By Cathy Jones
‘Bickley’ was located on the eastern corner of Albyn Road and Kingsland Road Strathfield. It was built in 1896-97 for Mrs Helen Jones to a design by architect George Sydney Jones, nephew of her husband Edward Lloyd Jones. Mrs Jones was the widow of David Jones & Co Chairman, Edward Lloyd Jones, who died in a rail accident in 1894.
‘Bickley’ was later occupied by Mrs Jones’ daughter and son-in-law, Alice (May) Ross Nott (1871-1946) and Arthur Ross Nott (1861-1949). The house was transferred in 1929 to the Notts by Mrs Jones. After the death of Alice May Nott in 1946, Arthur Nott submitted plans for conversion of ‘Bickley’ into a boarding house, which was a common use of large homes in Strathfield during this period. Though the plans were approved by Strathfield Council, the boarding house conversion was never implemented.
After the death of Nott in 1949, the land was purchased by Don Sumner, who demolished ‘Bickley’ in 1956 and then subdivided the property, creating residential lots facing Albyn Rd and Kingsland Rd.
The current house at 18-20 Albyn Road Strathfield was designed by architect Denis G Moulen. This house was completed in 1958 at cost of £12000.
