Box Hill House facts for kids

Box Hill House is a historic property in Box Hill, Australia. It was once a large farm and hunting area. Today, it is a home that helps people with physical disabilities. The house was built between 1819 and 1897. Samuel Terry and George Terry were the builders. It is also known as McCall Garden Colony or McCall Gardens. This special place was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999.

Box Hill House is part of McCall Gardens. This is a non-profit group. They offer homes and support to people with physical disabilities.

History

Samuel Terry came to the colony of New South Wales in 1801. He was a convict, meaning he was sent there for a crime. Samuel Terry became very rich through banking and land. He was one of the wealthiest people in the colony. He also helped start the Bank of New South Wales.

The Box Hill estate was a large property. It was about 690-hectare (1,700-acre) in size. Robert Fitz was given this land in 1816. It was located near Windsor Road.

In 1819, Samuel Terry bought the Box Hill estate. Robert Fitz had money problems. Terry used Box Hill as his country home. It was listed as a "country seat" in a directory from 1832. At that time, the estate also had a 210-hectare (530-acre) fenced paddock.

Eleanor Rouse lived on the nearby Rouse Hill estate. She married John Terry in 1831. John was Samuel Terry's son. They lived at Box Hill. It is thought that Richard Rouse, Eleanor's father, built the stables at Box Hill for her.

Samuel Terry died in 1838. Most of his property went to his son, Edward Terry. But John Terry kept control of Box Hill. The estate grew much larger in 1839. They bought another 400-hectare (1,000-acre) property called Copenhagen. This land came from the family of former Governor, William Bligh.

John Terry died in 1842 at age 31. He fell from a horse. Box Hill then went to his son, Samuel Henry Terry. During this time, wheat was grown at Box Hill. Charles Hynds was the foreman. He lived on the estate for about 50 years.

In 1887, Samuel Henry Terry passed away. The estate was left to his son, George A. Terry. In late 1888, the area had a bad drought. The water supply at Box Hill failed. Bushfires also burned much of the estate. By 1889, the land was mostly used for grazing animals.

George A. Terry married Nina Rouse in 1895. They lived at Rouse Hill House for a year. Box Hill House was being rebuilt and updated for them. The main part of the house was replaced with a brick bungalow. This new house still stands today. The stables and a billiard room were also part of the updates.

George Terry loved hunting and horses. In 1891, the Box Hill Race Club held a race on the estate. In 1894, the Box Hill Picnic Races took place. Guests had lunch under the old trees. The Sydney Hunt Club often met at Box Hill. They even kept their hunting dogs there.

Hunts were held on Box Hill and nearby lands. Descriptions mention many paddocks with high fences for steeplechasing. There was also a racecourse on a flat field. It was located between Windsor and Terry Roads.

George and Nina moved into Box Hill House in early 1897. The kitchen buildings were not new, but they were not the first ones either. Only the stables and an underground water tank remained from the original buildings. The house sits on a small hill. It has great views of the Blue Mountains.

George Terry raised sheep. He had as many as 4000 sheep. Terry Road was a private driveway. It had a white gate near Windsor Road. The road ended at the house.

In 1899, two Chinese gardeners started a market garden on part of the estate. In 1906, there was a conflict between George Terry and some people trying to steal pigs.

George borrowed a lot of money to rebuild the house. This, along with his spending, caused money problems. The land was not the best for farming. George ended up having to sell parts of Box Hill. He eventually faced serious financial difficulties.

In 1919, the Box Hill estate was divided into 170 farm lots. These were sold off. The main house property, about 86 hectares (212 acres), was kept. Terry Road was extended as part of this division.

The family stayed at Box Hill for a while, but they had very little money. The house block was transferred to Nina. She had to borrow money to buy it. Sometimes, the Terrys had no food. Nina herself had financial difficulties in 1928.

After Bessie Rouse died in 1924, Box Hill House was sold. George and Nina Terry moved to Rouse Hill House. George worked there as a labourer, and Nina as a cook.

In 1941, there was a big auction sale of farm animals and equipment. This showed that Box Hill was no longer a working farm estate.

Later, parts of the remaining property were divided again. In 1956, the owner, William McCall, gave the house and about 16 hectares (40 acres) of land to a charity. This charity, the Subnormal Children's Welfare Association, created the McCall Garden Community. It was set up to care for boys with disabilities.

George Terry died on July 24, 1957, at age 85.

In the 1970s, the care facility grew a lot. They bought old trams and built new kitchen and living areas.

Description

Box Hill House is a simple brick farmhouse from the 1890s. It has stone-paved verandahs. It has been greatly expanded for its current use as a support home. There is also a two-story brick building behind the house.

The property is located on a small hill called Box Hill. It offers great views to the west, towards the Blue Mountains. It also overlooks the surrounding area, including the Rouse Hill house complex.

Modifications and dates

The original house was made of weatherboard. It was rebuilt and updated between 1895 and 1897. A beautiful brick bungalow replaced it. This brick house still stands today. The stables and a billiard room on top of them were also part of this rebuild. Some people believe there was an even older house before the weatherboard one.

The kitchen buildings in 1897 were not new. But they were not the very first ones on the site either. At that time, only the stables and the underground water tank remained from the original buildings. The estate was about 810-hectare (2,000-acre) at this time.

• 1921 – The estate was divided and sold. Only the main house block, about 86 hectares (212 acres), was kept.
• 1924 – The 86-hectare (212-acre) homestead block was sold.

Since then, the house has been expanded a lot. This was done for its use as an institution. These changes have changed the view of the original brick house.

Heritage listing

Box Hill House and its former farm estate are very important historically. They were once the country home of Samuel Terry, a very rich man. The property also has long connections with the Terry and Rouse families. These families had changing fortunes in the area. Even with changes, the original house dates back to the 1820s. It is also important for its beauty. It is a prominent early estate located on a hilltop along Windsor Road.

Box Hill House in the grounds of McCall Gardens was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999.