Monday, November 13, 2023

"Greycliffe" - 21–23 Mona Road - Vaucluse - New South Wales

"Greycliffe"
21 - 23 Mona Road Vaucluse - New South Wales

"Greycliffe" is built from sandstone, with cedar joinery & fine quality plasterwork, for one of the daughters of Willliam Charles Wentworth - Fanny Wentworth. She married John Reeve, a Wealthy migrant from England.

John Reeve purchased the land at Shark Beach from Wentworth & Commissioned John Hilly The well Known Sydney Archirtect to Build "Greycliffe". The house was completed in 1852.
Reeve never lived at "Greycliffe" preferring to travel to England with his wife. Instead the house was leased to a string of prominant Sydney Citizens

John George Nathaniel Gibbes (1787 - 1873), MLC was then the Collector of Customs for NSW. The house proivded an ideal vantage pooint for Gibbes where he could watch the movements of shipping on Sydney Harbour's main channel.

Gibbes & his wife dwelt at "Greycliffe" until 1859 - when he retired from the Customs Service & they moved to their new home "Yarralumla Homesteasd", in what is now Canberra.

"Yarralumla" Is the Official residence of the Governor General Of Australia in Canberra.

in 1911, the house was transferred to Public ownership & given over by the New South Wales Government for use as a hospital for babies & then as a Mothercraft centre.

As it stands Today, "Greycliffe" is a large, elaborate & well preserved neo gothic Voictorian House which retains unobstruicted water views acroass to the Northern shore of Sydney harbour. It boasts multiple Gables, a long entrance hall,. a stately staircase & carved barge boards.

'Greycliffe" is one of the few remaining examples of Gothic architecture in the Sydney Area

Stables adjoin at the rear & the residences gardens tumble down to the beachfront, while natural bushland frames the house.

Wednesday, August 9, 2023

“Alta Mura” - 11 King George Street - Lavender Bay

“Cherwell” - 11 Hopetoun Avenue - Vaucluse

c1926

847sqm

Saturday, July 29, 2023

Fairfield House - Windsor - New South Wales

Fairfield House - Windsor - NSW

Fairfield House, the 1833 Georgian mansion built by pioneer William Cox at Windsor, has been sold by the executors of the late karate world champion-turned-professional poker player, Ladislaus “Joe” Meissner.

It sold for $2.4m through Lloyds Real Estate, which marketed it as suitable as a boutique hotel, day spa, aged-care facility or function venue, with its R2 and RE2 zoning.

The original 1830s house that sits on 7822sq m was expanded into a remarkable trophy home in the 1880s by Henry McQuade, manager of Her Majesty’s Theatre, and his actress wife Cissy Durant. It comes with a ballroom with two cloakrooms.

Meissner, who was last in the news in 2009 with his unsuccessful Western Sydney A-League proposal, paid $900,000 for the property in 1988 with his then wife, Sharron.

It was three years after The Sunday Telegraph published a 1985 report that he owned the infamous “Love Boat” that briefly scandalised NSW politics.

With connections to the NSW Labor Party as former secretary of its Enmore branch, it was alleged senior party figures had consorted with organised crime figures and a prostitute, Virginia Perger, aboard his boat the Kanzen.

Probate was granted in mid-June following Joe’s death, aged 79, last November.

The court, which was notified of his death in May, is set to hear the application next month. There has been a caveat on the Haymarket title from Xiuhua Shi since 2013 after a claim of being a co-purchaser in 2002.

It was the strata corporation’s ninth petition since 2007 to seek strata payments and arising legal costs.

According to PropTrack the median house price in Windsor, NSW is $825,000, down 12.6 per cent over the past 12 months.

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

"Caerleon House" - Bellevue Hill - Sydney - New South Wales

Caerleon House ~ Bellevue Hill.

Built in 1885-87 for the Sydney Morning Herald proprietor Charles Burton Fairfax, grandson of the newspaper's founder John Fairfax.

The original plans were drawn up by Sydney architect Harry Kent, but London architect Maurice Adams reworked the plans extensively, unfortunately Kent found that his name was left out altogether when the plans were exhibited in London, although he did supervise the construction of the house.

Caerleon is said be the first Queen Anne home built in Australia, it listed on the now defunct Register of the National Estate, it also has New South Wales heritage listing.

