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. Building on this Estate slowed due to 1930s economic depression, therefore most of the houses were built in the late 1930’s as the economy improved. The ‘Crown of Strathfield’ subdivision includes a public recreation area, which was later dedicated as Kessell Square, one of Strathfield Council’s neighbourhood parks.
39 Marion Street is an interwar Old English style house.. In May 1926, Arthur Howard Potts and Arthur Campbell Fraser sold Lot 47 to Carl Peter Hansen of Figtree, licenced victualler (subject to covenant). The land title contained a covenant which 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 April 1935, Hansen transferred Lot 47 being vacant land to Gerald Howard, a clerk, for £140. Howard lodged a building application to build a brick cottage of five rooms at an estimated cost of £850. The application was approved and the house was constructed by G E Mercer & Sons, builders of 25 Burlington Rd, Homebush.
Howard sold the house in July 1947 to Percy Wakefield Henry, storekeeper and his wife Jean Henry for £1550. In September 1959, the house was sold to Owen Phillimore Howell-Price, an executive, for £7250. The house was sold in Deccember 1964 to David & Hilda Hetherington, retired, for £7000. In May 1974, the property transferred to Gordon Richard Bell, plumber, and Elizabeth Bell, his wife as joint tenants. In June 1977, the property transferred to Colin Trevor Liversidge, of Lakemba, clerk, and Maria Ann Liversidge, his wife as joint tenants.
Reference
NSW Land Register, Certificate of Title v.2853 f.61, v.3884 f.41, v.4687 f.136,
Strathfield Council Building Register Vol.5
NSW Valuer-General, Valuation Lists, Municipality of Strathfield 1939
