by Cathy Jones 2024
The house ‘Presteign’ was located on The Boulevarde Strathfield facing Churchill Avenue. It was the home of William Beaumont (1814-1904) who lived there until his death in 1904 with his wife Martha.
‘Presteign’ was one of the four large mansions located on western side of The Boulevarde between Redmyre Road and Strathfield Rail Station, which were built in the 1880s.
William Beaumont (1814-1904) was the owner of the house ‘Presteign’ The Boulevarde Strathfield from c.1882, when it was built until his death in 1904.
William Beaumont acquired Lot 17, parts Lot 16 and 18 of the Briggs Estate subdivision in October 1880 and built ‘Presteign’ in 1881-1882.
According to Sands Directory, ‘Presteign’ was first listed in 1883 in Redmyre Road, Redmyre and occupied by William Beaumont. In 1886, the house was listed with an address on The Boulevarde, Strathfield (the suburb of Redmyre was renamed Strathfield in 1886). After Beaumont’s death, it was listed until 1909 as occupied by Mrs M C Beaumont, his widow Martha. Martha died in 1909 and the residence transferred to her estate, administered by her son-in-law William Small, and James Steel.
Small and Steel sold ‘Presteign’ to Mrs Elizabeth Shaw in 1911 and the house was renamed ‘Kingsburgh’. Shaw and her husband James, lived in the residence but part of the house was used for her husband James Shaw’s business as a house and land agent. In 1923, Elizabeth Shaw sold the house. It appears that part of the site was subdivided. From 1923, the premises was occupied by Cameron and Kentwell, Real Estate Agents.
‘Presteign’ was located in today’s terms near the southern corner of Churchill Avenue and The Boulevarde. The house disappeared from sight as shops and offices were built in front of the house closer to the road frontage. The photograph above from c.1958 shows the roof and chimneys of ‘Presteign’.
Parts of the house was demolished with the remodelling of shops and private hotel but some parts were still in existence until 1990s, when it was finally demolished
