By Cathy Jones 2025
’Barooma’ 1 Vernon Street was built in 1881 by builder Sydney Herbert Jones and it is the oldest house in Vernon Street. It was the home of Joseph Airey from 1905-1924, a director of retail firm Marcus Clark & Co and an Alderman of Strathfield Council. Due to Airey’s influence, land was donated to Strathfield Council which became the park Airey Park in Homebush. Other significant owners were John Parker, a tea merchant of the firm James Inglis & Co, from 1882-1899 and Stanley and Thelma Hedges from 1943-1952. Hedges was an Alderman and Mayor of Strathfield (1957-1959). The house was later used as a nursing home called ‘Helensville’ but has since returned to private ownership.
This house is located on land originally granted to James Wilshire in 1810. Wiltshire’s grant was subdivided by William Whaley Billyard in 1867 and marketed as the ‘Redmire Estate’. In 1868, 22 acres was purchased by Mary Ann Renny, wife of Walter Renny of City of Sydney, painter. In 1874, Renny with ‘the consent of her husband’ sold 22 acres to James Vernon, of Scone, a licensed surveyor, purchased land measuring 18 acres. On April 7 1875, Vernon transferred ownership to his son, John Vernon. Vernon authorised the power of attorney to his brother Donald Vernon, of Burwood, in June 1880. The land was subdivided and marketed for sale as the ‘Mount Vernon Estate’ (DP 528) in July 1880. The ‘Mount Vernon Estate’, created Vernon Street, Brunswick Street (then called Redmyre St) and had lots on Redmyre Road (south between Vernon Street) and Homebush Rd (east between Vernon Street and Homebush Road).
Members of the Vernon family were influential in Strathfield’s early history. Donald Vernon (1839-1891) entered the civil service when 20 years of age, and occupied several important positions in the railway department, including those of auditor and traffic manager. He was appointed Secretary for Railways in 1878, Secretary to the Railway Commissioners in 1888 and retired due to ill health in August 1899. He built and lived in the home ‘Parkstone’ c.1872 on The Boulevarde Strathfield (following subdivision of its grounds, it had a Margaret Street frontage and has since been demolished) and later moved to ‘Clewer’ Albert Road Strathfield where he died in 1891. John Vernon (1845-1924), brother of Donald Vernon, also worked for the Railway Department for 28 years before serving as NSW Auditor-General from 1902-1914. He was also a trustee of the Australian Museum. He lived at ‘Springfield’ Redmyre Road Strathfield (demolished) and ‘Iona’ 70 Redmyre Road Strathfield. Their father, James Vernon, was a surveyor. He died in 1894 at ‘Merley’ Albert Road Strathfield.
In November 1880, Lot 18 was transferred to Sydney Herbert Jones, a builder. A house is listed in the 1881 Sands Directory as occupied by Sydney Herbert Jones. In March 1882, the property was transferred to Margaret Nesham Parker (née Outterside) (1848-1939), wife of John Parker (1842-1927). The house was named ‘Barooma’.
Parker’s obituary in 1927 states he was one of the pioneers of the tea trade in Australia, having received his training in the tea trade in London before migrating to Australia. He was associated with James Henty and Co., Melbourne, and later with John Fraser & Co., Sydney. It states ‘On the latter’s behalf he went to China. In shipments for them he included Macao, which was the first introduction of that class of tea to the Sydney market’. He then joined James Inglis in founding the firm of James Inglis and Co. Inglis was a resident of Strathfield, living at ‘Craigo’ The Boulevarde Strathfield, famous for ‘Billy Tea’ and was a member of the NSW Legislative Assembly. Parker was also a foundation member of the Commercial Travellers’ Association of New South Wales.
In February 1899, ownership of ‘Barooma’ transferred to James Inglis until 1902. Inglis did not live at ‘Barooma’ and Sands Directory does not note any occupancy. In May 1902 the house was sold to Catherine Helen Epps, wife of William Epps, Secretary of Prince Alfred Hospital, for her separate use. Mrs Epps owned the house until January 1905. During this period, it was leased to Faulkner Waters. Waters was a Director of the city based store W T Waters & Co.
