by Cathy Jones (2020, updated 2024)
‘Walden’ is located on the Woodward Avenue Heritage Conservation Area. This area features predominately Victorian houses located on Woodward Avenue, The Boulevarde and Albyn Road Strathfield.
This property is located on the Redmire Estate which was first granted to James Wilshire in 1810. This land was subdivided in 1867 and a further subdivision was made in 1880 and marketed as the ‘Woodgreen Estate’. This is one of Strathfield’s earliest residential developments.
In November 1889, Robert Mander Ross (1849-1902) acquired part Lot 5, section 3 of the Woodgreen Estate (DP538). The land had a 85 foot frontage to Woodward Avenue. ‘Walden’ was built c.1893’. Ross was the son of Robert Scott Ross and Eliza Jones. He was the grandson of retailer David Jones. His father was an early partner in business David Jones & Co. He married Eleanor Lucy (Nellie) Burrett and lived at lived at ‘Walden’ until 1901. The National Mutual Life Association held a mortgage on the property from 1899.
From 1902 to 1904, ‘Walden’ was let to Allen H. Nott, a grazier. It was next tenanted to Joseph Gillespie from c.1906 to 1910. Gillespie was a prominent flour miller and lived at ‘Walden’. In 1911, the National Mutual Life Association exercising mortgagee power of sale transferred ownership to the Trustees of the Methodist Church. The property was owned by the Methodist Church until 1954. Sands Sydney Directory (published until 1932) records the following occupants of the the house: Rev. W E Bromilow (1911-1914), Rev. H E Andrews (1915-1917), Rev. B J Meek (1918-1920), Rev. R Ellison (1921-23), Rev. J W Leadley (1925-1927), Rev. A M Sanders (1928-1931) and Rev. C J MacAuley (1932-1933).
In July 1954, the house was transferred to Jacqueline Downes, who used the house as a boarding house. In 1962, the house was sold to Edwin and Patricia Judge and the house reverted to a private residence. Ownership was next transferred in August 1984 to Warren and Anne Stevens.
References
Register of Miscellaneous Licenses (1929-1985), Strathfield Council
Fox & Associates, Strathfield Heritage Study, 1986
NSW Land Registry v.8396 f.164, v.534 f.156, v.564 f.51
Sands Sydney and Suburban Directory 1881-1933
Strathfield Council Valuation Lists
Department of the Valuer General NSW – Valuation List – Valuation District of Strathfield
