By Cathy Jones
‘Moorefield’ 107 Homebush Road Strathfield is a Victorian Italianate style stuccoed brick house. The house has a hipped roof and chimneys. The house features stucco eaves brackets, a corrugated iron bullnose profile front verandah roof painted in traditional stripes, with cast iron posts and frieze, heavy stucco decorative mouldings around the windows.
‘Moorefield’ is built on the original 1810 land grant to James Wilshire. Wilshire’s grant was subdivided in 1867 as the Redmire Estate. ‘Moorefield’ is located on Lot 6, Section 2 of deposited plan 581, known as the ‘Bushy Hill’ estate that was subdivided c.1880.
In April 1891, this lot was transferred to John Astle of Strathfield. Astle was a local builder, who was likely responsible for building this house in 1892, which he named ‘Cambridge’. The house first appears as ‘Cambridge’ in the 1893 Sands Directory for John Astle.
The house was originally numbered 77 Homebush Road. The house was renumbered in 1960 as 107 Homebush Road.
In January 1893, the property was transferred from Astle to Daniel James of Enmore, a Mariner. In November 1899, the property transferred (by transmission) to his widow, Julia. It was transferred in October 1899 to William Edwin James, George Alfred James of Strathfield, civil servants and Arthur Henry James of Newcastle, solicitor, who are likely the descendants of Daniel and Julia James. In April 1890, ownership transferred to Annie Jones, wife of Charles Jones, of Strathfield, gentleman. A power of attorney was registered to Charles Jones, of Strathfield, optician in September 1916 and in the same month, the house was sold to Ernest Stanley Davies of Leichhardt, teacher.
The house was renamed ‘Moorefield’ when owned by Davies.
Davies transferred ownership to himself, Winifred Davis, spinster and Ethel Violet Davies, spinster as joint tenants in January 1919. In 1954, Davies died and the house ownership was registered to Winifred and Ethel Davis.
In June 1963, Winifred Davis was registered as the surviving joint tenant. In November 1971, the house was transferred to Daphne Lucy Davies of Strathfield, a school teacher. In 1978, the house left the ownership of the Davies family and transferred to John Geremin and Margaret Morton.
Additions to the house were approved in 1982 and in 1986, an application for a swimming poor and awnings and fencing were approved.
References
Bushy Hill subdivision poster dated c.1880.
NSW Land Register, Certificate of Title v.812 f.88
Sands Sydney Directory, published until 1932 by John Sands.
Strathfield Council valuation and building records.
Wise’s Post Office Directory for Strathfield.
Strathfield Heritage 