Photos by Mari Carmn ~ 2023

"But-Har-Gra" - Corner Of Georges River Road And Croydon Avenue, Croydon Park - Sydney - NSW

"But-Har-Gra"Is A Heritage Listed Mansion On The Corner Of Georges River Road & Croydon Avenue - Croydon Park

It Was Built in 1890 In The Victorian Architectural Style & Became The Church Of England Hostek For Girls And founded By Mariam Annette Grant (Nee Button). The Name "But'Har'Gra' Comes From Her Maiden Name & her Two Married Names.
The Estate Was Left To The Church Of England & Since 1959 Has Been Used As A Residential Accommodation For Students & Their Families Of The Moore Theological College Which Instructs Ministers For The Anglican Church Of Sydney

Sunday, June 25, 2023

Victorian Sydney - Overview Of Sydney Atchitecture

As late as the middle of the 20th century, Sydney was still a Victorian City, one that had its own intern replace the earlier colonial town.

Here in there, in the commercial centre, appeared a towering building of steel and glass somewhat like a gold tooth in a discoloured, Victorian mouth. A few tattered early colonial buildings remains like power, goes from a vanished age; But elsewhere, the Town Hall, the Cathedral’s, many of the hospitals, houses, and most of the office buildings, came into being while the Queen Victoria lift.

But elsewhere, the Town Hall, the Cathedral’s, many of the hospitals, houses, and most of the office buildings, came into being while the Queen Victoria lift.

In the bin business area, there were Edwardian buildings, and a greater number from the period of the 1930s, whilst Modern shops ran in and broken ranks Burnett Street awnings. But a glance at the buildings above the awning is revealed, statistically, predominant Victoriana. In the commercial areas, all the changed considerably in the years 1955 to 1960 when the third Sydney appeared with your Matic suddenness, as Victorian Sydney began to decay. The Victorian public buildings largely remain; the Victorian office buildings have fallen, and are falling, like weeks to weeks talk before the reaper.

modern shops ran in unbroken ranks, Burnett Street awnings. But a glance at the buildings above the awnings revealed, statistically, predominant Victoriana. In the commercial areas, all the changed considerably in the years 1955 to 1960, when the third Sydney appeared with traumatic suddenness, as Victorian Sydney, began to decay. The Victorian public buildings largely remain; the Victorian office buildings have fallen, and are falling, like weeks to weeks talk before the reaper.

But in the shopping area of the centre of the city, although the shops continually replace themselves, the buildings above still have Victorian, visually separated from the shops by the awnings; a curious mixture of the work of the 20th and the 19th centuries.

Stretching, mainly West, which from the centre of the city is a core Victorian suburbs, about which whole groups of new suburbs of growing, but this colour, the head of the octopus, like plan of modern Sydney, has been built before 1900.

These old suburbs are, too, now period with modern buildings, which, in time will grow, and multiply, until they sweep inside the earlier work, but in the meantime, some of the loveliest living areas of Sydney of those with Victorian houses in graceful churches dream among the century, old graves of trees trees that are great grandfather’s planted.

These old suburbs are, two, now pitted with modern buildings, which, in time will grow, and multiply, until they sweet beside the earlier work, but in the meantime, some of the loveliest living areas of Sydney of those were Victorian houses in graceful churches dream among the century, old graves of trees trees that are great grandfather‘s planted.

In time, as the trees are cut down in the buildings, vanish, with then we’ll go, Victorian Sydney, and its architecture, the visible framework of the story of a fascinating era.

By 1850 be early colonial period in Australia was passing away. New South Wales has been found as a convict settlement, but now the transportation of convicts, except to Tasmania, had ceased. The progress of agriculture in grazing, we’re growing in mining, and the increasing flowers, immigrant settlers, we are slowly changing the status of the country. As the colonial atmosphere send out, the outlines of a nation began to emerge.

By 1850, the early colonial period in Australia was passing away. New South Wales has been founded in a convict settlement, but now the transportation of convicts, excepted, Tasmania, had ceased. The progress of agriculture and grazing, wool, growing in mining, and the increasing flow of immigrant settlers, we’re slowly changing the status of the country. As the colonial atmosphere send out, the outlines of the nation began to emerge.

