By Cathy Jones
The two storey shops located at 9 and 11 Rochester Street were built in 1920. This site was formerly occupied by a wooden building operating a greengrocer. In 1920, merchant David Wong Yee lodged an application to build two adjoining two storey shops with first floor residences of 9 + rooms at the estimated value of £1850. The builders were Garratt & Hokin of King Street Sydney.
The two shops have a 50 feet frontage with a rear depth of 190 feet.
David Wong Yee owned both shops and residence from 1920 to the mid-1960s. Ownership then transferred to Neville Ray Duffy. By the mid-1960s, the properties were owned by the Bank of NSW.
The occupancy of the ground floor shops has regularly changed and as most are leased, it is difficult to construct a fully accurate record of the businesses which have occupied these buildings. 9 Rochester St has had previous uses as a travel agency, menswear shop and a photographic processing shop. 11 Rochester St was once occupied by the Bank of NSW (later Westpac) and later by Civic Video. There is a walkway between the two shops to the carpark at the rear of the Rochester Street shops.
The first floor is occupied by various offices and including chartered accountant, computer services, travel and health providers.
References
Department of Valuer-General, Valuation Lists, Municipality of Strathfield 1924, 1927, 1930, 1933, 1936, 1939, 1942, 1948, 1951, 1957, 1960, 1966
MacRitchie, J (2021) “Who do you think you are, Jeff Fatt, the Purple Wiggle’ (David Wong Yee family), Strathfield Council website, viewed at https://www.strathfield.nsw.gov.au/blog-post/who-do-you-think-you-are-jeff-fatt-the-purple-wiggle/
Strathfield Council Building Register 1920
Photo
The featured photo is dated 2004, taken by Cathy Jones.
Strathfield Heritage 