Boronia House, Mosman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Boronia House |
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Boronia House
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| Location | 624-632 Military Road, Mosman, Municipality of Mosman, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1885 |
| Built for | James and John Kearey |
| Architect |
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| Architectural style(s) | Victorian Filigree |
| Owner | Mosman Council |
| Official name: Boronia House; Boronia | |
| Type | State heritage (complex / group) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 69 |
| Type | Villa |
| Category | Residential buildings (private) |
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Boronia House is a special building in Mosman, Australia. It used to be a home but now it's a popular place for high tea and events. It was built in 1885 and is known for its beautiful design. The building is owned by the Mosman Council, which is like the local government. Boronia House is so important that it's listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register. This means it's protected because of its history and unique style.
Contents
Discover Boronia House's Story
Boronia House was built in 1885. It was one of two very similar houses. Two brothers, James and John Kearey, built them for themselves. They were carriage builders from Newtown. The other house was called Telopea. It was located nearby but has since been changed a lot. Both houses were designed by a famous architectural firm called Sheerin & Hennessy.
Sadly, the Kearey brothers' business faced tough times in the 1890s. They had to sell their homes, including Boronia House. The house faces south towards Military Road. It sits back from the road in a lovely garden. A large two-story part was added to the house later. A beautiful glass bay window was also added to the drawing room.
Boronia House stayed mostly the same until 1952. That's when Mosman Council bought it. The Council changed it to be the Mosman Municipal Library. From 1978 to 1985, it was used as offices. Then, in 1985, Boronia House was carefully restored. It was made into the restaurant and event center we see today.
Who Lived Here? The Kearey Family
James and John Kearey built Boronia House in 1885. It was part of a larger property with two identical houses. James lived in Boronia, and John lived in Telopea. James Kearey was born in Sydney in 1842. His family had a successful business making carriages.
In 1877, James and John started their own company, Kearey Brothers. They even invented a new type of carriage! James married Honora Murphy and had three children. After Honora passed away, James married Ellen Doherty. James and Ellen had eight children, and five of them were born in Mosman.
When the Kearey brothers lived there, Boronia House had amazing gardens. There were large camphor laurel trees and round flowerbeds. The gardens also had a vegetable patch, an orchard, and a fern house. Several gardeners worked to keep the grounds beautiful. There was even a grass tennis court!
In 1891, John's wife Lucy died. John himself passed away three years later in 1894. James and Ellen stayed at Boronia for two more years. But in 1896, both houses were put up for sale. George Willis Godwin bought Boronia House. His family lived there for the next 50 years.
The Godwin Family's Time at Boronia
George Willis Godwin was born in England in 1856. He moved to Australia in 1879. In 1896, he married Olive Mildred Simpson and bought Boronia House. George and Olive lived there for the rest of their lives. They had three children: John, Ena, and Noell.
George was a money broker with a successful business in Sydney. He retired and continued to live at Boronia. He passed away in 1940 at 84 years old. His wife Olive stayed in the house until she died in 1951.
Patricia Judy Godwin, one of their granddaughters, shared her memories of Boronia. She recalled:
“When I stayed at Boronia I slept in that very large room at the back which I originally was the billiard room. The ceilings were very high and I suppose I was fairly small but I enjoyed it and there was a door that went off on to the balcony and I could go and play there. On the other side the drawing room went the whole length. It had a big fire place in it and lovely old furniture. Then you went down the hall to the kitchen and there must have been a laundry. There was a little fence and you had to go through this gate to get to the potting shed. The stable area came up much further than where that driveway goes around now and it was all just full of trees and chooks and things."
After Olive died in 1951, her son John sold Boronia House to Mosman Council. The Council still owns the house today. Since 1952, it has been used as a library, offices, and now a restaurant.
What Does Boronia House Look Like?
Boronia House is a great example of the Victorian Filigree style. This style is known for its fancy decorative ironwork.
The Garden and Outdoor Areas
The house is set in a beautiful, formal Victorian garden. There's a circular driveway right in front of the main door. Large lawns, trees, and shrubs surround the house. You can see old evergreen magnolia trees and camphor laurels. Two lemon-scented gums stand tall at the front gates. The front fence is also special, made of stone with decorative ironwork.
Inside Boronia House
Boronia House is a two-story brick house. Its outside walls are covered to look like large, smooth stone blocks. The main roof is slanted and covered with slate tiles. The verandah roof is made of corrugated metal, painted with wide stripes. The two-story verandah is very grand. It has cast iron columns, decorative strips (friezes), brackets, and railings. A pointed section (gable) in the middle makes it stand out. Some of the original parts of the house are still inside.
Condition and Changes
Boronia House and its gardens are in excellent condition. Over the years, there have been a few changes. In the 1920s, the front stone wall was moved back because the road was made wider. There have also been some small, careful changes to the building.
Why Is Boronia House Important?
Boronia House is a wonderful example of a large Victorian Filigree style home. It still has much of its original 19th-century garden. The house looks very grand and balanced. Its open gardens and the stone and iron fence add to its beauty. The building and its setting are in excellent shape.
Boronia House was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999. This means it's considered very important because:
- It's a rare example of its kind in the region.
- It shows important features of historical homes in New South Wales.
