Lyndoch Road 6-8
| Place type: | Building |
|---|---|
| Address: | 6-8 Lyndoch Road |
| Town or Locality: | Gawler East |
DESCRIPTION:
This large Federation-era asymmetrical villa addresses the south-west at the commencement of Lyndoch Road. It is constructed of overpainted dressed stone, with rendered mouldings with fielded margins. It has a hipped corrugated galvanised iron roof with Dutch gables, projecting corner gable, and a return bullnose verandah on square posts with carved timber brackets. Access to the timber verandah is via corner steps which feature splayed side walls of rendered masonry. The bold chimneys are rendered with quoins to match the dwelling, and corbelled caps. The façade features paired timber-framed double-hung sashes. The allotment also includes boundary walls of face rubble sandstone with rendered coping and a small stone and brick outbuilding.
STATEMENT OF HERITAGE VALUE:
This substantial bungalow displays historical, economic or social themes that are of importance to the local area, as an expression of the pattern of development in Gawler as new subdivisions were created in response to the town’s economic growing prosperity and increasing population during the 1890s. As a high-quality and prominent return verandah villa of the Federation-era with Edwardian overtones, constructed of local stone and brick and cast iron, the dwelling is harmonious with older nearby building stock. The extensive stone walling to the property boundaries on all sides enhances the setting.
BRIEF HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
The Town of Gawler was first surveyed and planned by Light, Finnis & Co in 1839 as part of the Gawler Special Survey sponsored by a consortium of wealthy investors including Henry Dundas Murray, John Reid & others. The original town plan devised by Light and laid out by William Jacob comprised 240 acres, made up of 100 acres of allotments (as 200 half-acre allotments) and 140 acres of streets, parklands, city squares, churches, cemeteries and other public places. The emergence of successful local industries, and the completion of the Gawler Railway connecting with Adelaide in 1857 led to further significant growth of the township, with a series of new subdivisions opening up to the north, south, east and west. During the mid to late nineteenth century, Gawler enjoyed a prosperous period as South Australia's second most important town.
John Reid, one of the principal investors in the Gawler Special Survey and Gawler’s first white settler, established ‘Clonlea’ a sheep run and farm on his 630 acres on the North Para River. Unfortunately he borrowed heavily against his property from William Paxton, and after he experienced substantial losses due to drought and disease in his flock Paxton foreclosed on the loan and took over most of the land. The remnant 40 acres of the Reid estate comprising the westerly portions of sections 6 and 7 of the Special Survey was subsequently inherited by his daughter Eliza Sarah Mahony. In 1873 auctioneer J C Wilkinson announced the forthcoming sale of 50 suburban blocks created by the subdivision of ‘Mrs Mahony’s Paddock’ in Gawler East.
Allotments 249, 273 and 274, at the corner of Lyndoch Road and High Street (now Union Street) were part of the subdivision of Mrs Mahony’s Paddock, on section 4 of the original Gawler Special Survey, and remained in her possession after she moved to North Adelaide with her two young daughters following her husband’s (Dr David Mahony’s) early death in 1858. In that year Allotment 249 was rented to Edward Clement, an auctioneer and chaff merchant.
By 1875 the allotment, described as vacant fenced land, valued at £7, had been transferred to William Penna, who in about 1886 also became the owner and occupier of the adjacent Allotment 250, containing a dwelling house. William Penna (1832-1904) had emigrated to South Australia from Cornwall in 1846. He worked at the Burra Mines before travelling to the Victorian goldfields, then California and New Zealand. He spent time in Victoria, Queensland (where he married Gwenllyan Powell), and finally NSW, before returning to South Australia.
