|
|
Property Details
| Property ID: 41 |
|
|
|
| Street Address: | |
| Suburb/Postcode: | Burwood
2134 |
| City: | Sydney |
| State: | NSW |
| Country: | Australia |
|
|
| Council/LGA: | Burwood |
| Zoning: | |
|
|
| Category: | House |
| Name(s): | |
| Built: | c. 1889 ~ 1890 |
| Architect: | |
| Builder: | |
| Architectual Type: | Victorian |
| Demolished: | No |
|
|
|
'Mona' is a gracious late Victorian villa residence and an excellent representative of the work of the well known architects A. L. and G. McCredie. It features two gabled projecting window bays with finely detailed two-storey verandah which curves out in front of the window bays. There is a large grand front entry door with fanlight and etched glass leading into a wide hall which ends at an archway. There is a cross hall forming a "T" shape with finely detailed staircase lighted by an ornate stained glass window. The entry and cross halls open into 2 large bay window reception rooms and a study at side with door onto return verandah. The upstairs layout with bedrooms and halls largely follows a similar layout to the ground floor. The house features ornate ceilings and exceptional cedar timberwork throughout with joinery, doors, windows and staircase - a feature highlighted in numerous write ups in the 1880's of homes designed by the McCredie Bros. There are also 5 impressive marble mantels with tiled hearths in a variety of colours and designs. The house was designed to facilitate good air flow and light into rooms with numerous large windows or doors opening onto the verandahs and balconies. Rooms are built to lofty heights of 12'6" (3.8m approx.) on the ground floor and 12'0" (3.66m) on the upper floor.
No. 24 Ethel Street was recently on the market with McGrath Estate agents (now sold). More information at this link. |
|
|
'Mona' was built in 1889-90 as residence of Captain William and Mary Cottier.
Captain William Cottier was well known in shipping circles with a career over 30 years with the Australian Steam Navigation Company (A.S.N. Co) serving as captain and later commodore of it's fleet. He took charge of vessels mostly operating between Brisbane and Rockhampton.[1] He retired and moved to Burwood around the time the A.S.N. Co was amalgamated with the Queensland Steam Shipping Company in 1886-87 to create the new company known as the Australasian United Steam Navigation Company (A.U.S.N. Co).[2][3]
Acquiring the land at Burwood (late 1888/early 1889)
In the years leading up to the construction of the home, the land on which 'Mona' was built was known as the Cheltenham Park Estate. This was an 8 acre estate fronting Burwood Road which was subdivided into 38 villa sites with lots auctioned on 27 November 1880. A new street called Emily Street was created through the estate which was renamed to Ethel Street in 1883. Section 1 included lots 1 to 3 facing Burwood Road and lots 4 to 18 facing the northern side of Ethel Street. Section 2 included lots 1 to 4 fronting Burwood Road and lots 5 to 20 fronting the southern side of Ethel Street. Each lot was typically around 50ft. wide.[4]
In late 1888/early 1889 the Cottiers purchased lots 7, 8, 9 & 10 of Section 2 of the subdivision, however these were purchased as 2 larger lots[5][6]:-
- lot 7 and part of lot 8 with 80ft frontage to Ethel Street. Shown on Deposited Plan No. 584 as being whole of land comprised in certificate of title dated 26 February 1889, Volume 914, Folio 228.
- part of lot 8, whole lots 9, 10 and 11 with 120ft frontage approx. to Ethel Street. Shown on Deposited Plan No. 584 as being whole of land comprised in certificate of title dated 17 January 1889, Volume 908, Folio 206.
Mary Cottier was registered as the owner of both blocks of land. 'Mona' was built on the larger 120ft allotment with the second extending the grounds to form a total 200ft frontage to Ethel Street.
Construction of 'Mona' (1889-90) and design by A. L. and G. McCredie
The Cottiers commissioned the prominent firm A. L. and G. McCredie, architects and consulting engineers to design their home. Tenders were released by July 1889[7][8]:-
TO BUILDERS and CONTRACTORS. TENDERS are invited until noon on SATURDAY, July 27th, for the Erection and Completion of a Villa Residence, Ethel-street, Burwood. Plans, specifications, and full particulars at the office of the architects, 250, Pitt-street. A. L. and G. McCREDIE. Architects and Consulting Engineers.
The house was erected 1889-90. A post in the Sydney Morning Herald (13 November 1889) hints to it's construction[9]:-
WANTED, TENDERS for Stonework; plans on job. Ethel-street, Burwood.
