Eastern side – odd numbers
[1]. This property forms part of the Ramona Estate. For its history prior to the subdivision of the Ramona Estate see the story of the house Ramona elsewhere on this website under Houses – Beecroft Road.
Lots 20-22 of the Ramona Estate subdivision were purchased by a Beecroft warehouseman, Henry Sotheran also of Beecroft but a company secretary. Sotheran sold this lot in October 1941 to Ernest John Coote and his wife Lillian Eleanor. He was a commercial traveller from Mosman. In May 1950 they sold it to R A Investments which in turn sold it in 1957 to Stanley Joseph Austin a company director of Beecroft. Austin sold it to Keith Allan Coble and his wife Heather who had it as their family home until 2016 when they moved into an aged care facility.
[1] The information on this property derives from S Rosen Heritage Impact Statement: 7 Boronia Avenue Beecroft, April 2019.
29, was the home of Betty Grant a President of the Civic Trust and member from at least 1991 to 2003.
35 [1]. This lot occupies part of Lot 30 of the Ramona Estate. For the earlier history of this estate see the text under the description of Ramona at 130 Beecroft Road, Beecroft.
Thomas Bembrick and estate agent from Hornsby purchased Lot 30 on 29 October 1920. It was the last remaining lot of the Ramona Estate to sell. Seven years later he purchased the neighbouring Loy 29 in October 1927. In December 1934 both of these lots were sold as vacant land to Ernest Walter Hawkins a Manager of Carlingford. He already owned Lot 33 which now comprises 16 Murray Road. Mr Hawkins subdivided the 3 lots so as to extend the backyard of 16 Murray Road and corresponding reduce the depth of Lots 29 and 30. Mr Hawkins built his home on 16 Murray Road, where he then resided.
In December 1945, Mr Hawkins sold the vacant land at 35 Boronia Avenue to Harold John Lovell and his wife Lesley Jean. Mr Lovell was described as a spring manufacturer. Electoral rolls show Mr & Mrs Lovell as residing at 35 Boronia Avenue as from 1949 and so the house was built at some stage between 1945 and 1949.
The Lovells sold the property in June 1956 to the Walton-Cowil family of Eastwood. They in turn sold the property to Peter Nicholls and his wife Shirley in 1962. Peter Nicholls was a bank officer. He was actively involved with Beecroft Presbyterian Church and each effectively remained in the home until their respective deaths subject to times in hospital and similar facilities. The estate sold the property in 2014 to the current owners.
[1] The information on this property derives from Sue Rosen Heritage Impact Statement on 35 Boronia Avenue Beecroft August 2017.
35A was the address for Peter Corey from at least 1977 to 2007 while he was a member of the Civic Trust.
37, Ashington. In 1891 Christian Nielsen Lykke purchased 4 acres. The next owners are presently unknown but it was purchased in 1907 by Julia Deborah Hodgson widow. She may have built the house. In 1910 Thomas Sherington Alexander Kenyon, labourer then law stationer of Beecroft Road owned the house. The Kenyons sold the house in 1919 to Walter Rothwell commercial traveller. Ownership then progresses so that in 1922 it was Charles Samuel Willis and then in 1926 Mrs J R Willis. Between 1985 and 2004 it was the home of B M Ash who was a member of the Civic Trust.
It is a modest single storey Federation style dwelling with a front gable, verandah with turned timber posts and slate roof. It was significantly altered by the additions on the north and a garage on the south, with a subdivision to the rear, in 2012 [1].
[1] Northern District Times, 12 December 2012.
West Side
Western side – even numbers
Oaklands. This house had been situated on the western corner of Boronia Avenue and Kirkham Street. The land had been purchased in 1909 by Charles Churchill Tucker as part of 8 acres to build this, his second home in Beecroft, which was a large Federation style house. At the entrance to this home, on the southern corner of Kirkham Street and Boronia Avenue, he planted Chinese elms that can still be seen.
The 1894 gazetted Boronia Avenue did not immediately result in a road being built because Tucker complained that he had not been properly compensated for it travelling across his land. In 1903 he relented and suggested to the Beecroft Progress Association that unemployed men might be used to build the road, but nothing happened.
After Tucker’s death in 1917, his widow requested Hornsby Council to form the road so as to assist with the subdivision and sale of her former home. Council declined on the basis that it lacked funds. These machinations and delays have contributed to the avenue taking ages to be constructed on the western end and being a beautifully unkerbed, wide and tree lined.
The Tucker’s house was purchased by the Badgery-Parker family and when Oaklands was eventually demolished in the 1960s, Parker Close was built in the resulting subdivision.
4, Copley was built around 1949 in an Old English style. The original owners sold in 2015 [1].
The garden is listed on the Hornsby Shire Council Heritage Register which comprises Schedule 5 (Environmental Heritage) of the Hornsby Local Environment Plan 2013.
[1] Northern District Times, 19 August 2015
12 was the first home of Talbot Duckmanton (1921-1995) who was general manager of the Australian Broadcasting Commission from 1965 to 1982. He lived here in the late 1950s to early 1960s. He later moved to Norma Crescent, Cheltenham.
20B, Kia Ora was built in 1886 (originally with a Murray Road address) for Alfred Barnby (1850-1923) and Angelina Charlotte Sarah (nee Wachsmann and born Berry) (1846-1932). Alfred was the son of Edgar & Hannah Barnby and came to Sydney as a naval architect by at least 1881 [1]. In Sydney he met a widow who was running a boarding house and they married in 1880. Their two sons were born in Sydney in 1881 and 1884. Angelina Barnby was the mother of Albert Wachsmann [2].
It originally had 6 acres with the stables and servants quarters closer to Devlins Creek. The lounge has a key hole window which is very dramatic and contains original glass. It was the home of T W Corey between 1990 and 2000 during which time he was a member of the Civic Trust. Steven and Donna Aisbett sold it in 2011 [3].
[1] Sydney Morning Herald, 29 January 1881
[2] For more information on Wacchsmann see a separate article on this web site under People. For more information on the elder son, Sydney Norfolk Barnby see a separate article on this web site under Boer War.
[3] Northern District Times 20 April 2011 p.7
24, Boronia (formerly Wolobrai), was built in 1902 by Albert Wachsmann for leasing. It was occupied by the Quodling family until 1908 and they named it Wolobrai. Between 1998 and 2007 it was owned by J Werner who was, during those years, a member of the Civic Trust.
The house is unusual with the stone chimney at the front of the house, a side entrance, two gables and small sunny rooms at each end of the verandah.
The house is listed on the Hornsby Shire Council Heritage Register which comprises Schedule 5 (Environmental Heritage) of the Hornsby Local Environment Plan 2013.
32 The house is built around 1910 in the Federation style and is listed on the Hornsby Shire Council Heritage Register which comprises Schedule 5 (Environmental Heritage) of the Hornsby Local Environment Plan 2013.