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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: PJCPJC on Saturday 13 November 10 01:26 GMT (UK)
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Could anyone please help me find images of these 2 buildings? I assumed they are available because they were owned by prominent, wealthy men in Sydney, but I have tried all the obvious avenues and I have run out of ideas.
1. Napoleon Cottage, Brisbane Street, Surry Hills.
Gregory BOARD 1809 - 1888 lived there for many years and died there - probate £208,292 which in those days was quite a fortune.
2. Glenbank, Norton Street, Ashfield
Gregory's son Gregory BOARD 1841 - 1915 lived there for many years, and, according to his obituary in The Sydney Morning Herald, "deceased was the possessor of one of the largest private collections in the State of pictures, bronzes, and objects of art. The art gallery at Glenbank, for size and completeness, is even said to be unrivalled in New South Wales." I am amazed I cannot find an image for this one.
Best wishes to all, and any help would be very much appreciated.
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Hi,
I presume when you say you have checked all obvious avenues- you have checked with the local council and or museum if there is one ?
I see on NLA there was another man of Napolean Cottage , Mr Thomas T BALCOMBE who dies in Paddington on 13.10.1861.
Maybe his descendants may have a photo ?
Regards
Alison
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Hi again,
Do either of these buildings still exist ? You can use Google Earth street view and walk down those streets, I just did but had no exact address to look at ;)
Regards
Alison
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Hi Alison,
Thank you very much for your replies. These buildings no longer exist, and Mr. Balcombe lived in a different building called Napoleon Cottage. I admit I meant obvious online avenues - I have not tried the local council.
Many thanks,
Peter.
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Hi Peter,
The following is via Picture Australia. It gives an idea of what the house in Ashfield may have looked like:
http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;place_id=3342
If you do a search for Brisbane Street, Surry Hills on Picture Australia (http://www.pictureaustralia.org/) you will find a lot of photos of the old street before it was resumed, along with photos of the resumption under way. Unfortunately it may be that "Napoleon Cottage" went the way of much of Surry Hills in the early 20th century.
Cheers
Prue
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Hi Prue,
Thanks for your kind reply. I tried Picture Australia yesterday, and came up with nothing for Napoleon Cottage. As for the Norton Street link, thanks again but I imagine Glenbank was much more substantial because of the art gallery within. I realise some things are simply not on the internet, but I am not quite ready to give up.
Many thanks,
Peter.
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Hi Peter,
I suspect that your houses simply were never photographed, or if they were, they were not "named" so if the photos were available publicly you would never know that you were looking at them. :-\
Accordingly I suspect your "Napoleon Cottage" may feature in the photos of Brisbane Street as it seems almost the entire street was photographed before demolition. It's a pity you don't have a street number for reference (I have lots of early Sydney houses with the same problem!) Re. Norton Street, I was thinking of stylistic similarities rather than size. I wonder if perhaps the house was pictured in a book or something from the pre-digital era that isn't available online...perhaps a local historical society might be able to advise further?
Cheers
Prue
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Hi Prue,
The Brisbane Street pictures I have just seen on Picture Australia suggest Napoleon Cottage was already demolished. It had been a detached property, described in 1912 in the Sydney Morning Herald, in an article reminiscing about the 1860's thus:-
"Brisbane Street contained only three or four houses, notably among them a large cottage known as "Napoleon Cottage", which was for many years the residence of one of Sydney's old identities, Mr. Gregory Board, an old-time publican and timber merchant, who amassed a fortune. The neighbourhood at that time was not built upon, and consisted of open paddocks extending to the Old South Head-road (now Oxford Street) on the southern side of Mr Board's residence extending to Albion Street (Mr. Terry Hughes's property) and Surry Hills was vacant land used as paddocks for depasturing cattle ..."
The next week, a reader's letter to the editor remarked:-
"... but Mr. Stack is wrong about the Sheriff Gardens, that is, so far as the old Sheriff Gardens are concerned. They started from the end of Goulburn Street, and went right up to what I know as the slate quarry, now, I think, Riley Street. Mr. Gregory Board's property was on one side, and the Sheriff Gardens on the other side of a creek that ran from Surry Hills."
I must admit I was hoping too at least find a sketch.
Thank you very much for your efforts.
Peter.
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Dear PJCPJC
Having stumbled across RootsChat, I found your interesting message about Gregory Board & Napoleon.Cottage. My Wife is a "BOARD" and we have traced her 4xGGF Gregory Board Snr. (who died in 1811 at Southwark London, England). Her 3XGGF another Gregory Board remained in England but his Brother William was transported to OZ with his wife Elizabeth in 1805 for Coining. I have been trying to trace his Kin in Oz.
The Gregory Board of Napoleon Cottage was named after his Grandfather and Williams brother Gregory. I have also found the Gregory Board of Glenbank that you mentione too. If you are interested, I would love to exchange our infomation as we now have a copy of the 1st GB's Will which refers to William being in a foriegn country and also the Two Children that they had to leave behind in England!
Regards
Dennis
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Hi Dennis,
Thanks for your reply. I do have some information on the Australian branch which you would probably like, and I know I would appreciate that will and whatever else you feel like sharing. Since it isn't directly relevant to my quest for images, I suggest we exchange info not here but instead by email.
My address is (*) and I look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes,
Peter.
Moderator Comment: email address removed to help prevent spam and other abuses as per RootsChat Policy. Please use the secure PM (personal message) system to share email addresses and other personal information. Thank You.
Note: New members need to make 3 postings before the PM system is fully functional
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Glenbank was still there in 1918 according to this birth notice, for a couple BROWNLEE
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/15802121
It was at 6 Norton St according to an advertisment which I found on a Google link. Unfortuantely I couldn't see it on TROVE - therre are about 8 pages of Real Estate adverts in the particular issue of the SMH and it doesn't seem to be high-lighted. "lion c'octiic light gas, beautiful grounds Glen bank, 6 Norton st _ ..."
Sounds as though it would be a good description - if you can find it!
Judith
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Hi again Dennis,
Apparently I may not display my email address here, and I cannot even PM you until you have made another couple of posts. So, hopefully we can commence exchanging info once that is all taken care of.
Best wishes,
Peter
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Hi judb,
Thanks for your reply. I have seen Glenbank addressed as 7 Norton Street and also number 5. It must have been quite a large block, and apparently it was still there in 1923 :-
1923 The Sydney Morning Herald - Friday 2 November 1923
AGENTS, Take Notice. - The Residential, Glenbank, 5 Norton Street, Ashfield, is sold. M. Egan.
As for the contents, I reasonably expected to learn bout one of Australia's greatest ever auctions. Ah well.
Best wishes,
Peter.
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Hi PJCPJC
Great to hear from you so quickly! I'm a bit of a Dodo with Web Chat sites so I'm on a learnibg curve so far and am not quite sure what one does to make direct contact but no doubt it will brcome clear soon, Ihope.
Joan & I live in Sydenham, South London, a few miles from St George the Martyr on the Borough High St. just South of London Bridge. This is where Joan's 3xGGF Gregory was baptised. There was an older son called Gregory who for a long time thought was him. He was Bap at St Sepulchres without Newgate (near to the Old Bailey) in 1772. also William was Bap.there in 1774 But I have now proved that the first Gregory must have died before 1783, the bap of Joan's Gregory in 1783 at St Geo the Martyr
We have visited Sydney three times, spending most of our time in the Library and Atchives. The Gregory (son of William) had a sister called Harriet who was born i London and came to Sydney with her mother Elizabeth on the William Pitt. Harriet married a William Hodges and in 2006 we visited Ken & Jan Hodges in Hobart.
Could you explain what I need to do to exchange our e-mail address?
Regards
Dennis
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Hi Dennis,
Thanks for your reply. I have received your email, so I reckon we can start exchanging sometime this week, partly depending on when I get something organised.
Best wishes,
Peter.
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Hi Alison,
Very old thread, I know.. but did you find the photos you were looking for?
There is info and a photo of Napoleon Cottage online now..
http://www.sydneyaldermen.com.au/alderman/gregory-board/
Close-up of cottage http://cdn.sydneyaldermen.com.au/assets/929_20_p665_2_1_pg73.jpg
Gregory Board Snr's (elderly) great granddaughter Clare came to my house last week.. My home in Katoomba (1.5 hrs from Sydney) was built by Gregory Snr's daughter Clara Barker (nee Board) as a holiday house in 1910.
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Blocks
Blocks were very large back in the 'old' days ..
My grandfathers' block is now 3 blocks... in fact it was built before most of the local roads .. and when one such road was put in it had to do a dog leg around my grandfathers' block. Usually the householders grew fruit and vegetables, and had chickens. They usually had horses for transport too.
Names vs Numbers
Most old properties had names and they were in use before numbers became available. The local council may have a record relating names to numbers. It may also be a state government document too - lot numbers are used to identify land and there is a relationship form those to possibly names and numbers.
Names are still in use by large rural agricultural properties, thought the mail tends to run on numbers, the locals will use the name.
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The City of Sydney archives have some images of Brisbane Street Surrey Hill on their Archive Pix image library.
http://www.photosau.com.au/cos/scripts/home.asp
shadrach