By Cathy Jones (2020, updated 2025)
‘Waratah’ is located at 37 Homebush Road Strathfield and was built in 1899 for William Arnott, founder of Arnotts Biscuits.
The house is a fine representative example of Federation Queen Anne style architecture. Features of this style incorporated into the house include the hipped and gabled terracotta tiled roof, the use of a sunrise motif in the gabled vents, flying gables with imitation half timbering, turned timber verandah framing and a variety of window types. It is also notable as the home of William Arnott and later the site of ‘Branxton School’, now part of Meriden Anglican School, Strathfield.
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. As a result of 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.
William Arnott, founder of Arnotts Biscuits, purchased land from the President of Fellows of Camden College in July 1889[i]. The house was erected in 1899 and named ‘Waratah’, after the the suburb Waratah in Newcastle, NSW where his bakery and biscuit business was established. In 1899, Arnott retired and moved from Newcastle to Strathfield, where some members of his family were already living. Arnott lived at ‘Waratah’ for a short period before moving to ‘Arnott Holme’, 65-69 Albert Road Strathfield. The two properties shared a common boundary and access.
Arnott transferred ownership in the form of a life estate of ‘Waratah’ to his daughter Janet Dunman Perry, the wife of broker James Simpson Perry in February 1901[1]. William Arnott died in July 1901. The title contained conditions that the property was for ‘her life for her separate use’ and that after the determination of her life estate the land ‘stands limited to the grandchildren of William Arnott, namely Lenore Scott Perry and Allan Arnott Perry and their heirs as tenants in common’.[2] A convenant was also registered on the title that permitted only one house to be built on the land lot[3].
Janet Dunman Perry registered her ownership of ‘Waratah’ on the land title in 1905[4]. The life estate was cancelled in 1949 after the death of Janet Dunman Perry in 1948.[5]
The Perry family lived at ‘Waratah’ until about 1913, thereafter the house was leased until its sale in 1949. Mrs Jessie Pomeroy was noted as the occupant from 1914-1917, she was the widow of. John Pomeroy, a partner in David Jones & Co. From 1918-1920 Alfred Morgan, solicitor of the firm Alfred Morgan & Co and father of Charles Morgan, Mayor of Strathfield (1950-51) and from 1921-23, Frederick Lindeman of the Lindeman Wines family.
From 1923 to 1944, this house was leased to Miss Margaret Thompson who operated a small school which she renamed ‘Branxton’. The school was later transferred to the Presbyterian Ladies College (PLC) Croydon who maintained a campus at Margaret Street Strathfield until the late 1990s. This is now operating as ‘Lingwood’, part of Meriden Anglican School for Girls Strathfield.
In April 1946, a lease was registered to Eileen Meyer, wife of Arthur Meyer of Homebush, Divisional Returning Officer. In May 1949, Meyer was registered as the owner of the property, after the death of Janet Arnott Perry in 1948. Meyer was the owner until March 1960 when transferred to Doris Connor of Strathfield, widow. In January 1968, ownership transferred to Alexandra Viglino, widow of Strathfield. In May 1976, ownership again transferred to Margaret Elias, Norah Elias and Violet Elias as tenants in common.
In 1996, ‘Waratah’ was acquired by its’ current owners, who have initiated considerable restoration work including the full restoration of the front verandah. Their achievements were acknowledged as winners of the 2003 Strathfield Council Heritage Awards for outstanding restoration and conservation work.
References
Department of Valuer-General, Valuation List, Municipality of Strathfield
NSW Land Services Registry, Certificate of Titles v.1344 f.223 and v.1176 f.91
Sands Sydney Directory
Notes
[1] Certificate of Title v.1344 f.223
[2] Certificate of Title, v.1344 f.223
[3] Certificate of Title, v.1344 f.223
[4] Certificate of Title v.1344 f.223
[5] Certificate of Title, v.1344 f.223
[i] Certificate of Title v.1176 f.91
