By Cathy Jones
Burlington Road Homebush is located within the site of various 1793 land grants offered to a group of free settlers in an area known as Liberty Plains by the NSW Colonial Government anxious to secure a food supply for the growing colony. The land grants involved: Frederick Meredith 60 acres dated 28th May 1793, Thomas Rose 70 acres originally granted on 10 May 1798, Simeon Lord granted 160 acres dated 9 August 1803 and Edward Powell 19 acres dated 1 January 1810.
The land proved difficult to farm and the settlers abandoned farming activity and moved from their land. Eventually, this land and other land located in the current day Homebush West and Homebush (both sides of the railway line) came under the ownership of James Underwood, Edward Powell’s son-in-law. The land became known as the ‘Underwood Estate’.
In 1878, 306 acres of the Underwood Estate was subdivided for residential development and marketed as the ‘Village of Homebush’. This subdivision created Burlington Road, Beresford Road, Abbotsford Road, Bridge Street, Coventry Road, Meredith Street, Homebush Crescent (later The Crescent) and Bellevue Street (later Homebush Road).
Development in Burlington Road commenced shortly after the sale of land from this subdivision. Within 10 years, the following houses were built in Burlington Road, according to Sands Directory 1890, which records houses and occupants:
Burlington Road (Northside)
Homebush road to Rochester Street
- G J Latta ‘Mountsea’
Rochester Street to Meredith Street
- N H Harris
- Charles Capel, carpenter
- John Timbs, constable
- Wesleyan Church – Rev. B Bottomley
Meredith Street to Bridge Street
- Mrs Rossiter
- Frederick Morgan
Burlington Road (Southside)
Homebush road to Rochester Street
- Christopher Lethbridge ‘Prospect’
- William Jackson, surgeon, ‘Wambiana’
- John Vernon
- Rev. Robert Dey (Cong.)
- George Hurst JP surgeon
- G M Jones, surgeon
- Rev. Palmer Law (C.E.)
- George Wright, accountant
Rochester Street to Meredith Street
- Thomas Stewart, ‘Kelvinbank’
Meredith Street to Bridge Street
- Henry Pain
- J F Docker, accountant
- John Muir, photographer
- W H Shortland ‘Garaville’
- Henry Uther ‘Marlborough’
The 1910 Sands Directory lists the following owners and occupants in Burlington Road:
Burlington Road (Northside)
Homebush road to Rochester Street
- Mrs G Wells & Norman Wells ‘Asphodel’
- Miss K Latta ‘Mountsea’
- Mrs P C Louat ‘Gowan Lea’
- Percy Holmes ‘Diodata’
- Colin A Richards (JP for Queensland) ‘Cassola’
- W P Edgington ‘Silverdale’
Rochester Street to Meredith Street
- T D Boulden, asphalter
- J A King, produce and fuel merchant
- Charles Capel, carpenter
- Walter Naughton, ‘Sunnyside’
- John Timbs
- Methodist Church – Rev. Joseph Bryant
Meredith Street to Bridge Street
- John W Johns ‘Moonbeam’
- Rev. Joseph Bryant (Methodist) ‘Finchley’
- George Hutchinson ‘Larinia’
- Miss E Rossiter ‘Dene Place’
- Frederick Morgan ‘Nareen’
Burlington Road (Southside)
Homebush road to Rochester Street
- A B Campbell JP ‘Prospect’
- William Thompson ‘Wambiana’
- Alfred Genge ‘Arran’
- Edward Grainger JP ‘Havilah’
- George Hurst JP physician ‘Viwa’
- Henry Vale JP ‘Clifton’
Rochester Street to Meredith Street
- Clement Beare, Newsagent
- Thomas Budgen
- James Taylor ‘Darlaston’
- W Newton-Scott ‘Burnbrae’
- Samuel Watson JP ‘Pansanger’
- Charles Capper JP ‘Lillawah’
- Mrs James King ‘Orara’
Meredith Street to Bridge Street
- Charles Wallis ‘Comarques’
- J F Docker ‘Meyrick’
- Edwin Pitt JP ‘Rosemount’
- James Pearce JP ‘Pretoria’
- John P Gregson ‘Rathmines’
- W H Shortland ‘Garaville’
- Henry Uther
Due to the close proximity of Burlington Road to Homebush Rail Station and shopping centre, the section of Burlington Road between Homebush Road and Meredith Street was rezoned to permit multi-unit development. The adoption of the Strathfield Planning Scheme Ordinance in 1969 permitted intensification of housing density near transport interchanges and town centres at Strathfield, Homebush and Flemington. Burlington Road, between Homebush Road and Meredith Street, was rezoned to permit 2-3 storey walkup units. Development in Burlington Road occurred quickly, once the ordinance was adopted. The majority of unit developments in Burlington Road were approved between 1969 and 1971. The section between Meredith and Bridge Road was excluded from the multi-unit rezoning and is zoned for low density residential.
Some of the lost houses of Burlington Road include:
- ‘Viwa’ Burlington Road was known as the Doctor’s House. It was originally the home of Dr George Hurst and built c1883. The property was a home and surgery for more than 100 years.
- ‘Orara’ was located at 68/70 Burlington Road, near the intersection of Meredith Street. The house was built c.1910 for George Spurway who named the house ‘Orara’.
- ‘Comraques’, built 1891, was located on the south west corner of Burlington Road and Meredith Street. The first owner was Henry Pain, who sold it to W H McClelland, a silk merchant and Alderman on Strathfield Council. After the death of the later owner James Paterson, the house was demolished and subdivided in 1936. The interwar style cottages located at 74 to 80 Burlington Road are built on this subdivision.
- ‘Garaville’ was the home of forwarding agent W H Shortland and built c.1880. This house has been demolished and subdivided into two building blocks now occupied by 90 and 92 Burlington Road.
- ‘Deep Dene’, built c.1891, was a two storey Victorian style home located at 73 and 75 Burlington Road built for the Rossiter family. The house later became a boarding house and was demolished in the 1970s.
Historic properties
Homebush Uniting Church Manse, 51 Burlington Road Homebush
Homebush Uniting Church, Burlington Road Homebush
‘Finchley’ 61 Burlington Road Homebush
‘Meyrick’ 82 Burlington Road Homebush
‘Marlborough’ 94-96 Burlington Road Homebush
’Claverton’ 99 Burlington Road Homebush
‘Camden Lodge’ 102 Burlington Road Homebush
‘Billesdon’ 104-106 Burlington Road Homebush
(c) Cathy Jones 2019
Strathfield Heritage 