Prior to and during the construction of 'Mona' the Cottier family leased a residence of 10 rooms known as 'Rutland' in Belgrave Street, Burwood. Captain Cottier's father-in-law William Nicholson passed away there in November 1889.[10] By April 1890 they were residing at their newly completed home 'Mona'.[11]
The firm A. L. and G. McCredie was a partnership between the brothers Arthur Latimer and George McCredie. They were responsible for designing many fine buildings in the city and across the state, particularly for major shipping firms and were well known to the prominent and influential men in that industry, including the likes of Captain Cottier.
George McCredie[12] developed a close association with the industry from a young age when at 14 he moved to northern Queensland to work for the A.S.N. Co as an apprentice carpenter. At the age of 18 he took charge of the company's work to build a wharf at Townsville. He returned to Sydney and joined his brother to establish the firm McCredie Bros. Some of their work included designs for new wharves and stores for the Newcastle Steamship Company at Darling Harbour (1881)[13], new jetties and extensive improvements to premises in Margaret and Sussex streets for the Union Steamship Company of NZ (1882)[14], offices for the Mutual Life Association in Bathurst at the corner of Keppel and Bentinck streets (1886)[15], the National Permanent Building, Land and Investment Society building in Pitt Street (see sketch at this reference)[16] and one of the highlight heritage city buildings - the Burns, Philip and Co premises in Bridge Street (1899)[17]. In 1889 the McCredie Bros established a Brisbane office by forming a partnership with the Brisbane architect C. W. Chambers under the name McCredie Bros and Chambers.[18] They designed the Brisbane offices for the Australasian United Steam Navigation Company (A.U.S.N. Co). This building is now known as Naldham House.[19]
In addition to 'Mona' other highly impressive examples of their domestic work include the superintendent's villa residence in Newtown (1887) for the Institution of the Deaf and Dumb and Blind during their tenure as the appointed architects for the institution.[20] George designed his home 'Linnwood' (1891) at 25 Byron Road, Guildford - now on occasion open for tours and events by The Friends of Linnwood.[22][21] Arthur designed his home 'Kenilworth' at 33 Allen Street, Harris Park (photo on wiki page at this ref.).[23] They also designed one the state's most striking mansions 'Studley Park' (1889) at Narellan near Camden.[24]
Ownership by Cottiers (1889 - 1901)
On 01 June 1893 Lavinia Raybould passed away at 'Mona'.[25] On 06 June 1894 Mary Ellen Cottier, daughter of William and Mary Cottier was married to Edmund Charles Beckett at the Burwood St James Presbyterian Church.[26]
In 1899 an auction of furniture and personal effects was held at 'Mona' due to Mary Cottier's departure for England and the Paris Exhibition.[27] Amid financial issues in 1900-01[6][5] the property was first listed for rent in 1900[28] and in 1901 placed on the market for sale by order of the mortgagee. It was described as a "superior" residence comprising drawing, dining, breakfast and library rooms with 7 bedrooms and outhouses including 2-stall stable and coach house. The sale only included 120ft. block of land with the house on it, not the additional 80ft block.[29]
After selling 'Mona' Captain and Mary Cottier moved to reside at 'St. Elmo' Stoney Creek Road, Hurstville. Captain Cottier passed away there in May 1908 at the age of 87.[30] Mary then moved to reside in Stanmore. In early 1915 she was notified that her (and Captain Cottier's) only son William was killed in action in France at the age of 22 on December 3, 1914. William had left Australia for England some 18 months prior and with the outbreak of the war joined the first battalion of the British Rifle Brigade.[31][32]
Ownership by David Aitken (1901 - 1925)
In 1901 'Mona' was purchased by David Lindesay Aitken who renamed it to 'Craigenvar'.[33] David Aitken was a well known solicitor and partner of the firm David L. Aitken and Barron, based in Elizabeth Street in the city. His son Lindsey Shepherd Aitken, also a resident of 'Craigenvar' was a solicitor and member of his father's firm.[34] He married Peggy Napier Robinson at St. John's Church Ashfield on 14 July 1925.[35]
David Aitken sold 'Craigenvar' in late 1925. The ads for the sale of the property mentioned it to be a "most substantial residence" with wide hall, 4 large reception rooms, 2 maids' rooms, dining hall, 4 bedrooms upstairs (2 exceptionally large) and a detached brick billiard room. Grounds at the time still retained their 120ft. frontage to Ethel Street. They were described as widening at the rear to 132ft with depth of about 204ft with a private right-of-way from Wyatt Avenue at rear.[36] David Aitken passed away in July 1930 at the age of 63 at his home in Rose Bay.[37] |
|
|
|
|