by Cathy Jones (updated 2024)
‘Carminya’ 25 Homebush Road Strathfield is a two storey Federation house.
This property is situated on the original Thomas Rose grant of 1793. The land passed to Edward Powell and by the 1880’s the land was generally owned by William Russell. In October 1888, six acres in the northern part of Russell’s land was acquired by the President and Fellows of Camden Congregational College, with the intention of building a theological college in Strathfield. An additional five perches fronting Homebush Road was added from the Frederick Meredith 1793 grant, thereby the land fronted Albert Road, Homebush Road and Beresford Road.
The Congregational Church was well established in the Strathfield area in the late 19th century with many high profile members including merchant George Todman, architects Charles Slatyer and Harry Chambers Kent, and the extended members of the David Jones family (including members of the Jones, Thompson, Nott, Ross and Wilshire families). The Strathfield-Homebush Congregational Church (now Korean Uniting Church) was located opposite this land on the corner Homebush and Albert Road Strathfield. Likely in response to poor economic conditions in the 1890s, the plan to develop the land became unviable and the College Trustees opted to subdivide the land and offer it for residential sale in 1898. This subdivision includes land in Albert Rd (65-103 Albert Rd), Homebush Rd (25-39 Homebush Rd) and parts of Beresford Rd.
The land on which ‘Carminya’ is built was purchased by architect Charles Slatyer in December 1899. The house was designed by Slatyer as his home residence. At the time this house was designed, Slatyer was in the partnership Slatyer & Cosh (with Thomas Cosh). The design of the house is featured as ‘A residence at Strathfield NSW’, Building Engineering and Mining Journal, December 2 1899:
‘The illustration this week is that of a residence recently completed at Strathfield, which occupies a picked site at the corner of Homebush and Beresford Roads. Enfield OK facing bricks have been used for external walls, which are built hollow and Goodlet and Smith’s tiles are used for the roof. The house was erected for Mr Slatyer. Messrs Slatyer and Cosh were the architects and Mr T E Quiggin, the contractor. All the sanitary plumbing and drainage has been executed in accordance with the Water and Sewerage Board’s requirements’.
Charles Henry Slatyer (1856-1919) was a prominent Sydney architect. Slatyer worked as a partner in the architectural firms Ellis & Slatyer (with John Ellis], Slatyer & Cosh (with Thomas Cosh) and Slatyer & Shiels (with Nico Sheils). Slatyer was a Fellow of the Institute of Architects (NSW Branch) and in 1919 was elected as the Institute’s President.
Slatyer married Elsie Todman, daughter of prominent tobacco merchant George Todman. Slatyer designed many residential homes in Strathfield and partnered with Todman on a range of projects including the Todman estate in Kensington.
The house was named ‘Carminya’. The house was originally numbered 19 Homebush Road, but renumbered 25 Homebush Road in 1960.
Slatyer died in 1919. The house was transferred by transmission to Perpetual Trustee Company of NSW in February 1920. In August 1921, ownership transferred to George Todman, which was then transferred in 1922 back to the Permanent Trustee Company. Slatyer’s widow Elise, continued to live at ‘Carminya’ until her death in 1947, though the house was owned by the Permanent Trustee Company.
In January 1948, the house was sold by the Permanent Trustee to Dr Kevin Fagan and his wife, Fagan. In November 1970, the property transferred to Dr Brian Cooper, medical practitioner and his wife Mary Cooper (nee Kevans). In April 1975, Mrs Mary Cooper was registered as sole owner after the death of Dr Cooper. In August 1987, the property was transferred (by transmission) to Hunter Russell Cottle and Mary Therese Cottle as joint tenants, following the death of Mrs Cooper in 1983. In May 1988. the property was transferred to Frank Indovino and Filippa Idovino as joint tenants.
References
‘A residence at Strathfield NSW’, Building Engineering and Mining Journal, December 2 1899
Fox & Associates, Strathfield Heritage Study, 1986.
Jones, C ‘Five Federation Houses’, Strathfield District Historical Society Newsletter, June & July 2003
Sands Sydney and Suburban Directory
