by Cathy Jones (2003, updated 2024)
Nangur’ 27 Homebush Road Strathfield is a Federation style house. This property is heritage listed on Strathfield Council’s Local Environmental Plan. The listing (in the Strathfield Heritage Study 1986) describes the house as:
‘A single storey brick Federation house with a Marseilles tile gable and hip roof. The verandah is elaborately detailed with turned timber verandah posts, decorative brackets, balustraded valance, small timber balustrade and a Chinese timber arch. The front door displays leadlight to the side and fan lights. Other features include a rectangular bay to the street, coloured glass panels, porch to western façade, gravel drive, a new brick fence and timber shutters to the windows. The important landscape features are identified on the sheet following. This well maintained Federation house is of local significance for its architectural and streetscape qualities and as representing good quality early twentieth century housing in Strathfield. Garden – This landscape is a very good example of a planting scheme and garden details of brick fence and wrought iron gates, gravel driveway, edging treatment, law and frangipani’.
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, 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. With the onset of the 1890’s economic depression, this plan 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 Beresford Rd.
Mrs Annie Emily Jones purchased land from the Trustees of Camden Congregational College in September 1900. Annie Emily Jones (1835-1903) was the daughter of John Jones, editor and publisher of the Cambrian Magazine, London. In 1857, she married David Mander Jones (1834-1864), son of retailer David Jones. They settled at ‘Boonara’ station in Queensland. By the 1870s, she was living in Burwood.
Council’s 1900 valuation record notes the house was in course of being built. Robert Finch, a local builder, is noted on the valuation record and is likely the builder of this house. The house appears for the first time in Sands Sydney Dirrctory in 1901 for Mrs D. Mander Jones. The house was known as ‘Nangur’ and was originally numbered 21 Homebush Road. It was renumbered 27-29 in 1960.
Following her death, in July 1904 the property transferred (by transmission) to her sons, Llewellyn Mander Jones of ‘Boonara’, squatter and George Mander Jones of Homebush, medical practioner. The house was transferred to Annie Bellamy Jones of Homebush, their sister. Annie Bellamy Jones resided in this property until 1923.
In April 1923, the property transferred to Alfred Bernard Fulton Rofe of Sydney, solicitor. In April 1936, the property transferred to David Pollock Park of Bellevue Hill, contractor who transferred it to Reginald Cramp, veterinary officer in June 1936.
Ellen Edith Cramp, widow was registered as the property owner in April 1975, following the death of Reginald Cramp. The property transferred (by transmission) to Helen Mitchell Baker and Rosyln Ethel Mitchell as joint tenants in December 1981.
References
Baker, T, Jones Family Tree, 2002 (unpublished manuscript)
Fox & Associates, Strathfield Heritage Study, 1986.
NSW Land Registry,Certificate of Title v.1176 f.91
Sands Sydney and Suburban Directory 1881-1932
