By Cathy Jones
“Collingwood” 23 Meredith Street Homebush is a single storey Federation house. Meredith Street is characterised by many heritage homes that reflect the Victorian and Federation periods of development on the Village of Homebush estate, on which this house is located. “Collingwood” is listed an item of local heritage significance on Strathfield Council’s Local Environmental Plan.
Meredith Street Homebush is located within the site of various 1793 land grants. These grants were offered to a group of free settlers in an area known as Liberty Plains by the NSW Colonial Government anxious to secure a food supply for the growing colony. Land was granted to Frederick Meredith 60 acres dated 28th May 1793, Thomas Rose 70 acres originally granted on 10 May 1798, Simeon Lord granted 160 acres dated 9 August 1803 and Edward Powell 19 acres dated 1 January 1810. The land proved difficult to farm and the settlers abandoned farming activity and moved from their land.
Eventually, this land and other land located in the current day Homebush West and Homebush (both sides of the railway line) came under the ownership of James Underwood, Edward Powell’s son-in-law. The land became known as the ‘Underwood Estate’. In 1878, 306 acres of the Underwood Estate was subdivided for residential development and marketed as ‘Village of Homebush’.
“Collingwood” is built on Lot 1 of the subdivision of Lot 23, Section 13, of the Village of Homebush estate. The lot had a frontage of 60 feet and 200 feet depth[1]. Strathfield Council’s building register records a building approval for the applicant J. Quinnen of Abbotsford Road Homebush to build a cottage on Meredith Street west of 6+rooms on October 14 1913[2]. The estimated value of the works was £750[3]. John Quinnen was a prolific local builder of this period and he built other houses in the local area in streets such as Meredith St, Abbotsford Road and Broughton Road. While the register does not state a lot number, this the only approval for Meredith Street which fits the time period for the building of this house.
The house first appears as ‘Collingwood’ and occupied by George Hanwell in the Sands Directory. The 1915 Electoral roll for the Division of Nepean lists George Henry Hanwell, independent means, and Emily Ruth Hanwell, home duties, as residing in Meredith Street Homebush.
According to Valuation records, Hanwell was the owner of the property until around 1920, when ownership transferred to John Lander. Hanwell moved to Henry Street, Baulkham Hills to a house he also named “Collingwood”.
John Hudden Lander (1837-1937) and his wife Eliza Matilda Lander (formerly Kook) (1851-1929) moved to “Collingwood” around 1919-1920. John Lander was born in Nottingshire, England, while his wife Eliza was born in Tanundra, South Australia[4]. The married in 1867 in Victoria and eventually settled at Ringwood, Darlington Point in the Murrumbidgee district[5]. After John Lander’s retirement, they moved to Homebush[6]. The Landers had a large family of thirteen children. This included a son Private Herbert Leslie, who was killed in 1916 serving in WWI, and three daughters who resided with them in Homebush including Amelia (1892-1968) (later Findlay after marriage to John Findlay), Ethel (1897-1985) (later Ethel Davis) and Alice Lander (1880-1966). John Lander died in 1917 at “Collingwood” and his wife Eliza died in 1929[7]. Valuation records note that ownership of the house transferred to the three sisters as ‘tenants-in-common’ following the deaths of their parents. The 1930 Electoral Rolls for the Division of Reid records Alice Lander, Ethel Lander and Amelia Lander as resident of “Collingwood”.
Alice Lander lived at ‘Collingwood’ until her death in 1966[8]. Amelia Findlay and her husband moved to 45 Meredith Street in 1937. The Findlay’s were listed at 29 Meredith Street (now 45 Meredith Street) in the electoral rolls in 1937 and 1943 Division of Reid and the 1949 and 1958 Division of Lowe. Ethel Lander Davis is listed as residing at ‘Collingwood’ in 1968 Electoral Roll with her husband, Edward. In the rolls for the Electorate of Lowe in 1977 and 1980, Ethel Davis is listed as residing at 45 Meredith Street Homebush.
The house was numbered 11 Meredith Street but was renumbered as 23 Meredith Street in 1958. The house remained in the ownership of the Lander family until the 1960s.
References
Electoral Rolls, Division of Reid, 1930, 1937, 1943
Electoral Rolls, Division of Lowe, 1949, 1958, 1977, 1980
Fox & Associates, Strathfield Heritage Study, 1986
Strathfield Council building records, meeting minutes, valuation lists and notices of transfer.
Family Notices (1920, January 10). The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883 – 1930), p. 10. Retrieved May 27, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article239667516
MRS. ELIZA LANDER. (1929, January 19). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954), p. 22. Retrieved June 28, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16524720
Death of Mr. John Lander (1927, November 10). The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883 – 1930), p. 33. Retrieved June 28, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article246401118
RE will of ALICE LANDER, late of “Collingwood”, (1966, September 9). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales (Sydney, NSW : 1901 – 2001), p. 3761. Retrieved June 28, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article220024912
Footnotes
[1] Valuation lists 1924, 1927, 1930
[2] Strathfield Council Building Register Vol. 1
[3] Strathfield Council Building Register Vol. 1
[4] SMH 1929
[5] SMH 1929
[6] Smh 1929
[7] SMH 1929
[8] RE will of ALICE LANDER, late of “Collingwood”, (1966, September 9). Government Gazette
Strathfield Heritage 