By Cathy Jones (2020, 2025 updated)
‘Huntingtower’ 33-35 Homebush Road was built in 1900.
The house and its surrounding land is situated on the original Thomas Rose grant of 1793. The land passed to Edward Powell and by the 1880’s 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 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, architrcts Charles Slatyer and Harry Chambers Kent, and the extended members of the David Jones family (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. Due to the 1890’s economic depression, 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 Beresford Rd.
In December 1899, land was transferred to Anne Fehon, wife of William Meeke Fehon (1834-1911), Fehon served as Commissioner of NSW Railways from 1888 to 1907. Builder Robert Finch is noted on the 1900 Council valuation records against this property and is likely the builder. ‘Huntingtower’ first appears in Sands Directory for William Fehon JP in 1901. The house was originally numbered 23 Homebush Road, but renumbered in 1960
In February 1908, the property transferred (by transmission) to William Meeke Fehon, following the death of Anne Fehon, who sold the house thereafter to William Gunning, a manufacturers agent. It was transferred in 1921 to Ronald Beale, manufacturer. Beale was the owner until 1942 when it was transferred to Pan Pty Ltd. In 1951, part of the grounds of the house were subdivided, creating a lot now occupied by 31 Homebush Road.
The property was transferred to Sydney Legacy War Orphans Fund in December 1963. The property was transferred in July 1976 to Gabriel Kenneth Coorey of Strathfield, real estate agent and his wife Lorraine Coorey, as joint tenants. Coorey was an Alderman of Strathfield Council (1974-1983) and had served as Vice-Chairman of Council’s Library Committee 1978-1980. In November 1987, the property was transferred to Michael Fairley and Nomishad Fairley, as joint tenants.
References
Gunn, J, Along Parallel Lines, Melbourne University Press, 1989
‘Death of W H Fehon’, Sydney Morning Herald, February 6 1911, p8
Jones, C., Five Federation Houses of Strathfield – Part 2, Strathfield District Historical Society Newsletter, June 2003.
Land title information, Department of Lands.
‘Mr W M Fehon’, New South Wales Railway Budget, October 7 1905.
Rookwood Cemetery Transcriptions, Society of Australian Genealogists, 2003.
Sands Sydney and Suburban Directory
