by Cathy Jones
‘Warriana’ 93 The Boulevarde Strathfield is built on Lot C. Lots A, B and C were created from the subdivision of Lots 11, 12 and part Lot 10, of the ‘Toohey’s Estate’, a subdivision of the grounds surrounding the house ‘Torrington’. These lots faced The Boulevarde between Torrington and Woodward Avenue Strathfield. 89 and 91 The Boulevarde were Lot A and Lot B respectively.
‘Warriana’ borders the Woodward Avenue Heritage Conservation Area (HCA) on its southern boundary and provides an important interface with historic Boulevarde roadway, and the entry to Woodward Avenue. This HCA features many of Strathfield’s oldest heritage properties.
‘Warriana’ was built in 1923 and is a single storey face brick interwar California Bungalow style house with gabled unglazed terracotta tile roof. The house is situated on land with a 50 foot frontage and 160 foot depth.
An application was lodged and approved by Strathfield Council in July 1923 to construct a brick residence with a tiled roof of more than 6 rooms. The value of the works was £1400. The application was lodged by the builder R Curgenven of Haberfield. Curegenven was a prolific builder in Strathfield during this period and built many houses in streets such as Albert Rd, Dickson St and Merley Rd.
The house was owned by Thomas Albert McPherson, a storekeeper. In August 1923, McPherson lodged an application to build a garage. The house first appeared in the Sands Directory in 1924 and named ‘Wairrana’. The house was originally numbered 75 The Boulevarde but renumbered 93 The Boulevarde in 1966.
In August 1933, the house was transferred from the ownership of Thomas Albert McPherson, to Augustus George Grime, a manufacturer, of Burwood. The house was sold for £1450 and was described as a brick house of 6 rooms and fibro garage. In June 1941, Grime sold the house to Eileen Olive Davison, wife of Edward Allan Davison of Homebush, grazier. The Davison’s only owned the house for about a year before transferring ownership in 1942 to Heather Joyce Plant, wife of David Plant, 6 Gelling Avenue Strathfield for £1700.
By 1951, ownership transferred to Mrs Lorraine Hawkins. Mrs Hawkins died in 2021. She lived for many years in this house with her sister Shirley Dawson who died in 2020.
References
Department of Valuer-General, Valuation Lists, Municipality of Strathfield 1924, 1930, 1936, 1939, 1947, 1951
Notice of Transfer of Land (Lot C DP 7528) 1933, 1941 & 1942
Sands Sydney Directory 1924-1932
Strathfield Council Building Register Vol.2
Ryerson Index (deaths Lorraine Hawkins and Shirley Dawson) 2023
Tooheys Estate Subdivision Poster 1914
