by Cathy Jones 2024
‘Betchworth’ 11 Broughton Road Homebush is a Federation style cottage. It is located on the original Crown land granted to Frederick Meredith in 1793.
In December 1912 William Gordon Thomas, property salesman and Tom Malcolm Price, builder, purchased Lot 20 from Jessie Smith and James Gregg from a subdivision marketed as the ‘Smith Estate’. The land title contained a covenant which required that any building must be built in stone or brick or stone and brick with slate tile or shingle roof, be only be a private dwelling with one detached dwelling house on the land allotment, be set back by at least 15 feet from Broughton Street frontage and the construction be valued at least £400.
The 1914 Strathfield Council Valuation record noted a house had been built on Lot 20 (11 Broughton Road) and Lot 21 (13 Broughton Road), which indicates a build date in late 1912 or early 1913. Both lots were owned by Thomas and Price, who are noted as builders on Council’s valuation records.
In August 1913, the property was sold to Stanley Gorman Beale (1878-1945), an accountant and bank clerk. Gorman was the son of the Rev. William Beale and Esther Gorman (sister of Henry Gorman of Hardie & Gorman, auctioneers and estate agents, and resident of Strathfield). Beale lived at the house with his wife Christina.
The house was originally numbered 7 Broughton Road Homebush and renumbered 11 Broughton Road in 1957.
In May 1917, the property was transferred to Henry Laker, an architect and engineer. The house appears in the Sands Directory 1917 for Henry Laker who named the residence ‘Betchworth’.
Laker lived at ‘Betchworth’ with his wife Charlotte (nee Adams). Laker was an engineer and architect and commenced employment for Strathfield Council in 1918. He retired as Municipal Engineer for Strathfield Council in 1936 due to ill health. Charlotte Laker died in January 1938 and Henry Laker died in August 1938. Laker Reserve, located on corner of Beresford Rd and Elva Street Strathfield is named for him.
In October 1940, the property was transferred (by application for transmission) to Frank Beasley Wilson of Homebush, a lino operator. The property transferred in January 1951 to John Reginald Morgan of Enfield, clerk. It was next transferred in October 1957 to Nicholas Brus, motor mechanic and Zenovia Brus, his wife, as joint tenants.
