By Cathy Jones
Torrington Rd was previously known as Woodgreen Rd and created in the Strathfield Estate subdivision in 1880. The street takes its name from the home ‘Torrington’ was built by the first Mayor of Strathfield George Hardie c.1880 and located on the corner of Torrington Rd and The Boulevarde. The house was named after the village of Torrington in Devonshire where the Hardie family originated. ‘Torrington’ was purchased in 1886 by James Matthew Toohey (1850-1895), the famous brewer (Toohey’s Beer) and NSW Member of Parliament for South Sydney (1882-1893), the Toohey family retained ownership until Mrs Mary Toohey’s death in 1913. ‘Torrington’ was then demolished and the property subdivided and sold as individual lots . The sub-division of ‘Torrington’ created wide blocks of shallow depth along Torrington Rd backing onto Woodward Avenue, consequently there are no homes on the north side of Woodward Avenue between The Boulevarde and Parsons Avenue.
Past residents
George Hardie, first Mayor of Strathfield [1885] and auctioneer of Hardie & Gorman, lived at ‘Torrington’ from 1880 to 1886 and James Toohey MLA (1850-1895), famous brewer and member of NSW Parliament, lived at ‘Torrington’ from 1886 until his death in 1895. ‘Torrington’ was owned by the Toohey family until 1913, when it was sold after the death of Toohey’s widow, Mary. John Toohey (1839-1903), brother of James Toohey, co-founder of Toohey’s Ltd and NSW Parliamentarian, lived on eastern side of The Boulevarde.
John Sulman (1849-1934), lived at ‘Glencoe’ 9 Torrington Avenue in 1886-1887, which has since been demolished. Sulman, a noted architect and advocate for town planning, designed Strathfield Council Chambers, St Anne’s Anglican Church Strathfield and St Columba’s Church in Flemington (now Homebush West).
William Boyce, Mayor of Strathfield [1969-70, 1973-76], Deputy Mayor [1972, 1977-78] and Alderman [1954-1978] lived at 10 Torrington Rd, Strathfield.
Strathfield Heritage 