Ben Chifley's House facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ben Chifley's House
Location	10 Busby Street, Bathurst, Bathurst Region, New South Wales, Australia
Built	1887–1891
Owner	Bathurst Regional Council
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name: Ben Chifley's House; Carnwath; Chifley Residence; Chifley House Museum; Chifley Home
Type	state heritage (built)
Designated	23 December 2002
Reference no.	1657
Type	House
Category	Residential buildings (private)
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Ben Chifley's House is a special old home in Bathurst, Australia. It's now a museum that shows how Ben Chifley, a former Prime Minister of Australia (from 1945 to 1949), and his wife, Elizabeth, lived. The house was built between 1887 and 1891. It's also known by other names like Carnwath and Chifley Home. The local council in Bathurst owns and looks after this important piece of history. It was officially listed as a heritage site on December 23, 2002.

History of Ben Chifley's Home

Who Lived Here?

This house, originally called 'Carnwath', was the home of Ben Chifley and his wife, Elizabeth Chifley (whose maiden name was McKenzie). They lived here from when they got married in 1914 until their deaths in 1951 (Ben) and 1962 (Elizabeth).

When Was the House Built?

The exact year the house was built isn't perfectly clear, but it's thought to be between 1887 and 1891. Old maps from 1883 show the land was empty then. The area was divided into smaller blocks in the 1880s.

The first owners of the land where the house stands were Walter William Spencer and Jane McCarthy. They sold the land in 1887. By 1891, the house was definitely standing, as property records mention a shared brick wall between two cottages. It's believed the house was built as an investment during this time.

The Railway Connection

The area where the house is located was known as Milltown. It was popular with railway workers because the rent was cheap, and it was close to their jobs. The house was on the edge of Bathurst, which made it even more affordable. Many railway families lived here.

In 1903, George McKenzie, a railway engine driver, bought the house as a rental property. George, his wife, and their 17-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, lived right behind this house. They named the house "Carnwath" after George's hometown in Scotland. Elizabeth McKenzie later married Ben Chifley.

Ben and Elizabeth's Life in the House

Ben Chifley and Elizabeth McKenzie both came from railway families in the area. They got married on June 6, 1914. As a wedding gift, Elizabeth's parents gave them "Carnwath."

Ben Chifley started working for the railways when he was 17. He became a locomotive driver and got involved in trade unions, which are groups that protect workers' rights. He was temporarily demoted for his part in a railway strike in 1917, but this actually led him to become more involved in politics. He also started studying economics, which helped him understand people's needs.

In 1920, Elizabeth's parents gave her full ownership of "Carnwath." She then shared the ownership with Ben. This house remained their home even when Ben became a Member of Parliament in 1928. He lost his seat in 1931 but won it back in 1940. Even when he was Prime Minister from 1945 to 1949, he tried to come home to Bathurst almost every weekend. This was partly because Elizabeth wanted to be near her parents and wasn't well, but also because Ben wanted to stay connected to the people he represented.

In 1939, the Chifleys bought the empty block next door and built a garage for Ben's American Buick car. This garage was later taken down. The Chifleys were also among the first in the area to have a telephone because of Ben's political work.

In the mid-1940s, Isabel Clark, a friend of Elizabeth's, came to live permanently in the house. She stayed there after Ben Chifley's death until Elizabeth passed away in 1962. Elizabeth left the house to St Stephen's Presbyterian Church, with the condition that Isabel Clark could live there until she died in 1969.

The House Becomes a Museum

After Isabel Clark's death, people raised money to buy the house and its contents. In 1972, the Bathurst City Council bought it to create a memorial to Ben Chifley. It was opened as a house museum by Gough Whitlam, who was Prime Minister at the time, on March 24, 1973. It still works as a museum today.

Historian David Day wrote about the house in his 2001 book about Chifley. He said the house helps us understand Ben Chifley's daily life. Elizabeth spent most of her time indoors, especially in the kitchen or doing needlework. Ben, despite being a man of importance, lived a simple life. The house had basic furniture, only one cold tap in the kitchen, and the bathroom and toilet were outside. Even as Prime Minister, he didn't change these things. He enjoyed gardening and reading on his front verandah, which had views of Bathurst and the railway yards.

Ben Chifley also served on the local council, which helped him understand the problems of farmers. He fought to keep his house within the Abercrombie Shire, where he was a councillor, even when Bathurst Council wanted to include it.

Ben Chifley was known for his simple, down-to-earth style. He dressed carefully but avoided anything "flashy." He even wore an old "dead man's coat" that was given to him. This simple image, along with his humble home, helped people relate to him, especially during and after the war.

