Potts Point, Darling Point And Neighbourhood - Supplementary Note - J Arthur Dowling - Aust Historical Society Journal Vol 2 Pg 52 - 69

 

Potts’ Point, Darling Point & Neighbourhood.
Supplementary Note.
By J. ARTHUR DOWLING (Fellow).
[This note is supplementary to the extensive paper by me,
published in the Society’s Journal, Vol. 2, pp. 52-69. It is nearby
21 years since that paper was read before the Society,
& in the interval some of the fine old homes have been either
demolished or remodelled, as are here mentioned.]
“Craigend” (p. 52) has been demolished, the land
subdivided, and modern flat buildings erected on the
land. The whole of this property is now densely built
upon.
“Goderich Lodge” (p. 51•) has since been demolished,
and modern dwellings and flats erected on the land.
“Waratah” (p. 53) : The original house is still on the
site. Some years since property came into the
possession of Mr. A. W. Allen, who renovated and im-
*This grant was known as Homebush, & was later acquired
by D’Arcy Wentworth. The area now forms part of the Abat-
toirs property.

proved it, & erected an additional large building, all
of which is still' used as flats known as “Waratah.” It
has since passed out of Mr. Allen’s possession. The
western end of Hampton Court building is on part of
the land originally belonging to Goderich property, &
partly on land on which Elizabeth Terrace has been
erected.
The property built on portion of land (in upper
William St, North, now Bayswater Rd, Kings
Cross), was portion of a grant on October 19, 1831,
to Mr. S. A. Perry, at its junction with Macleay St
(formerly Woolloomooloo Rd, at one time “Mill Hill
Rd”), extending into & along Macleay St, is
erroneously described (p. 53). Darlinghurst Rd should
should have been mentioned, not Macleay St, for this
road & street do not connect until they meet opposite
Elizabeth Bay Rd further north. Many of the houses
in Alberto Terrace built & formerly owned by Mr.
John Solomon (Jacky Solomon), have lately been modern-
ised & converted into business premises.
“Kellet House” (p. 53): This residence was not
built by Sir S. A. Donaldson, but probably by Captain
S. A. Perry. See article by Mrs. A. G. Foster, entitled
“Some Early Homes and Epitaphs,” in the Society’s
Journal, Vol. XI., p. 305, wherein it is stated that “After
disposing of the fine property in Hunter St [At the
south-west corner of Hunter & Pitt Sts]
he went to live in a house named ‘Bona Vista,’ owned
by a Captain Perry. Mrs. Jones, as a token of her
friendship with Lady Darling, renamed the place ‘Dar-
linghurst.’ Later the house passed into the hands of
S. A. Donaldson, who changed the name to ‘Kellet
House.’ ”
“Eaton” (p. 53) was purchased some years ago from
Mr. E. Fosbery by Mr. A. W. Allen, who lately disposed
of it. The house has been demolished, & now a large
number of small flats are erected upon the land.
“A small cottage where my parents lived” (p. 54):
This cottage has long since been demolished, & C. B.
Bradley’s Motor Works & Garage are now erected on
the land.





Roslyn Hall’ (p. 54) : The widow of William Law-
son, the younger, lived here in the 1870's with her
daughters Sarah & Sophia, who married Christopher
Lethbridge & Edward Deas Thomson, respectively.
Some other occupants were Mr. Chauvel & Hon. Wil-
liam Macleay. Mr. Thomas Barker lived there after he
erected the house. Mrs. Parry Long is now owner &
occupier. This old house still exists, but it is now
hidden from sight by the dwellings in Darlinghurst Rd
built on the frontage, though it can be seen in Roslyn
Avenue, immediately at the rear of it.
“Cheverells” (p. 54) has been extensively added to
and renovated, & is now a large building of flats. It
was built by David Jones (of the old firm of David Jones
& Company), who sold it to Captain Deloitte, who
treated it as portion of his marriage settlement. He
lived there, & later occupants were J. Gosling, Henry
Beit, James Ewen, Hamilton Osborne, —. Todd, Dr. Hall
Palmer, W. R. Campbell, & now Mrs. Rolls.
‘Barncleuth’ (p. 54) was built by David Jones.
The old home has been altered & enlarged, & is now
known as “Kinneil.”
“Greenknowe” (p. 54) was demolished some years
ago, the land subdivided, & various dwellings erected
on the land, amongst others the large building known as
Kingsclere Flats, at the corner of Greenknowe Avenue.
Amongst occupants at various times were Walter Lamb,
F. H. Danger, F. C. Griffith, H. E. H. Allen, & Bishop
Saumarez Smith. It is most probable that Mr. Hume,
the head of his profession at the time, was the architect.

