By Cathy Jones (2023)
‘Greenwich’ 63 Rochester Street Homebush is a Federation style cottage, which is located on the Village of Homebush’ Estate, a 1878 subdivision of the Underwood Estate. This property is a located in the Abbotsford Road Heritage Conservation area on Strathfield Council’s Local Environmental Plan.
The Australian Bank of Commerce Ltd transferred land (part lots 7 & 8, s.9) to Albert Dodson in July 1914. Dodson was the son of local builder and contractor John Dodson, who was responsible for many buildings in the Strathfield and Homebush area in this period. Albert Dodson was also a builder and likely worked with his father, who was based in Clarendon Street (now Albert Road) Strathfield.
Strathfield Council issued approvals to build a brick cottage in Rochester Street to J Dodson & Co in August 1916 and September 1916. It is likely that one of these approvals related to this house. Both 61 and 63 Rochester Street were built on land owned by Albert Dodson and likely constructed by John Dodson & Co, builders.
The house first appears in the Sands Directory of 1917 as occupied by Thomas Coates, which points to a construction in 1916. The house was originally numbered 49 Rochester Street, in 1965 the house was renumbered to 63 Rochester St.
In August 1918 ownership of the property transferred to Roy Cyril Parker, a clerk and the house name is noted on the 1920 Valuation record as ‘Hilgraber’. The property was then transferred to Herbert Furniss, an engineer and was renamed ‘Greenwich’. In 1935, part of the land at the rear of the property was resumed by the Department of Public Works, presumably for drainage.
Furniss owned the property until September 1955 when it transferred to Terrence Shanahan and Noel Shanahan, dental surgeons of Homebush. In June 1957, the property transferred to Eva Hesione Dutton, retired school teacher, Peter Dutton, school teacher and Margaret Eve Dutton, school teacher of Strathfield. Margaret Dutton is better known as Eve Dutton OAM (1914-1928). Dutton was the first female Mayor of Strathfield in 1992 and again elected in 1996. She served as an Alderman from 1987 to 2000, representing the Liberal Party. She worked at the University of Sydney and Permanent Trustee and was awarded a Diploma in Design and Diploma in Teaching. She was employed in the School of Art and Design, TAFE New South Wales from c1960s to 1986. She was the Head of the Design Branch, Randwick Technology College, from 1978 to 1976. The Dutton Centre in Augusta Street Strathfield is named after her.
In 1966, Eva Dutton and Margaret Dutton were registered as joint tenants and in 1972, Margaret Dutton was the sole owner. The property was sold in 1986.
References
Department of Valuer-General, Valuation Lists, Municipality of Strathfield 1924, 1930, 1948, 1960
Fox & Associates, Strathfield Heritage Study, 1986
Jones, C (2020), Eve Dutton viewed at https://strathfieldheritage.com/local-government/council/mayors-of-strathfield-council/eve-dutton/
NSW Land Register Certificate of Title v.1083 f.223, v.2606 f.47
Sands Sydney and Suburban Directory 1900-1932
Strathfield Council building registers
