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Property Details
| Property ID: 1 |
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| Street Address: | |
| Suburb/Postcode: | Burwood Heights
2136 |
| City: | Sydney |
| State: | NSW |
| Country: | Australia |
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| Council/LGA: | Burwood |
| Zoning: | |
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| Category: | House |
| Name(s): | |
| Built: | c. 1908 ~ 1909 |
| Architect: | |
| Builder: | |
| Architectual Type: | Federation |
| Demolished: | Yes (2010) |
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'Tilba' was an attractive and uniquely designed two-storey Federation residence fronting the southern side of Liverpool Road opposite the Appian Way. The house featured a hipped roof of slate with decorative red terracotta tiled ridges and two chimneys being primarily of roughcast with some brick bordering and terracotta pots.
The large primary two-storey gabled bay that projected towards the front was arguably the most dominating feature of the house. The gable was primarily of roughcast with timber panelling. Supporting the gable were two two-storey columns of stucco which widened as they reached ground level. The gable projected over a balcony with timber fretwork brackets, frieze and ballustrading. A large set of double doors opened onto the balcony. Beneath the balcony was a shallow verandah with tesselated tiles and white marble edging. The verandah featured prominent wide arched brickwork at the front and a set of double doors opening onto it.
The primary verandah extended from the main projecting bay and returned around the western side of the house. A number of windows and doors opened onto the verandah, including the main entrance double doors with blue panelled glass. The verandah also featured the distinctive and recurring theme of arched and curved brickwork at the front and sides as well as being floored with tesselated tiles and white marble edging. The first storey featured a small balconette, a facade of roughcast and a small projecting gablet. Below the gablet were casement windows with toplights, a small surmounting window hood and an elliptical bullseye window located nearby. The roughcast facade extended around the western side of the house which featured a large gable and a large set of casement windows with blue toplights.
A small but prominent and somewhat unusually projecting rectangular window bay was located at the front corner of the house. Beyond this was a large elliptical bulleseye window with leadlight and a large single-storey projecting gabled bay with a large set of double-hung windows with blue toplights. The rear of the house featured a balcony with timber fretwork, ballustrading and corrugated iron roof. A set of french doors opened out onto the balcony.
Interior
Downstairs: The main entrance doors lead into the foyer with a decorated arch and timber staircase leading upstairs. On the eastern side of the foyer was a large lounge room at the front of the house with timber fireplace, an arched and projecting window bay and leadlight bullseye window. A set of double doors lead out onto the front verandah. A study was located immediately on the western side of the foyer featuring a timber fireplace, bay windows and door leading out onto the side of the verandah. The entrance foyer lead to a small corridor which ran down the middle to the back of the house. On the eastern side of the corridor was a deep, cavernous dining room with timber fireplace and large windows. On the western side of the corridor was a stunning, large family room which was unique in character and design. It featured numerous large double-hung windows with the upper sashes being panelled with small multi-coloured glass, an impressive curved domed ceiling loomed overhead with attractively painted murals on the sides and plaster panelled ceilings at it's peak. The primary section of the house downstairs which included the foyer and 3 reception rooms were likely about 12'3" (3.73m) high.
Upstairs: A large master bedroom was located on the western side of the house featuring a marble mantelpiece, alcoves and numerous windows. There were 2 other bedrooms on the eastern side. The front bedroom featured a timber fireplace and double doors leading onto the front balcony and the rear bedroom had french doors leading out onto the rear balcony. A set of doors from the gallery area also lead out onto the small balconette at the front. The rooms on the upper floor were likely around 11'0" (3.35m) high.
The house featured a pleasant design with emphasis placed on the size of the rooms rather than the quantity of rooms - the house had at most 3 to 4 bedrooms. Most parts of the house opened out onto verandahs and balconies and the lofty ceilings also added to it's appeal. Both floors of the house almost exclusively featured plaster panelled ceilings. Other features included high skirtings, picture rails and 4-panelled doors with transom windows above, typical features found in Federation houses. |
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It appears that 'Tilba' was built as the residence of Albert Allan Berwick and his wife Clarice E. F. Webb, whom he married on May 11, 1906.[1] Prior to living at 'Tilba', the Berwick family lived at a house called 'Tilba Tilba' in Lily street, Enfield. Two children were born at the Lily street residence to the couple - a daughter on April 28, 1907[2] and a son on December 28, 1908.[3] Around March 1909, the Lily Street house was put on the market for sale, suggesting that work on 'Tilba' on Liverpool Road was most likely nearing completion.[4] Later ads in September 1909 could also be found listing the Lily street residence for sale.[5]
Sometime during 1909 or 1910 the Berwick family would have likely moved into the newly constructed home on Liverpool Road and carried over the name 'Tilba' to it. On February 26, 1915 a son was born at 'Tilba' to Mr. and Mrs. Berwick.[6] The house would remain in the Berwick family for many years. On October 14, 1929, Emily Webb, mother of Mrs. Berwick passed away at the residence[7] and on December 14, 1930, Albert Allan Berwick passed away unexpectedly while in Adelaide.[8] During the 1930's, 'Tilba' would become home to Mr. and Mrs. Jackson - Mrs. Jackson being one of the married daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Berwick. On June 13, 1935 a daughter was born to the couple at Englewood Private Hospital in Burwood.[9]
While an exact build date for 'Tilba' cannot be confirmed at this point, judging by the architectural style of the house, the birth of a child in late December 1908 at the 'Tilba 'Tilba' Lily street residence, then ads being placed for the sale of that residence in 1909, likely points to a build date of around late 1908 to 1909 for the house.
Threat of Demolition
'Tilba' was sold in November 2009 to a developer and by the end of the year an application was submitted for the demolition of the house and construction of a three-storey residential apartment building. The news of Tilba's threat of demolition attracted wide-spread attention and was published in various sources such as the Sydney Morning Herald,[10] Inner West Courier[11] and the local Burwood Scene. Prior to demolition, the house had an Interim Heritage Order placed on it for 40 days in order to evaluate it's heritage merit. The situation also raised the issue of the conflict between preservation and need for more housing in Sydney.
Demolition
Due to the absence of protection on the house and the expiry the Interm Heritage Order, demolition commenced on Wednesday, April 14, 2010, amid protests, which lead to a temporary halt of demolition and attracted the attention of Channel 7, making the evening news in the process. Two days later on April 16 demolition resumed and the house was completely demolished. Prior to and following it's demolition various issues were raised in regards to councils reviewing their heritage lists and how development policies were more recently changed in order to speed up the approval of development applications, largely to encourage more new housing developments in Sydney. It was noted that these changes posed great threat to other older houses like 'Tilba' absent of any protection and they too could face swift demolition.[12]
The following year during 2011, the three-storey residential apartment building was built in place of 'Tilba' and was completed by around early 2012. |
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