By Cathy Jones 2024
2 Wallis Avenue Strathfield was an interwar style cottage, built in 1930. It was located on Lot 9 of the Wynola Estate, a 1920s subdivision of the grounds of the house ‘Wynola’, which faced Chalmers Road. This site is located on part of the land granted by Crown Grant to Joseph Newton by Crown Land grant in 1841.
The land on which ‘Wynola’ was located was owned by Walter Keep, an ironmonger. In August 1900, the property transferred to Leonard Keep, ironmonger. In June 1925, an application for transmission (will of), following the death of Leonard Keep, was made by Permanent Trustee NSW Ltd, Jessie Marion Keep of Strathfield, widow, and John Leonard Keep, merchant. In October 1929, after subdivision of part of Wynola’s grounds and creation of residential allotments on Barker Road and Wallis Avenue (DP 1354), Lot 9 was sold to Arthur Charles Grundy. A covenant was placed on the land title that erection of a building must be built in brick, stone or in both. In March 1930, the vacant land was transferred to Herbert Henry Mobbs, of Lakemba, a builder.
Wallis Avenue was formerly known as Yarmouth Street, as appears on maps.
Mobbs lodged an application to build a brick cottage of minimum five rooms at an estimated cost of £1200 in February 1930. Mobbs was a builder and he was identified as the builder of this house. The site had a 50 feet frontage and depth of 148 feet. The design of the house has variously been attributed to prolific architect Thomas Pollard Sampson, who designed a number of houses in Strathfield including ‘Kama’ 16 Llandilo Avenue and additions to Meriden Anglican School in Strathfield.
Mobbs retained ownership until October 1939, when the property was sold to William Foster Edwards, Chartered Accountant. In May 1953, Robert Oriel Bolton, Importer, and his wife, Alma, became the registered owners of the property. In December 1962, ownership transferred to Bruce St John Smith, medical practitioner and his wife Pamela, tenants in common. In July 1968, ownership transferred to Burns Philp Trustee Company and Ralph Sanders Barclay as joint tenants.
References
NSW Land Titles, v.1078 f.202 and v.4339 f.19
Department of Valuer-General, Municipality of Strathfield, Valuation Lists 1929, 1933 and 1960
Strathfield Council Building Register Vol. 4