William and Gwenllyan set up as market gardeners in Kersbrook before settling in Gawler in the early 1870s. William established a green-grocer’s and fruiterer’s business on the corner of High Street, which was later carried on by his sons William jnr and Thomas. He also had mining interests, and was later a director of the Lady Pearce Goldmining Company. The house and adjacent vacant block were occupied for a brief period around 1880 by John Fennell, former publican of the Wheatsheaf Inn on Lyndoch Road, but by 1882 both were again occupied by the Pennas. By 1885 William Penna had also purchased Allotments 273 and 274 from Mrs Mahony, on which he established an ‘orangerie’ and later a vineyard plot. William continued to grow fruit trees and vegetables in the large walled garden for the rest of his life, and was a regular prizewinner in the annual Agricultural and Horticultural Show. William Penna died in 1904, his wife having predeceased him by two years.
Prior to his death Allotment 249, on the corner of High Street and Lyndoch Road, had been subdivided in 1903, and the western portion with frontage to High Street was purchased for £100 by the Trustees of the Freemason’s Lodge of Fidelity Number 5. The foundation stone was laid by Sir Samuel Waye on 5 December 1903 and the Masonic Hall was completed in May the following year. Allotment 273 was subdivided in 1914 and the portion of the land fronting Lyndoch Road, together with a small portion of Allotment 249 adjoining it on the western boundary’ were transferred to George Norman, of Gawler, merchant. The property was subsequently transferred to Alexander Erskine Latter, of Glenelg, business manager in 1916; Alexander Frank Stewart, of Gawler, blacksmith in 1921; Zalmona Corey of Gawler, contractor in 1941; Mary Catherine Corey (his widow) in 1947; and Albert Ernest Sissman, of Roseworthy, farmer and Elsie Merna Sissman, his wife, in 1950.
In August 1921 a certificate of title was issued for Allotment 274, together with the balance of Allotment 273, to George Lines, proprietor of the Old Spot Hotel (1907-1910 and 1912-1919). This transaction also included a right of way to High Street via a private road across Allotment 249. It is possible that Lines occupied the property prior to this date, and built the Federation era stone residence that now occupies Allotment 274. Several weeks later the title was transferred to Emma Smith, wife of Arthur Smith, of Gawler, Surgeon Dentist. Emma Smith died on 25 September 1937, after which the title passed to other family members until transferred to Blanche Boucher of Gawler, married woman in 1945. In 1950 the title was transferred to Albert Ernest Sissman of Roseworthy, farmer.
In summary, adjacent Allotments 273 and 274, plus a small portion of Allotment 249, originally all part of Mahony’s Paddock subdivided in 1873, comprised the walled vegetable gardens and orchard owned and occupied by William Penna from the early 1870s until 1903, after which the ownership diverged. The land was brought under the same ownership again between 1950 and 1969.
Please <click here> to view photos of 6-8 Lyndoch Road.
Acknowledgments
This report has been prepared by the following people:
• Nancy Cromar (Flightpath Architects)
• Deborah Morgan (Flightpath Architects)
• Kate Paterson (Flightpath Architects)
• Douglas Alexander (Flightpath Architects)
The study team would like to acknowledge the assistance of the following people:
• David Petruzzella (Strategic Planner; Town of Gawler)
• Jacinta Weiss (Cultural Heritage Centre Coordinator; Town of Gawler)
• Jane Strange (Senior Development and Strategic Policy Officer; Town of Gawler)
Gawler History Team Inc. thanks:
Flightpath Architects, Ryan Viney and the Town of Gawler for allowing us access to this important document of Gawler History.
www.flightpatharchitects.com.au
.
References
- CT 711/83; CT 720/132; CT 1015/122CT 1207/442; CT 4163/742
- Hignett & Company Gawler Heritage Study Stage 1 December 1981
- http:/gawlerhistory.com
- Gawler rates assessment books East Ward 1858-1890
- SA Register 22 August 1896 p.5
- Bunyip 28 November 1868 p.2; 3 April 1874 p3; 28 January 1881 p.3; 8 March 1895 p.3; 30 Sept
- 1898; 6 June 1902 p.2; 9 December 1904 p.2
- SA Chronicle 18 March 1893 p.9
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