By Cathy Jones 2023
47 Homebush Road Strathfield is a Interwar Mediterranean-influenced single storey brick bungalow with a hipped terracotta tiled roof built in 1934 for its owner Mrs Alice Ashcroft. It is located in the Homebush Road Heritage Conservation area in Strathfield Council’s Local Environmental Plan.
The site is located on the original 1793 Thomas Rose land grant. This land came into the ownership of James R. Powell, a descendent of another original land grantee Edward Powell. Part of Powell’s land, fronting Homebush Road, was acquired by tobacco merchant George Todman. His estate ‘Milroy’, fronted Albert Road and parts of Homebush Road. His estate was subdivided and offered for sale in 1934, creating the lots that houses 37, 39 and 41 Homebush Road are built upon. The gradual sale of land by Powell and later subdivision particularly ‘Milroy’, is responsible for the inconsistent subdivision pattern, in terms of lot size and building styles, on this side of Homebush Road.
47 Homebush Road is built on the subdivision of the ‘Milroy Estate’, which offered lots facing Homebush Rd and Albert Road for sale in 1934. Mrs Alice Marie Ashcroft, wife of Tom Ashcroft, an engineer, purchased Lot 13 from the Permanent Trustee Company of NSW, Charles Ingram Todman and Walter Verney Buzacott (mortgagee exercising power of sale) on 19 February 1935. Shortly after, an application was lodged with Strathfield Council in 1935 by Mrs Alice Ashcroft to build a brick dwelling of eight rooms at cost of £1620. The builder was A E Green, of Strathfield, a prolific local builder of the 1930s. A E Green was a master builder.
In 1955, the property was transferred to John Dwyer, a company director. The property was next sold in 1985.
References
Department of Valuer-General, Valuation Lists, Municipality of Strathfield 1948, 1960
‘Milroy Estate’ subdivision poster dated 1934.
NSW Land Register, Certificate of Title v.977 f.227
NSW Land Register, Certificate of Title v.4879 f.39
Strathfield Council Building Register Vol. 4
