By Cathy Jones 2025
‘Rissmore’ 14 Vernon Street Strathfield was built c.1892 and is a Victorian Italianate style house. This house is located on land originally granted to James Wilshire in 1810. The house first appears in the 1895 Sands Directory with John Davis as an occupier. The house was originally named ‘Rissmore’. Vernon Street was renumbered in 1966 but this house was unchanged.
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.
John Vernon transferred ownership of Lots 4-7 to William Tanner Snr, a licensed victualler, in June 1885. In July 1888, Lots 4-7 were transferred to William Beaumont and William Small as tenants in common. Beaumont was the father-in-law of William Small. Beaumont lived at ‘Presteign’ The Boulevarde and Small in Wakeford Road Strathfield and was Manager of the Australia Hotel in Sydney. In March 1891 Lot 7 was transferred to John Andrew Davis. Strathfield Council’s valuation 1893 note that a house was recently built, indicating a build date of 1892-1893. John Andrew Davis (1861-1933) lived at ‘Rissmore’ with his wife Elizabeth (née Hawkins) (1859-1941). Davis was an auditor and was employed by the NSW Audit Office from the 1890s. He appears in NSW Gazette in the NSW Chief Secretary branch as a Senior Inspector of Public Accounts in 1923. He was a parishioner of St Martha’s Catholic Church, Strathfield. ‘Rissmore’ remained in his ownership until 1919. He later lived at ‘Glen Luna’ Carrington Avenue Strathfield.
In November 1919, the property transferred to Frederick James Fyall, soldier, Agnes Fyall (married Ernest Grace in 1920), Rose Fyall (married Richard Walsh in 1924) and Louise Fairfax Fyall, clerk. In August 1953 the property transferred to Bella and Rosalie Woschitz and in 1957, to Lazlo Borzcky. The house had operated as a boarding house in the 1980s.
References
Sands Sydney and Suburban Directory 1884-1932
Strathfield Council register of land transfers
Strathfield Council Valuation Lists 1892-97, 1900-01, 1906-07, 1917, 1920, 1924, 1936, 1942, 1947, 1957, 1960
Wise’s Post Office Suburban Directory 1904, 1908, 1936.