On the day he died, June 13, 1951, Ben Chifley was still thinking about his garden, asking a friend to get him some chrysanthemum plants. He also called Elizabeth to say he was feeling alright. Later that night, he had chest pain and passed away. Chrysanthemums were special to Elizabeth because a Chinese friend told her they represent righteousness, blooming in the cold autumn like a good person standing strong in society. Many believed Ben Chifley was such a man.

Elizabeth lived in the house until she died in 1962 at age 76. Her funeral was large, showing how much people respected both her and Ben. The house then went to the Presbyterian Church before the Bathurst City Council bought it to preserve it as a memorial.

Even today, Ben Chifley is highly respected in Australia. Bob Carr, a former Premier of New South Wales, remembered how, as a young boy, he proposed at a Labor Party meeting that Ben Chifley's home should become an historic memorial.

What the House Looks Like

The house is a small, semi-detached home made of brick with a hipped iron roof. It has a balanced front with a central front door and brick steps. There's a wide verandah with cast iron columns and decorative trim. A wrought iron fence was added later.

Inside, the house has two bedrooms, a living room (parlour), a dining room, a kitchen, and a pantry. The bathroom is at the back, accessed from a covered verandah. Outside the kitchen, there's a small laundry, toilet, and storage area. The house is still filled with the original furniture and items from when the Chifleys lived there.

The house is part of a row of similar semi-detached houses. It was in good condition in 2002 and remains largely unchanged from when the Chifleys and Isabel Clark lived there.

Changes Over Time

Some changes were made to the house over the years:

• The separate kitchen was connected to the main house by adding a walk-in pantry.
• Electricity, water, and sewerage were connected during the 20th century.
• A bathroom was added to the back, with asbestos cement lining and a gas heater.
• A gas fireplace was put in the living room, and a gas cooker in the kitchen.
• Decorative cornices (mouldings) were added to the bedroom and sitting room ceilings.
• In 1939, the empty block next door was bought, and a garage was built, but it has since been removed.

Why Ben Chifley's House is Important

Ben Chifley's House is very important to the history of New South Wales for several reasons:

• It was the home of a national leader, Ben Chifley, who was Prime Minister of Australia from 1945 to 1949.
• It shows how simple and modest Chifley's life was, and how this lifestyle helped him connect with ordinary people.
• The house still contains simple, mass-produced furniture, homemade decorations, and a collection of books and photos that show what Ben Chifley was like.
• It reminds us of his famous words about "the light on the hill," which meant working for a better future for everyone.
• It's important because people in New South Wales and Australia still respect Ben Chifley for his leadership after World War II, when he focused on jobs for everyone, building industries, and social welfare.
• It's the only known house in New South Wales where a Labor Prime Minister lived his entire adult life, and it still shows how he lived and how his lifestyle connected to his political ideas.

There are only a few other places like this in Australia, such as the home of John Curtin in Western Australia and Joseph Lyons' house, "Home Hill," in Tasmania.

Ben Chifley's House was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on December 23, 2002, because it meets several important criteria:

• It shows how history unfolded: The house is important because it was home to a national leader. It shows the everyday life of a Labor Prime Minister whose views were shaped by growing up in tough times in Bathurst and working on the railways. It highlights his simple lifestyle, which helped him connect with people across the state and nation who had similar experiences. It also shows the life of a mid-20th-century woman in a country town.

• It's linked to important people: The house, with its contents, layout, and stories, is clearly connected to former Prime Minister Ben Chifley. The simple furnishings, homemade decorations, and its location in the working-class "Milltown" area of Bathurst, along with the books and photos, all show his image as a plain-speaking local man with a vision for the whole country. It's also linked to former Premier Bob Carr, who, as a young boy, proposed making it a memorial. Former Prime Ministers Gough Whitlam and Bob Hawke also visited, and their visits are marked by plaques.

• It shows design and skill: The house is important locally because it shows the typical tastes and styles of working-class families in Bathurst in the mid-20th century. It also shows local technical changes, like the introduction of telephones and gas heating in homes.

• It's important to the community: The house is important to the people of New South Wales and Australia because they still highly regard Ben Chifley for his leadership after World War II (1945-1949). During his time, he promoted full employment, industrial growth, social welfare, and Australia's independence, which is often called Australia's "Golden Age."

• It's rare or unique: Ben Chifley's House is unique in New South Wales because it's the only known house where a Labor Prime Minister lived his entire adult life, and it still clearly shows his life, political views, and public image.

• It represents a type of place: The house is a good example of working-class homes built in the South Bathurst or "Milltown" area between the 1880s and 1910s. These homes used common materials like brick and corrugated iron and were built on small blocks near industrial and railway facilities. It's special because it still has the original furnishings from its time as a home in the mid-20th century.

See also

• Residence of John Curtin
• Home Hill, Devonport