“Bomerah” (p. 55), the residence of the McQuade
family, was later resumed by the Government for the
Harbour Trust, & the dwelling house, with portion of
the land, was leased by it to R. Amos, contractor.

“Grantham” (p. 56) : After the death of Hon. Henry
C. Dangar, this property was subdivided & sold. The
mansion has since been used as a boarding house.

“Springfield” (p. 57) was lately purchased by Mr.
A. E. Dalwood, who, on reconditioning it, removed a
hearthstone in one of the rooms, on the back of which
was cut “This hearth stone was laid by F. Overton,
15/9/1830.” This would give some evidence of the date
of the erection of the house, which was evidently built
before the actual issue of the grant to A. M. Baxter on
October 19, 1830, as was somewhat usual in those days.
Some of the various tenants were Madam Monsigny, Mrs.
Henrickson, Robert Campbell (of the wharf), Fitzgerald
(of Windsor), George Evans (solicitor), Lady Murray,
M. J. Macnamara (solicitor), Mrs. W. H. Suttor, & at
present Mrs. Pickburn.

“Brougham Lodge” (p. 57) property, after taking
in Stirling Cottage at the junction of Macleay Street
(correctly Darlinghurst Rd) & Victoria St, ex-
tended to the site of Alberto Terrace to the east, erected
by John Solomon.

“Rosebank” (p. 58), & those houses in front of
same, have long since been demolished. Large buildings
& flats have been erected on the principal land, &
the buildings in front have been demolished for the wid-
ening of William St

DARLING POINT.

“Canonbury” (p. 59) was some years ago purchased
by the Australian Jockey Club, to use as a hospital for
permanently crippled soldiers, & is now a Home for
Returned Soldiers’ Children.

“Etham House, enclosed by an unsightly galvanised
iron fence” (p. 60), is now demolished, & dwelling
houses erected on the land.

“Mount Adelaide” (pp. 60-61) was later owned by
the late Samuel Hordern, who in his will directed his
son, the present Sir Samuel Hordern, to erect a dwelling
house of a certain value. He consequently purchased
the property, demolished the house, & erected on the
site the present mansion, which he named “Babworth
House.”

“Eastbourne” (p. 61) was later owned & occupied
by the present Mr. Henry Austin, who disposed of it.
Now it is modernised, & made into flats with an im-
posing appearance.

Mr. T. W. Smart’s land in Branch Rd (now
Marathon Rd) & Darling Pt, with his vegetable
garden on it (p. 61), is now covered with dwelling houses,
&  is known as Marathon Estate. Part of this is Mr.
Merivale’s property, which has been subdivided into al-
lotments, including that on which his house, “Annery,”
is erected. The old guard house has been demolished,
& a dwelling house known as “Little Annery” has
been erected on the land it occupied, & on some ad-
joining land.

“Brooksby” (p. 62) was at one time occupied by
Miss Robson as a Boys’ Preparatory School, & later by
myself & others. It was sold some years ago, &
has been added to and improved.

“St. Mark’s Crescent” (p. 62) was long since dis-
posed of, but I do not know the name of the present
owner.
“St. Mark’s Church” (p. 62) interior has been much
improved by the introduction of modern lighting and
other additions.

“Greenoakes” (p. 63) : This property was left by
the original owner, Thomas Sutcliffe Mort, to his widow
& family in equal shares, who eventually sold the
house, with a portion of surrounding land, to the Church
of England for the residence of the Arch-
bishop of Australia; & the residue of the land to a
speculator, who divided it into various allotments, which
are now built upon & owned by various purchasers.

“Fiona” (p. 65) is now owned by Misses Fanny &
Kate Knox, daughters of the late Sir Edward Knox.

“Ecclesbourne” (p. 65): The late Dr. James Norton
was owner, & lived here for a number of years. After
his death it was sold, with portion of the land, & it is
now owned by his son; & two dwelling houses are
erected on the other portions of the same.
“The old stone building .... for the use of the
police” (p. 66), at corner of road, now Beach Rd, lead-
ing to Yarranabee Rd, has long since disappeared, &
on the land a modern building has been erected.

“Springfield,” Darling Point (p. 67), was sold &
subdivided some years ago. The house was modernised,
& numerous dwellings erected on the allotments.
Strangely enough, the late Mr. George Evans, solicitor,
had been an occupant at different times of “Springfield,”
Darling Pt, and “Springfield,” Darlinghurst Rd.