by Cathy Jones
‘Roubaix’, a two storey brick Federation Arts & Crafts style house, is built on lots created by the 1910 subdivision of the ‘Llandilo’ Estate. The building of the house was approved by Council on July 7 1914 for its owner Captain Albert Pearse (1857- 1951) on the 1910 subdivision of Sir Phillip Sydney Jones ‘Llandilo Estate’. The application was for a brick residence of over 10 rooms for the owner Captain A Pearse. The builder was H Robson, Denison Road, Lewisham. The estimated cost of the building was £1900. The application was approved July 7 1914.
Albert William Pearse was a master mariner and editor. He was best known as the publisher of the ‘Pastoralists’ Review’ [later the Pastoralists’ Review and Grazier’s Record], which was established in 1891 and published until 1955, closing four years after his death. Pearse moved to Sydney in 1891 and with R E N Twopenny founded the Australasian Pastoralists’ Review, which espoused the grazier’s cause in the face of militant unionism. It was renamed the Pastoralists’ Review and in January 1913 and published on a monthly basis. As successively manager, editor and managing director, Pearse was ultra conservative, fiercely anti-union and pro-property classes and the Review was a powerful and influential voice in industry affairs. The Review was also the publisher of the works of ‘Banjo’ Patterson.
Pearse traveled widely including visits to South America to study the meat industry, which was the subject of one of eight books he published. He was involved in a number of activities including founding the Taxpayers’ Union and People Reform League of NSW and Church of England Children’s Home in Burwood. He was managing director of the Pastoralist Review until his death in 1951. He was survived by three daughters and two sons, including Evan Hope Pearse [b.1892], editor of Pastoralist Review, who wrote seven books on sheep, farm and station management.
Pearse and his family resided at ‘Roubaix’ until 1928. In December 1928, the house was transferred from Emily Mary Pearse, wife of Albert William Pearse of Burwood Esq, c/- Captain A W Pearse, ‘Pastoral Review’ Pty Ltd, 10 Bligh St Sydney to Arthur John Lee, Company Manager, for £3250. Lee continued to own the house until the late 1940s.
Reference
Albert William Pearse, Who’s Who in Australia, 1929.
Fox & Associates, Strathfield Heritage Study, 1986
‘The Pastoralist’s Review’, Seventh Congress of Chamber of Congress of the British Empire, W E Smith Ltd, 1909 [Photograph of Pearse, p133]
Sands Sydney Directory published by John Sands until 1932
Strathfield Council meeting minutes
Wise’s Post Office Directory
Strathfield Heritage 