By Cathy Jones
The mansion ‘Bickley’ once stood on the corner of Albyn and Kingsland Road. It was designed by architect George Sydney Jones. The house was built in 1896-1897 for Helen Jones, widow of Edward Lloyd Jones, Chairman of David Jones & Co. Mrs Jones transferred ownership of the house to her daughter Alice and husband Arthur Ross Nott in 1929. After the death of his wife, Nott submitted plans for conversion of ‘Bickley’ into a boarding house in 1950, which was often the fate of the old Strathfield mansions in the 1950s.
After the death of Nott, the house and land were purchased by Don Sumner. Sumner demolished ‘Bickley’ and then subdivided the property, creating residential lots facing Albyn Rd and Kingsland Rd. Sumner applied for approval to construct a new house. The house was designed by architect Denis G Moulen for Don Sumner Esq and completed in 1958 at cost of £12000. The house consisted of living, dining, sun, sitting rooms, kitchen, laundry, entry, 2 bedrooms, Bathoom, 2 garages, store room, workshops and hot room.
The 1986 Fox & Associates Strathfield Heritage Study recommended heritage listing of the House and Garden at 20 Albyn Road stating ‘The landscaping design details of the front fence and garden terracing are very good examples of the 1950’s landscape design. The garden has been carefully integrated with the design of the 1950’s house’. The house was not listed and has been demolished.
References
Art & Architecture, 1979
Fox & Associates, Strathfield Heritage Study, 1986
Strathfield Council Valuation Lists
My father Jack Lewis (J. E. Lewis & Co.) built the Sumner house; I played there during construction and then we often visited the Sumners. I found this on a Google search hoping to find information, and was shocked to find the house is now demolished. I had assumed that such a classic design would keep it safe even without a listing.
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I was shocked when it demolished also.
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I was surprised also when it demolished.
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