseas. These were exhibited by the W.A. Society of Arts in a mixed exhibition in 1920 and were described as “ simply gems of art” (reference, reference).

Eustace was also an accomplished amateur photographer and a member of the Dilettante Club (later the Van Raalte Club) for advanced amateur photographers in Perth. He regularly contributed to club exhibitions from the late 1920s to mid 1930s. 

Reporting on the club’s 1928 exhibition, the West Australian stated:

“Mr Eustace Cohen needs no introduction as an amateur photographer. Balance and rhythmic light and shade massing are characteristics of his pictures of old houses - "An Old Welsh Farmhouse" and "A Hillside Cottage". Three fisherman around their boat are also depicted artistically (reference)”

In 1931, Eustace had the honour of one of his photographs being accepted by the Victorian International Salon of Photography . This was of a church door at Bisham, England. (reference) His contribution to a 1931 club exhibition was described in the West Australian as “choice studies in England, including a beautiful old abbey doorway and views in the lake country, one, a scene with horses ploughing in the foreground and a great expanse of sky, conveying a strong sense of poetry and rhythm” (reference). 

Family Life

Mrs Cohen

Eustace married Miss Maud Brazier on April 26th, 1922 (reference).  Maud, who was born in 1898,  was the eldest daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Noel and Edith Brazier of Kirup. Colonel Brazier was the commanding officer of the 25th Light Horse and was a family friend of the Cohen brothers  (reference, reference). Mrs Edith Brazier was the daughter of Thomas Hardwick who was then General Manager of the Swan Brewery (reference)

Maud was the eldest daughter of nine children and grew up at Capeldene homestead near Kirup.  She attended the Girl’s High School, Claremont (now St Hilda’s) and won first Prize for General Proficiency in 1911 then in 1912, she attained honours in Freehand drawing examinations which included students from the Adelaide Art Schools (reference, reference). Maude completed and passed her Junior Examination in 1913 and then returned to live with her parents in Kirup for some time before returning to Perth (reference, reference, reference).

As a young girl, Maud appears to have had a close working  relationship with her father. Mr Brazier bred horses and Maud sometimes rode them in shows and she also “interested herself zealously” in the formation of a band for her father’s Light Horse Regiment  (reference, reference, reference).

Mrs Cohen was a well known rider it seems as later a reporter would recall:

“I have only seen one  girl whom I really admired astride, and that was Miss Brazier. of Balingup, now Mrs. Eustace Cohen, of South Perth” (reference)

The marriage between Mr and Mrs Cohen  was to have taken place ten days earlier that it did - on Easter Sunday, 1922 - but in late March, Maud had stepped into a lift that wasn’t there and had fallen 15ft down the shaft onto a concrete floor. Maud  was hospitalized for two weeks and the marriage was postponed until she recovered (reference).

On their honeymoon at “Leithdale” in Darlington, and while Maud was still recovering from a broken leg, Eustace and Maud were seated by the proprietor at the same table as the famous writer, D.H. Lawrence and his wife Frieda who were on a two week visit to Western Australia. Lawrence researchers believe the character of Victoria Callcott from the novel “Kangaroo” was based at least partially on Maud and her family history gathered from the conversations she had with the writer at that time (reference, reference, reference).

During World War 2, Mrs Cohen was the honorary secretary of the War Comfort Fund and according to a letter to the editor in the West Australian after her death in 1947 was “one of the most ardent workers in this State for the welfare of the men and women of the services.” The letter added that her fellow workers would “testify to the value of her cheerful personality, leadership and unremitting devotion to the work. She drew on her reserves of strength and worked cheerfully until victory was achieved and our men repatriated” (reference). This was also borne out by a columnist from The Daily News commenting on how hard those supporting the troops worked in 1941:

“For instance, you should see Mrs. Eustace Cohen, honorary secretary of the Australian Comforts Fund, back at her desk although just out of hospital with a bad leg which

she rests on a cushion, on a foot stool, and drapes with a rug.” (reference).

Eustace Cohen was 57 years old when he died in 1938 and Maud was 51 years old when she died in 1951.

They had three children

Helen Heathcote born in 1923 married Dr Harold Rowe (reference)

 Eustace “Gresley” born in 1926 who was also an architect. He married Enid Parry of Nedlands (reference, reference).

John Rowley born in 1927 married Patricia Pyke of Mt Lawley (reference).