By Cathy Jones
Eton College is the subject of the Strathfield-Homebush District Historical Society Newsletter this month.
‘Eton College’ was located at the top of Redmyre Road Strathfield and purpose built as a school. The headmaster Dr Joseph David Sly, brother of Dr George Sly of ‘Glen Luna’ Carrington Ave Strathfield, opened the school in 1888. An advertisement for Eton College on 10th November 1888 states:
‘Eton College, Homebush – Headmaster J David Sly. This Collage has been recently erected on the most modern design. It stands in an elevated position. The rooms are spacious and there is an ample supply of water. A COTTAGE HOSPITAL has been added. The PLAYGROUND contains an asphalt tennis court, weather shed, summer house and gymnasium. There will be vacancies for Day and Resident pupils in January next, for which early application is requested’.
However, by 1892 the school folded and Dr Sly filed for bankruptcy and the remaining assets of the school were auctioned off. Dr Sly was admitted as a solicitor in 1895 and practiced until shortly before his death in 1934 aged 91 years.
For many years there has been discussion as to where Eton College was located and whether it is still standing. Hall (1985) suggested that Eton College was located at Redmyre Lodge, 89 Redmyre Road, rather than ‘Allerton’’ 91 Redmyre Road.
The confusion existed because all uncertainty lies in the fact that both houses stand on land originally designated as Lots 26, 25, 24; both were owned by Allan Maclean and rented out by him and all had the same lot numbers in various records. Redmyre Lodge, which has since been demolished, may have been Eton College. Based on the published sketch of Eton College, the building is clearly not ‘Allerton’, which is still standing.
Strathfield Heritage 