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Property Details
| Property ID: 27 |
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No Galleries for property |
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| Street Address: | |
| Suburb/Postcode: | Burwood
2134 |
| City: | Sydney |
| State: | NSW |
| Country: | Australia |
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| Council/LGA: | Burwood |
| Zoning: | |
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| Category: | House |
| Name(s): | |
| Built: | c. 1883 |
| Architect: | |
| Builder: | |
| Architectual Type: | Victorian |
| Demolished: | Yes (1929) |
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No photos of 'Ilfracombe' have been found at the moment but according to an ad listing the house for lease in 1895 it's clear that the house was a very large Victorian mansion set in 16 acres of land featuring a paddock, stabling and various other structures on it's grounds. The house was described as having "wide verandahs on 3 sides, also at rear, wide entrance hall, 4 reception rooms, smoking room, six bedrooms" and more. It's likely the mansion may have had a similar architectural style to 'Aberfoyle' (No. 24 Gordon Street, Burwood), although on a larger scale with wider wrap around verandahs and balconies extending on all 3 sides. |
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'Ilfracombe' was built as the residence of Mr. Robert. W. Hardie. Mr. Hardie was one of the founders of the firm Hardie and Gorman Pty. Ltd., estate agents, of Martin-place, Sydney. Among his other business accomplishments, he was also a director for the Perdrian Rubber Company, Ltd. and The Vale of Clwydd Coal Mining Company, Ltd. He also served as alderman of Burwood and held the position of Mayor for a term. Possessing a keen interest in religion and philanthropy, he also served as deacon and secretary of the local Burwood Congregational Church.
By 1884, the Hardie family were already residing at 'Ilfracombe', suggesting an 1883 build date for the mansion.[2] It is interesting to note that during this time Park Road was known as "River View street" or "River View terrace".[3] The Hardies would live at the house until sometime around 1890, at which point they would put the house on the market for lease. By 1894, Arthur W. Tooth, his wife and family occupied the residence and on July 12, 1894 a son was born to the couple at 'Ilfracombe'.[4] In early 1895, the house would be put on the market for lease once again. The ad goes into good detail describing the house and it's massive block of land.[5] Mr. and Mrs. Milton King were next to reside at the property and a number of children were born to the couple at 'Ilfracombe'. On May 2, 1895, a son was born to W. Milton King and his wife[6] and then on July 31, 1898, twin sons were born to the couple.[7]
By sometime in the early 1900's the Hardie family returned to reside at the property. On January 16, 1908, a wedding occurred for Howard Gordon Hardie, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hardie[8] and on August 15, 1917, Laura Mary Hardie, only daughter of Mr and Mrs Hardie passed away at 'Ilfracombe'.[9] Robert Hardie would continue to reside at 'Ilfracombe' until his death on August 1, 1928, at the age of 80 years.[1] His wife Mary Elizabeth Hardie passed away a couple months later, also at the residence, in January 1929 aged 86 years.[10][11]
A couple of months after Mrs. Hardie passed away, in July 1929, demolition of 'Ilfracombe' had commenced. Ads were placed in the Sydney Morning Herald for the demolition of the property by order of W. Hardie and Co., on account of the subdivision of the estate. Various building materials from 'Ilfracombe' were listed for sale such as purple bangor slates, bricks, joists, rafters, cedar skirting, kauri flooring, finely detailed polished cedar doors and 10 marble mantels in black, white, rouge and sicillian, among many other high quality materials that made up the mansion.[12]
By late September 1929 ads appeared for the sale of "Ilfracombe House Estate". The estate had been subdivided into 15 residential sites with frontages to Park Road and to the newly created street Ilfracombe Avenue, running off Park Road.[13] The residential lots of the Ilfracombe Estate subdivision would be sold off well into the 1930's. One of the earlier lots to sell in November 1929 was Lot 2 of the subdivision, which sold for 775 pounds,[14] where as Lot 8 was sold for 400 pounds in 1933.[15] A tender was found in September 1933 for the price for supplying bricks for the construction of one of the cottages in Ilfracombe Avenue.[5] |
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