This photograph is from the Sydney Mail, 29 January 1913 featuring a Garden Party at Birnam Wood Strathfield, the home of Colonel John Mclean Arnott.
Arnott [1869-1945] was the Managing Director of Arnott’s Biscuits and served in the AIF in World War II, earning the rank of colonel.
‘Birnam Wood’ was demolished c.1927 and subdivided creating the street Birnam Grove.
Strathfield Heritage 
Cathy Recents post, since Birnam Wood, don’t seem to be displaying pics. Scott
Sent from my iPhone
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That’s strange, I’ll see what’s wrong. They are appearing on my iPad.
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Cathy
All working now … great party pic. Do you have an image of the house Birnam Wood? I’d also be interested to see a photograph of Goomerabong. Do you know if one exists?
Thanks
Scott
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No I don’t. I think it is my life’s mission to find a photo (ha ha!), but was pretty happy to find the pic of the garden party.Goomerabong is the old Ford house in Florence St? If so, Ive never seen a photo but will keep looking. Cathy
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A letter at the State Library of Queensland on Birnham Wood stationary (https://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/discovery/fulldisplay?vid=61SLQ_INST:SLQ&docid=alma99233783402061&context=L&search_scope=Everything – OM71-51/135) seems to be from Arnott to Canon David Garland in Brisbane and relates to the history of the Shellal Mosaic, most of which is in the AWM Canberra but part of which is in Brisbane. The bones discovered underneath are at St Anne’s Strathfield and Arnott had a replica of the main inscription of the mosaic, made from original tesserae and now at his later house at Coolah Creek in western NSW.
Thanks for this post as it allowed me to date the letter (after 1919 and before 1927) and understand its context which is otherwise missing from the SLQ listing.
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Thanks for the feedback.Cathy
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