Dwellings of Some of the First British Colonists to the Swan River Colony, and What They Indicate About Preparing for Settlement, the Use of Local Materials, and Settlement Permanency

Abstract

This paper examines dwelling remains associated with the first British to arrive at the Swan River colony in 1829–1830. The structures at the Peel town settlement comprise a mix of prefabricated timber structures with glazed windows and a range of floor material, non‐customised canvas structures and customised canvas structures. All used local material—in particular limestone—for hearths and fireplaces, and as anchors and supports for timber posts and canvas. Previous research on dwellings suggest the feature can inform on people's differential access to building materials, the enlargement of families or the population of a place, changing economic and social standing, people's defence against others, and people's views about a place's permanence. The dwellings from Peel town reinforce the conclusions of some of these themes, but add to the inventory by using dwellings to view the preparations some made of settling a new land during the modern period. However, earlier models using structures to decide settlement permanency were found unsuitable due to the culture of the 19th century British with their access to goods to counter initial settlement stress, and the place forming part of the initial settlement of a new area.