By Cathy Jones
Early land owners of lots from the Redmire Estate were John and Donald Vernon. Donald Vernon was traffic manager of NSW Railways and built the home ‘Parkstone’ (which has been demolished but faced Margaret Street). John Vernon, the NSW Auditor General, built ‘Springfield’ (which has been demolished and faced Redmyre Road). The Vernon’s subdivided their land c.1880 as the ‘Mount Vernon Estate’, which created Vernon Street, Brunswick Street (then called Redmyre St) and lots on Redmyre Road and Homebush Rd. Properties 34 to 70 Redmyre Road are built on the Mount Vernon Estate.
50-52 Redmyre Road was once owned by Thomas Holley, who operated a produce, fuel and general store. The site was acquired by Strathfield Council in 1941 from Holley’s estate for £2750. Council built a Baby Health Centre at front in 1944 and Strathfield Croquet Club in 1946 at the rear.
Strathfield Council’s Baby Health Centre was built 1944 by builder A Maston of Agnes Street Strathfield. The centre was designed by architects D T Morrow & Gordon. The Baby Health Service relocated to Strathfield Council’s Children’s Centre in Fraser St Homebush in 1998. The former Baby Health Centre is leased as a medical facility by Council.
Strathfield Croquet Club, 50 Redmyre Road, was formerly part of Strathfield Recreation Club, which was established in 1881 as the Union Recreation Club, involving tennis and bowling. Croquet was established at the Strathfield Recreation Club in 1922 and was separated from this Club in 1941 and relocated to the Redmyre Road site. This site has been continuously leased by Strathfield Council to Strathfield Croquet Club since 1946. The relocation of the Croquet Club permitted the expansion of Bowling Greens at Strathfield Recreation Club.
The Croquet Club site has two lawns and a clubhouse. The building of the Clubhouse was partially financed by John Robert Firth, a wealthy resident (principal of P J Firth paper and cardboard manufacturers), Alderman (1911-1948) and Mayor of Strathfield (1916-17, 1927-1931).
References
Allen, H & Jones, S., A short history of the Strathfield Recreation Club 1881-1956, 1956
Sands Directory for Sydney and Suburbs 1900-1932
Strathfield Council Building Application Register
Strathfield Council Valuation Lists 1894 to 1960
Strathfield Council Notices of Land Transfer (1927-1960s)
Wise’s Post Office Directory 1908, 1936
Strathfield Heritage 