Hampton Buildings facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hampton Buildings
Hampton Buildings in 2016
General information
Address	2-8 Wray Avenue
Town or city	Fremantle
Country	Western Australia
Construction started	1896
Completed	1896
Height
Architectural	Victorian Georgian

The Hampton Buildings is a special old building in Fremantle, Western Australia. It is located at 2-8 Wray Avenue, right on the corner of South Terrace. This building is considered a heritage site, meaning it is important to history. It was built a long time ago, in 1896, when many new buildings were appearing in Fremantle. This was during a time called the "gold boom."

Discovering Hampton Buildings

The Hampton Buildings stand on a unique triangular piece of land. One corner faces South Terrace, and the main front of the building looks out onto Wray Avenue. It is a single-story building, which means it only has one floor.

What Does it Look Like?

The building is made of strong walls covered in a smooth finish, called "rendered masonry." It also has an iron roof. The style of the building is known as Victorian Georgian. This style was popular when Queen Victoria was ruling.

Special Features of the Building

At the very top of the roof, there is a decorative wall called a "parapet." This parapet has a special triangular part, called a "gable," facing South Terrace. On this gable, you can clearly see the words Hampton Buildings 1896 written in stucco, which is a type of plaster.

The building originally had four separate shops inside. Each shop had a large window with a timber frame facing the street. Over time, the inside walls between the first three shops were removed. This created one big, connected space. The last shop, however, stayed separate.

Built in a Busy Time

The Hampton Buildings were constructed during a very exciting period in Western Australia's history. This time was known as the gold boom. Many people moved to Western Australia hoping to find gold.

Fremantle's Gold Rush Story

Because so many people were arriving and the economy was growing, towns like Fremantle needed more shops and businesses. This led to a lot of new commercial buildings being built. The Hampton Buildings were one of these important structures built during this busy time. They show us what Fremantle was like during the late 1800s.