By Cathy Jones
‘Eurona’ is located at 27 Redmyre Road Strathfield and built on Lot 59 of the Kings Estate.
Lot 59 was purchased by Rachael Laird Fryer, wife of Joseph Cousins Fryer, a cutter on 15 January 1901 from subdividers King and Balmain. The land was transferred to Mary Hunter, wife of James Hunter of Katoomba, gentleman.
A building application was approved in the name of J Hunter to Strathfield Council on November 26 1912. The architect was prominent Sydney architect Charles Slatyer and the house had an estimated build cost of £1230. Upon completion the house was named ‘Blair Lodge’.
Ownership of the house transferred to Jane Alexandria Bowman, a widow of Pymble in 1917. Following the death of Mrs Bowman in 1919, the house was purchased by Nellie Victoria Spurway, wife of Frank Granger Spurway, a prominent manufacturer in 1920. The Spurways renamed the house ‘Eurona’. The house was transferred by transmission to Frank Spurway in 1930 following the death of his wife.
Frank Granger Spurway (1890-1966) was a prominent and wealthy Sydney manufacturer and proprietor of Frank G Spurway Ltd, manufacturer of tubes, electrical fittings, die makers etc. He was educated at Burwood Public School. Following employment at firms such as Anthony Hordern & Sons, Sydney Paper Mills Co, Mick Simmonds and Foster & Sons Ltd, bedding manufacturers , he became managing director of Acme Bedstead Co Ltd. According to his Who’s Who in Australia entry, Frank G Spurway Ltd was established in 1918 and traded at Alexandria, Sydney NSW. Spurway also served as Chairman of Spurways, Director of Doyle Bros Ltd and Best-Lock Co Ltd, Sydney and Shareholder of Austral Refrigerators Ltd. He was the owner of racehorses including ‘Vagabond’ and “Proctor’. Spurway donated land in the Sydney suburb of Newport, which is now a public reserve named ‘Spurway Park’.
Spurway sold the house in 1950 to Winterbourne Pty Ltd for £10,000. Later owners included company director Lindsay Stewart (1964-1969) and medical practioner David Leckie (1969-1977).
References
Fox & Associates, Strathfield Heritage Study, 1986
Frank Spurway Biography, 1955, Who’s Who in Australia
NSW Births, Deaths and Marriages online
Department of the Valuer General NSW – Valuation List – Valuation District of Strathfield 1924, 1930 and 1960
Strathfield Council building register
© Cathy Jones 2019
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