Bardon House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bardon House |
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Bardon House, circa 1930
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| Location | 41 The Drive, Bardon, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1840s–1860s (mid-19th century) |
| Built | 1864–1926 |
| Official name: Bardon House, Franciscan Sisters' Convent | |
| Type | state heritage (landscape, built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600053 |
| Significant period | 1860s–1920s (fabric) 1860s–ongoing (historical/social) |
| Significant components | trees/plantings, residential accommodation - main house, fence/wall - perimeter, church |
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Bardon House is a special old house in Bardon, Queensland, Australia. It was built a long time ago, starting in 1864. This two-story stone house is also known as the Franciscan Sisters' Convent. It's listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because it's an important part of Queensland's history.
Contents
The Story of Bardon House
Building a Home in 1864
Bardon House was built in 1864 by a famous builder named Joshua Jeays. He was also an architect and even an early mayor of Brisbane. He built this large stone house for his wife, Sarah. Sadly, she passed away before it was finished.
Joshua Jeays came to Australia from England in 1853. He was a skilled carpenter and builder. He worked on many important buildings in Brisbane, like Old Government House. After he stopped working as a builder in 1864, he still ran his stone quarry. The stone used for Bardon House came from his quarry. He was also involved in local government, becoming an alderman in 1859 and the Mayor of Brisbane in 1864–65.
How Bardon Got Its Name
When Joshua Jeays first arrived in Brisbane, he bought a large piece of land in the Bardon area. It's believed that his wife, Sarah, named the house "Bardon." She thought the area looked like Bardon Hills in England, where her family used to live. Later, the whole area around the house became known as the suburb of Bardon.
New Owners and a New Purpose
Joshua Jeays never lived in Bardon House himself, likely because his wife died. His children inherited the house. His daughter, Sarah, and her husband, Charles Lilley, might have lived there for a while. Charles Lilley later became Sir Charles and even the Governor of Queensland.
In 1911, the Jeays/Lilley families sold Bardon House. In 1925, James Duhig, a leader in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane, bought the house. By this time, much of the land around the house had been sold off.
A Church and a School
In 1925, the area around Bardon House became a new church parish. The first church service was held inside Bardon House that same year. The main room of the house was used, with the fireplace mantelpiece acting as an altar.
Soon after, a timber church called St Mary Magdalene's was built on the grounds in 1926. This meant services no longer needed to be held inside the house. When a new St Mary Magdalene's church was built in 1963, the old timber church became a hall.
In 1938, Bardon House became the center of a new school. The Missionary Franciscan Sisters moved into Bardon House to start St Joseph's school. To make space for a classroom, an enclosed verandah was added to the house. The school opened on January 24, 1938, with 31 students. By the end of that year, a separate school room was built.
Even though the school had to close temporarily during the Second World War in 1942, it continued to grow. Today, Bardon House is surrounded by many school buildings that have been added over the years as the school needed more space.
What Bardon House Looks Like
Bardon House is a two-story stone building with a unique old-fashioned style. It's located on a small hill within the grounds of St Joseph's School. The house has a steep roof with many different sections and windows sticking out. The roof used to have wooden shingles, but now it has metal sheeting.
The house is built from rough stone blocks, with smoother stone used for the corners and around the doors and windows. The front of the house has a central section that sticks out, and a verandah (a covered porch) on the ground floor that has been enclosed.
The side of the house has a large window on the ground floor and a smaller one above it. There's also a narrow window that looks like a tall arch. The verandah on this side has been partly enclosed with timber.
Inside, the ground floor has a large central room, which was used as a chapel. There are smaller rooms on either side. The house has many old features like pressed metal ceilings and wooden doors. The fireplaces are no longer used. A staircase connects the two floors.
Around the house, there are mature trees. There's also a timber fence and a carport.
St Mary Magdalene's Hall
Next to Bardon House, there's St Mary Magdalene's Hall. This building was the first church for the parish. It's a single-story timber building with a tiled roof. Inside, the walls are made of wooden boards, and the ceiling has open timber beams and wooden boards laid in a pattern.
Why Bardon House is Important
Bardon House is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register for several reasons:
- It shows how Queensland's history developed: Built in 1864, it shows how wealthy people lived in Brisbane's outer suburbs a long time ago. When it became a convent and church in 1925, it also shows the growth of the Roman Catholic church in Queensland. St Mary Magdalene's Hall, built in 1926 as the first parish church, also helps tell this story.
- It's a rare and special building: Bardon House is a unique example of a Victorian Gothic style stone house in Queensland. Its complex roof and stone construction make it stand out.
- It's beautiful and well-made: The house looks impressive in the area and shows excellent craftsmanship. It's a great example of a high-quality stone house from the 1860s. The old trees around it add to its beauty. St Mary Magdalene's Hall also has beautiful details inside.
- It's important to the community: Both the house and the hall are very important to the local church community. The Roman Catholic Church has owned them since 1925.
- It's connected to an important person: Bardon House is special because it was built by Joshua Jeays, who was a very important builder, architect, and politician in Brisbane's early history.
