By Cathy Jones 2024
Marion St Heritage Conservation Area is built on part of the original 1841 land grant to Joseph Hyde Potts, Secretary of Bank of NSW. The land was subdivided in 1923 and offered for sale as the ‘Crown of Strathfield’ Estate, however most of the houses were not built until the late 1930’s. The ‘Crown of Strathfield’ subdivision includes a public recreation area, which was later dedicated as Kessell Square.
11 Marion Street is an inter-war house with tendered masonry and a tiled hipped roof. It is built on Lot 15 of the Crown of Strathfield Estate and faces Kessell Square. In May 1924 Francis Howard Potts and Arthur Campbell Fraser transferred Lot 15 DP12405 (subject to covenant) to Louisa Stephana Foss. The covenant required that the main building must be built in brick and/or stone and/or concrete, that the land must not contain any factory, poultry farm, brickyard quarry hoarding or hotel.
In February 1938, the vacant land at Lot 15 was transferred from Louisa Foss to Armand McDonagh, Five Dock, architect. In September 1938 McDonagh transferred the land to Robert Wood of Summerhill, a salesman. A building application by the owner Robert Wood was lodged and approved in December 1938 to build a two-storey brick dwelling of six rooms and estimated cost of £1200. The builder was W E Draper of 62 Albyn Road Strathfield. The rendered masonry finish appears to be an original feature of the house design, based on contemporary photographs.
In January 1942 Wood transferred the property to Joan Hamlyn Winn, wife of Frank Charles Winn of Strathfield, a draper. The house was sold for £1985. The Winns were reputedly members of the Winns family, owners of the now defunct Winns department stores.
In September 1950, the house was sold to Reginald Tyas, a bookseller and wife Lillian for £6050. The house was sold in January 1957 to Florence Groves and Hazel Groves as tenants in common for £8250. In March 1969, the house was sold by Mrs Florence Grove and Mrs Hazel Dickman (former Groves) to John Roberts, bank officer and his wife, Margaret for $24,800.
Reference
NSW Land Registry, Certificate of Title v.3690 f.12 and v.7426 f.81/2
Strathfield Council Building Register Vol.5
1938 ‘BUILDINGS AND WORKS APPROVED’, Construction (Sydney, NSW : 1938 – 1954), 28 December, p. 3. , viewed 01 Jul 2024, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222853855
NSW Valuer-General, Valuation Lists, Municipality of Strathfield 1939, 1943, 1948 & 1960
