Dinsdale's Shoe Emporium is a heritage-listed building on Avon Terrace in

York, Western Australia York is the oldest inland town in Western Australia, situated on the Avon River, east of Perth in the Wheatbelt, on Ballardong Nyoongar land,King, A and Parker, E: York, Western Australia's first inland town, Parker Print, 2003 p.3. and is ...

, constructed by a former mayor. In 1885 bootmaker William Dinsdale engaged architect

James William Wright James William Wright (9 October 1854 – 3 October 1917) was an Australian architect, civil engineer, and politician. He established the first private architectural practice in Western Australia in 1884, which now operates as Cameron Chisholm Ni ...

of Wright & Paterson to design a two-storey building with shops below and residences above. The building was constructed in 1887 by contractors Thorn, Bower and Stewart. The building was used as a boot, shoe and saddle store and factory. Lettering from Dinsdale's original wall banner is still visible at the front of the store. The store also has its original 1887 shop counter. In 1888, Dinsdale travelled throughout Australia to secure new machinery for his business, which was expanded to include saddles and harnesses. Part of the building or the rear building was being used as the

Shire Council Local government is the third level of government in Australia, administered with limited autonomy under the states and territories, and in turn beneath the federal government. Local government is not mentioned in the Constitution of Austr ...

Office in 1892. The building is in Victorian Free Classical style. The building has alternating

pediment Pediments are gables, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the lintel, or entablature, if supported by columns. Pediments can contain an overdoor and are usually topped by hood moulds. A pedimen ...

s. Dinsdale was Mayor of York from 3 December 1896 to November 1898, and again from 20 November 1901 to 1907. He became insolvent in 1908 and the property was transferred to his brother Alfred. The building was leased to Charlotte Pyke, who opened a lodging house known as the Temperance Hotel. Photographs of the building from this time show a two-storeyed verandah. The building is listed on the Shire municipal inventory (31 December 1995), classified by the

National Trust of Australia The National Trust of Australia, officially the Australian Council of National Trusts (ACNT), is the Australian national peak body for community-based, non-government non-profit organisations committed to promoting and conserving Australia's Ind ...

(1 April 1984) and on the

Register of the National Estate The Register of the National Estate was a heritage register that listed natural and cultural heritage places in Australia that was closed in 2007. Phasing out began in 2003, when the Australian National Heritage List and the Commonwealth Heritag ...

(21 March 1978). The façade of the building was restored in 2017.

References

{{Commons category, position=left Avon Terrace, York Buildings and structures in York, Western Australia Heritage places in York, Western Australia