Charleze Fitzroy was to see changes that were beyond imagination when he arrived from England in 1846 to take up residence in the present present. Government house in Sydney. Completed only one year before, the great classic pile of government house itself in no way resembled to colonial architecture of the town that they spread along the valley, just to the Westwood. It was a pleasant town of Georgian Architecture, created under the influence of true colonialism that had carried on from the 18th century, the development of which work has been examined elsewhere. But the forces of change were at work, and, as always, architecture with reflect them.

architecture, created under the influence of true colonialism that had carried on from the 18th century, the development of which work has been examined elsewhere. But the forces of change were at work, and, as always, architecture was to reflect them.

The autocratic governance have disappeared into history, as New South Wales approached the brink of self-government. Sydney, which had been the only considerable town in Australia, which to find its importance, is capital of the colonies, diminished proportionately as Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth crew in great Capitals of their own rich districts.

For a while, it was intended that New South Wales should keep control of the other Australian colonies, and Charleze Fitzroy and said William Denison from 1846 to 1861, each carried the title of governor general of her Majesty’s possessions in Australia, but this was more designation than the fact of authority. There are immediate successor, so John Young, boy is the even more nominal title of governor in chief.

For a while, it was intended that New South Wales should keep control of the other Australian colonies, and to Charles Fitzroy and said William Denison from 1846 to 1861, each carried the title of governor general of her Majesty‘s possessions in Australia, but this was more designation than the fact of authority. They’re immediate successor, so Jhonn Young, by the even more nominal title of governor in chief.

United 51 the small colony of Victoria was separated from the parent, colony, his capital, Sydney, was to become more self, contained in more self interested, but this greater concentration of its own affairs was, in the long run, to be beneficial to the city.

Education, which had been sponsored early in the colonies history, was now progressing to the point where elementary schools were not sufficient. Sydney University was created, we can argue, agreeably high degree of talent, to function first in the old building, which is now the Sydney Grammar School, and later in its own building.

Education, which had been sponsored early in the colonies history, was now progressing to the point where elementary schools were not sufficient. Sydney University was created, with an arguable, agreeably high degree of talent, to function first in the old building, which is now the Sydney Grammar School, and later in its own building.

The industrial revolution had reached Sydney, to provide new building, materials, and more important steel, machines that were gradually to replace the old hand craftsmanship. Fitzroy was to see the start of the building of Sydney‘s first team railway, but it was so William Denison who was to take the first triumphant ride to Parramatta in 1855. In the next year, the line was extended to Liverpool, and the middle track slowly began to transact all the countryside to the Southwood in the Westwood.

Saturday, June 10, 2023

“Strathfield” - Strathfield - New South Wales - Demolished

Ambleside - Vasileias - Ashfield Castle - Ashfield - New South Wales

Wednesday, June 7, 2023

Venetia... Vanetta Now Bellevue - 55 Leichardt Street - Glebe - New South Wales

Bellevue, Glebe Point 1899 (G'mpa Warden in photo), [with the house Venetia in the background] ... c.1899 ... W. F. Hall Photo ...

Vanetta is perhaps either a pet name for the house employed by the Warden family, or a mistransliteration or corruption of Venetia [the two storey house, right, in this photograph]. The Warden family rented Bellevue 1898-1903 - Michael Foster (Sept 2005) ...

Previosly titled: "Vanetta" Glebe Point 1899 (G'mpa Warden in photo)

The residence is now known as "Bellevue" and is situated at 55 Leichhardt Street Glebe and is Classified by the National Trust of Australia (NSW).

Venetia was built about 1877 in Kennedy Street (later Leichhardt Street), Glebe for William Jarrett and demolished about 1915. Bellevue, probably a rental property, was built by local architect and builder Ambrose Thornley Junior for Jarrett. It first appears in the Glebe Rate books in 1896, unnamed, and in the Sands Directory in 1897, named Bellevue. It was acquired derelict by Leichhardt Council and was often incorrectly referred to as Venetia, long demolished, in the press and in minutes of the Heritage Council. -- Information supplied by Michael Foster (Sept 2005) ... State Library of New South Wales

All reactions:

The Rangers - Mosman - New South Wales

Built in 1844 by John Frederick Hilly, architect, for Oswald Bloxsome, the house was purchased by a syndicate in 1885 and its grounds partially subdivided. The house, located near Spofforth Street between Rangers Avenue and Brierly Street survived until 1914 ‘when, despite protests by the local community, it was demolished for further residential subdivision’.

Picture from book, "Demolished Houses of Sydney", Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales.