In 2023, St Ann’s Catholic Church, Strathfield South is celebrating it 70th anniversary of becoming a Parish. In 1953, the Rev. Father Patrick Kennedy was established as the first Parish Priest and served at St Ann’s until his death in 1971. A full history of this historic Church is detailed in the attached newsletter.
The November-December 2023 Newsletter features an article on Nigel Love and NB Love Industries which is still operating in Strathfield South.
Nigel Love was an important figure in the history of aviation and flour milling in Australia. He was born in Strathfield and spent much of life as a resident but also as founder of N B Love Industries at Enfield in 1935, a major local industry and employer which still trades at the same site today under George Weston Foods.
SHDHS Newsletter Vol. 4 Issue 6 N B Love Industries
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The September-October 2022 Newsletter features an article on the auction of ‘Arnott-Holme’ as well as the Society Year in Review and the death of Queen Elizabeth.
On 8 September 2022, Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms, including Australia, and the oldest living and longest-reigning British monarch, died at the age of 96 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. She was succeeded by her eldest child, Charles. Charles III was proclaimed King Charles as head of state of Australia on 11 September 2022 at a ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra.
A state funeral service was held for the Queen at Westminster Abbey on 19 September 2022, followed by a committal service later that day at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. The Queen was interred in the King George VI Memorial Chapel at St George’s. A commemorative public holiday was announced in Australia for the 22 September 2022.
The Queen celebrated her 70th Anniversary or Platinum Jubilee of her ascension to the throne earlier in 2022. The Queen visited Australia on sixteen occasions. She is not known to have visited the Strathfield district, though on her 1954 tour, she visited the nearby Concord Park and the then Concord Repatriation Hospital (now Concord Hospital).
The Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese said:
“With the passing of Queen Elizabeth the Second, an historic reign and a long life devoted to duty, family, faith and service has come to an end. This is a morning of sadness for the world, for the Commonwealth and all Australians. It is a day of profound sadness and grief for the Royal Family who have lost a beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. The person who for so long was their greatest inner strength.
Australian hearts go out to the people of the United Kingdom who mourn today, knowing they will feel they have lost part of what makes their nation whole. It is a time of mourning for the people in Britain, across the Commonwealth, and indeed around the world. There is comfort to be found in Her Majesty’s own words: “Grief is the price we pay for love.”
This is a loss we feel deeply in Australia. Queen Elizabeth II is the only reigning monarch most of us have known—and the only one to ever visit Australia. And over the course of a remarkable seven decades, Her Majesty was a rare and reassuring constant amidst rapid change. Through the noise and turbulence of the years, she embodied and exhibited a timeless decency and an enduring calm. Her Majesty served our nation and the Commonwealth for 70 years.
She is the longest-reigning monarch in British history and, remarkably, the second longest reigning monarch of a sovereign state in world history. Her life of faithful service will be remembered for centuries to come. From the moment the young princess became Queen, Her Majesty’s dedication to duty and service over self were the hallmarks of her reign. Performing her duty with fidelity, integrity, and respect for everyone she met. We saw those qualities each time she visited our shores — and she graced us on 16 occasions during her reign, travelling to every state and territory across our vast continent.
Her first visit, with Philip, began on the 3rd of February 1954 — just eight months after her coronation. It was the biggest single event ever organised in Australia and it remains a defining moment in our nation’s history. Some 7 million Australians — or 70 per cent of our population at the time — turned out to catch a glimpse of the young Queen passing by. Queen Elizabeth II was a wise and enduring presence in our national life. Sixteen prime ministers consulted with her – and sixteen governors-general served in her name.
SHDHS Newsletter Vol. 4 No5 Arnott Holme and Death of Queen Elizabeth
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A school called ‘Eton College’ was once located in Redmyre Road Strathfield. It was operated by Dr J. David Sly from 1888 to 1892. This newsletter discusses the rise and fall of Strathfield’s own Eton College. This is an excerpt written by Cathy Jones:
“Helped by his father’s legacy, Dr J. David Sly in 1888 opened Eton College in Redmyre Road Strathfield (often referred to as Homebush). An advertisement for Eton College on 10th November 1888 states:
‘Eton College, Homebush – Headmaster J David Sly. This Collage has been recently erected on the most modern design. It stands in an elevated position. The rooms are spacious and there is an ample supply of water. A COTTAGE HOSPITAL has been added. The PLAYGROUND contains an asphalt tennis court, weather shed, summer house and gymnasium. There will be vacancies for Day and Resident pupils in January next, for which early application is requested’.
Eton College commenced its school activities on Monday 28th January 1889. As Hall (1985) writes “it was not intended as a purely local school, though it certainly catered for local day pupils and was typical of the many schools set up to cater for the sons of well-to-do folk who could pay for bard and tuition”.
At this stage the school appeared to be well established and was advertised as:
“Eton College, Homebush. Headmaster J. David Sly, MA LLD; second master C.E, Robin BA. Homebush ls one of the healthy suburbs of Sydney and is eminently suitable as a residence for boarders, for whom special provision has been made. Pupils are prepared for the University or mercantile pursuits. There is also a Preparatory Class for young boys. The College was specifically designed by the Headmaster.”
On 5th January 1892, Strathfield Council wrote to Sly stating that his house was now the only house in the Municipality on which the rates remained unpaid and asked him to send the balance or action would be taken (Hall 1985). Payment of the rates was one of the obligations accepted by Sly when he occupied the Collage.
The College advertisement in January 1892 gave no hint of its financial distress:
“Eton College, Homebush. Headmaster J David Sly MA LLD; Assistant, Teachers W.B. Scott; Trinity College Dublin, Miss Hewison, Miss Read, F.A. Price, G.H. D’Arcourt. The buildings stand in an elevated position and ware specially erected for school purposes. There is a Preparatory Department for young boys. Boarders 13 to 16 guineas per quarter; day pupils 2 to 4 guineas per quarter”.
On 22nd June 1892 Dr Sly, being unable to pay his debts, petitioned to be made bankrupt. He had a wife and six children to support, and no way of paying his debts. He blamed his financial failure on the competition between schools and the high rent he had to pay for the College premises and bad debts.
Its final demise came on 23rd July 1892, when an auction sale was held of J.D. Sly’s school fittings and equipment. His main creditors were his brothers and sister. He attributed his failure to high rents and, ironically, competition among schools. Economic conditions may have played a part but the depression did not generally affect enrolments in private schools. He was discharged from bankruptcy in October 1892.
On 24 August 1895 Sly was admitted as a solicitor and practiced in Pitt Street Sydney until 1933. He died of heart failure and nephritis at Neutral Bay on 7 December 1934 at the age of 91 year, having outlived his brothers and practiced law for about 38 years (SMH 1934). He was buried in the Anglican section of the Northern Suburbs cemetery. He was survived by two sons and three daughters Mrs M Walcott, Mrs N Royle, Mrs N Davies of his wife Annie, née Macalister, whom he had married at Pitt Town in 1875 (Mitchell 1976, SMH 1934).
For many years there has been discussion as to where Eton College was located and whether it is still standing. Hall (1985) suggested that Eton College was located at Redmyre Lodge, 89 Redmyre Road, rather than ‘Allerton’’ 91 Redmyre Road.
The confusion existed because all uncertainty lies in the fact that both houses stand on land originally designated as Lots 26, 25, 24; both were owned by Allan Maclean and rented out by him and all had the same lot numbers in various records. Redmyre Lodge, which has since been demolished, may have been Eton College. Based on the published sketch of Eton College, the building is clearly not ‘Allerton’, which is still standing.
The full essay is contained in SHDHS Newsletter Vol.2 No.5 September-October 2020 Eton College
The November-December 2019 Newsletter features an article on Brantwood, a house in Redmyre Road Strathfield
SHDHS Newsletter Vol.1 No.7 November-December 2019 – Brantwood – website version
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Strathfield-Homebush District Historical Society 