By Cathy Jones (2011, updated 2023)
‘Telarah’ 72 Redmyre Road Strathfield was built in 1907 by John Lyon Gardiner. The house is a single storey Federation Arts and Crafts style house of face brick with a hipped and gabled roof of slate shingles and terracotta edging. The house is situated on a prominent site, on the corner of Homebush and Redmyre Roads, facing the historic Strathfield Council Chambers.
This property was built on the Bushy Hill Estate, which was offered for sale in 1880 by estate agents and auctioneers Hardie and Gorman[1]. Lots 1 and 2, Section 1 was sold to Mr Kirschner for £160[2]. Lots 1 and 2 were sold to John Lyon Gardiner by Mrs Kirschner around 1906 and the house was built by 1907[3]. The house first appears in Sands Directory in 1908 named ‘Telarah’ and occupied by Mrs R A Young.
‘Telarah’ was built in 1907 by John Lyon Gardiner (1851-1929), a prolific builder based in Strathfield. Gardiner was responsible for building many high quality Federation styled houses in Strathfield in streets such as Churchill Avenue, Albert Road and Vernon Street from the late 1890s to around 1912. The houses located at 72-78 Redmyre Road were all built by Gardiner.
Gardiner occupied ‘Telarah’ on occasion but mainly rented the house until it was sold around 1914. Gardiner advertised ‘Telarah’ for let or sale in November 1910 as “STRATHFIELD. To Let or for Sale, splendid Cottage Villa, large rooms, kitchen, every convenience, high corner position. Inspect. Telarah, Redmyre road, opp. Council-chamb. J. L. Gardiner. Builder (within)”[4]. Another advertisement was published in April 1912 ‘STRATHFIELD. – To LET, a splendid almost new Cottage Villa, 7 large rooms, 12 ft ceilings, well fitted up, kitchen, and all office. Inspect. Telarah. Redmyre road opposite Council chambers. Mrs Gardiner, within’[5]. According to Sands Directory, the following occupied ‘Telarah’ in the period the house was owned by Gardiner: 1908-1910: Mrs R A Young ‘Telarah’; 1911: John L Gardiner ‘Telarah’; 1912-1913: William H Shimmon ‘Telarah’.[6]
An advertisement issued in May 1914 for sale of the house. The advertisement stated the owner was leaving the district and offering the house at the low price of £1350[7]. Gardiner moved from Strathfield around this time to Bellevue Hill, with his wife Isabella. It is likely he retired as a builder as he was aged in his 60’s, however he taught carpentry and joinery at the Sydney Technical College before his death in 1929[8].
By 1915, the house was sold to Mrs Frances Eastgate Cookson (1857-1926), wife of Christopher Cookson (1838-1922).[9] In October 1935, the house was sold by the estate of Frances Cookson to Patrick Aloysius Collins, an insurance official for £1350[10]. During Collins ownership, the house name was changed to ‘Montreal’. In April 1962 the house was sold by Kathleen Collins to Noel Yeomans, supervisor, and Alison Yeomans, for £7750[11]
‘Telarah’ is located in the Redmyre Road Heritage Conservation Area on Strathfield Council’s Local Environmental Plan.
References
Advertising (1914, May 16). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954), p. 11. Retrieved April 8, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15508515
Advertising (1910, February 12). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954), p. 17. Retrieved April 8, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15134909
Department of Valuer-General, Valuation Lists, Municipality of Strathfield 1924, 1930, 1939, 1951, 1960
Fox & Associates, Strathfield Heritage Study, 1986
Jackson, S (1999), A matter of Grave Importance, St Thomas’ Anglican Church Enfield
Jones, C (2022), John Lyon Gardiner, Strathfield Heritage, viewed at https://strathfieldheritage.com/people/biographies/john-lyon-gardiner/
Property Sales. (1880, November 27). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954), p. 3. Retrieved March 30, 2023, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13477065
Sands Sydney Directory, Municipality of Strathfield 1908-1932
Strathfield Council Valuation Books 1896-1906
Sydney Morning Herald 10 April 1912
Sydney Morning Herald 8 November 1910
Footnotes
[1] Property Sales. (1880). The Sydney Morning Herald, p. 3.
[2] Property Sales. (1880). The Sydney Morning Herald, p. 3.
[3] Strathfield Council Valuation Books 1899-1906
[4] Sydney Morning Herald 8 November 1910.
[5] Sydney Morning Herald 10 April 1912
[6] Sands Directory for Strathfield 1908-1915
[7] Advertising (1914, May 16). The Sydney Morning Herald p. 11.
[8] Jones, C (2022), John Lyon Gardiner, Strathfield Heritage
[9] Jackson, S (1999), A matter of Grave Importance, St Thomas’ Anglican Church Enfield
[10] Notice of Land Transfer
[11] Notice of Land Transfer