In January 1905, ‘Barooma’ was transferred to Joseph Ward Airey (1863-1924), where he lived with his wife Frances (1968-1952) (née George). Airey was a draper, manager and director of Marcus Clark & Co, a Sydney based store. Airey was active in local civic and community activities in Strathfield. He served as an Alderman on Strathfield Council from 1917-1924 and was also member of Washington H Soul Masonic Lodge No. 390, which was located in Beresford Road Strathfield.
Marcus Clark & Co began in 1883 when Henry Marcus Clark (1859–1913) purchased his former employer’s drapery in Newtown. The business grew rapidly, opening branches in Marrickville and Bondi Junction, and by 1894 was described as Newtown’s largest and most modern store. In 1896 Clark opened Bon Marché near Railway Square, inspired by the Parisian department store and his own apprenticeship in Liverpool. Its success led to further expansion, including the landmark nine-storey Central Square “flat-iron” building of 1906, then Sydney’s tallest. By 1915 Marcus Clark & Co had built a wide suburban and regional presence, with stores and sample rooms across New South Wales. Country customers were well served through its mail-order business, aided by its proximity to Central Railway’s parcels office. The company also manufactured its own furniture, quilts and bedding, and in 1928 expanded its Railway Square showroom into a ten-storey building with a clock tower.
After Henry Marcus Clark’s death in 1913, his son Reginald (later Sir Marcus Clark) took control of the business. With Reginald Clark, Joseph Airey was appointed one of the Executors and Trustees of Henry Clark’s vast estate, estimated value of £372,000.
In September 1915, Joseph Airey lodged a building application with Strathfield to add nine rooms with construction valued at 1000 pounds. It is assumed that at this time, Federation style additions were made to the house.
In 1917, Airey was elected as an Alderman of Strathfield Council. He served until his death in 1924 and was elected as Deputy Mayor in 1918-1919 and 1921-1924. Airey was the Vice-Chairman of Strathfield Council’s finance committee and was instrumental in inducing the trustees of the Clark estate to donate seven and half acres of land owned by the estate in Homebush for a public park. In 1919, the Estate transferred to Strathfield Council and is now known as ‘Airey Park’.
The Marcus Clark stores remained in family hands until Waltons acquired it in 1966, by which time the Bon Marché and Railway Square stores had already closed.
Following Airey’s death in 1924, ownership transferred to his widow Frances, who is noted as the occupant of the house in the Sands Directory. Mrs Airey sold the property in April 1928 to Thomas Nangle, traveller and his wife Agnes as joint tenants. The property transferred ownership in 1931 to Linda Lomax, wife of Percy Beauchamp Lomax of Strathfield gentleman and in October 1942 to Thomas Heaney of Strathfield, manufacturer.
In May 1943, the property was sold to Thelma Hedges, wife of Stanley Nelson Hedges, hardware merchant. Stanley Hedges later served as Alderman and Mayor of Strathfield. In 1952, the property was sold to Agnes White and then in 1960 to Albert Fergus Cayzer and Dulcie Alice Cayzer his wife as joint tenants.
In 1967, the property transferred to Mary McLaren, a nurse. The property was converted to an aged care facility called ‘Helensville’.
The property has since returned to use as a private residence.
References
Department of Valuer-General, Valuation Lists, Municipality of Strathfield 1924-1966
Fox & Associates (1986), Strathfield Heritage Study, 1986
Late Mr. Marcus Clark’s Will. (1913, May 13). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954), p. 5. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15419911
Mr John Parker (1927, March 8), Daily Telegraph, page 11
Sands Sydney Directory 1880-1932
Marcus Clark & Co (2022), Museum of History NSW, https://mhnsw.au/stories/sydneys-home-furnishing-stores/marcus-clark-co/
