by Cathy Jones
19-21 South Street was built in 1941 for its owners Nigel and Phyllis Love. Nigel Borland Love [1892-1979] was a noted aviator and flour miller. He grew up in Strathfield and lived at ‘Montesca’, Beresford Road Strathfield. In 1924, he married Phyllis Davey, daughter of George A. Davey and his wife Mabel [nee Matters]. George Davey [1874-1954], lived next door to the Love’s home ‘Montesca’ at ‘Korrianda’ 1 Broughton Road. Davey was the principal of Edwin Davey & Co, flour millers and a former Mayor of Strathfield.
After their marriage in 1924, Nigel and Phyllis Love moved from Strathfield but in 1941, they built a new home at 19-21 South Street Strathfield, which was close to Love’s business N. B Love Industries, flour mills, at Braidwood Street Enfield (now Strathfield South), which was established in 1935.
An application was made by Nigel Love to Strathfield Council to construct a dwelling at Lots 65 & 66 on the west side of South St Strathfield. The property was built over two building blocks and the house was built in brick containing ten rooms at an estimated cost £3900. The house is a two storey Georgian revival house constructed of rendered brick with a tile hip roof. The house contained a mature garden, stone fence, tennis court and circular drive.
Love was a successful businessman. By 1940 he expanded his business with the acquisition of his father-in-law’s business Edwin Davey & Sons. In 1952, he formed Millmaster Feeds Pty Ltd with a separate mill at Braidwood Avenue, Enfield producing stock-feed pellets. In 1958, he started to manufacture bread at Enfield, introducing a high-speed dough development technique and also manufacturing gluten and starch, establishing N.B. Love Starches and N.B. Love Bakeries. In 1962, George Weston (Australia) Pty Ltd purchased the group then known as N.B. Love Industries.
Love died in 1979.
The house was later the home of publican Arthur Laundy.
References
Fox & Associates, Strathfield Heritage Study, 1986
Strathfield Council Building Register
Strathfield Council, Minutes of Council Meetings
Department of the Valuer General NSW – Valuation List – Valuation District of Strathfield
Notice of Land Transfer under Local Government Act 1919
Strathfield Heritage 
Cathy, I’m enjoying reading your articles about more recent architect designed houses in the area. Another house was designed for a member of the Love family at 1 South Street, Strathfield. I presume this house was built as a subdivision of the neighbouring house at 50 Barker Road but I wonder how it came to be numbered as 1? Was there in fact a house demolished on that site? Built in a Late 20th Century Colonial Victorian Style this house is an impressive addition to the streetscape with its dormer windows and high grey tiled roof running parallel to South Street. It is interesting to read of business and professional families building is this newer section of Strathfield with its proximity to the ever developing western suburbs of Sydney but still with the buffer of the Rookwood Necropolis for clean air and open space. As always it would be good to know which architectural firm was responsible for the design of these Love houses. Stylistically 1 Street Street was very similar to the now demolished 1960s designed house built at 31 Coventry Road, Strathfield. What are you able to tell us about the builders of these almost twin houses? It is amazing that substantial 1960s houses are already being demolished in the ever changing Strathfield of today. Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose!
Regards
Scott
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