Cleveland House, Surry Hills facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cleveland House, Surry Hills |
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Cleveland House, 146-164 Chalmers Street, Surry Hills, View from Bedford Street in April 2019.
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| Location | 146-164 Chalmers Street, Surry Hills, City of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1823 |
| Architect | Francis Greenway (attributed) |
| Architectural style(s) | Colonial Georgian |
| Official name: Cleveland House; Cleaveland | |
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 65 |
| Type | House |
| Category | Residential buildings (private) |
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Cleveland House is a very old building in Surry Hills, New South Wales, Australia. It's located at 146-164 Chalmers Street. This building has had many different lives! It started as a home, then became a hospital, a convent (a place where nuns live), and a care facility for older people. Today, it's empty.
You can see the building best from Bedford Street, as it's set back from Chalmers Street. It was built around 1823, and people think the famous architect Francis Greenway designed it. It's also sometimes called Cleaveland. This historic house is privately owned and was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999. This means it's officially recognized as an important part of the state's history.
Contents
The Story of Cleveland House
Who Built Cleveland House?
Cleveland House was built around 1823 or 1824 for a rich merchant named Daniel Cooper. He was an "emancipist," which means he was a former convict who had gained his freedom and become successful. The land, about 12 acres, was first given to Charles Smith in 1809. Smith used it as a garden or nursery.
Daniel Cooper bought the land and spent a lot of money building the house. Many believe that Francis Greenway, a well-known architect from that time, designed it. The Cooper family lived in the house from 1825 to 1829. After Daniel Cooper and his wife separated, the house was rented out to help support Mrs. Cooper.
How the Area Changed Over Time
For many years, until 1855, Cleveland House and its land were rented to different families as a home. In the 1830s, it was even used as a school. Back then, the house had amazing views of Darling Harbour and the city.
But things started to change in 1850. The decision to build Redfern train station nearby brought more businesses and people to the area. This led to many large estates, like Cleveland House, being divided into smaller blocks. Surry Hills, which used to be a quiet "village," became a busy, crowded suburb.
New Owners and New Uses
Daniel Cooper moved back to England in 1831. After his ex-wife Hannah passed away in 1836, the house was looked after by James Cooper. Daniel Cooper died in 1853. In 1855, the estate, which was now about 13 acres, was divided into eight parts.
The part with Cleveland House was sold to Isaac Levey. His son, Montague, inherited it in 1860. For a short time, it was still a home. But from 1858, the building was used for many different things. It was a school, a laundry, a boarding house, and even a government office that helped people find jobs.
Around the mid-1870s, some of the smaller buildings near the house were used as a factory that made soft drinks. This factory, called Barrett's, likely added new buildings or made existing ones bigger. This continued until 1896 when it was sold to bottle merchants. Cleveland House itself was still owned by the Levey family at this time.
Cleveland House as a Convent and Hospital
In 1903, a group of nuns called the Sisters of the Good Samaritan bought most of the original property. They used Cleveland House as a convent for the nuns. They also built a large four-story building to help people in need and a commercial laundry. This new building opened in 1904. By the late 1920s, the place became a home for older and sick women.
In 1946, another group of nuns, the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, bought the property. They continued to use it for similar purposes.
Then, in 1958, the NSW Society for Crippled Children bought Cleveland House. The large building built in 1904 became a hospital, clinic, and office space. Cleveland House was also used for offices. The nuns' garden was turned into a lawn and later a parking area. More small buildings were added to the site.
Cleveland House Today
In 1988, the property was sold to a company called Denerin Pty Ltd. All the buildings except Cleveland House were pulled down. The land was divided even more. Today, there's a small garden in front of the house and a grassy area next to Chalmers Street. A large apartment building is now behind the house.
Cleveland House has always been privately owned throughout its 186-year history. Today, it belongs to LGS Enterprise, which uses it for a medical education business.
What Cleveland House Looks Like
Cleveland House is a two-story building made of brick with stone foundations. It's covered in a smooth plaster called stucco. It's built in the Colonial Georgian style, which was popular in early Australia. In the past, it had a slate roof, but by 1902, it had an old iron roof.
The house has a verandah (a covered porch) that goes all the way around the second floor. This verandah is supported by stone pillars. In 1886, people described the house as having ten large rooms, including six bedrooms. In the basement, there were four big cellars. The house had two staircases, one of which was an outdoor stone staircase. The back of the house used to have inner and outer courtyards formed by other buildings. Some parts of the inner courtyard might still be there today.
In 1902, the verandahs were in very bad shape. Today, the house doesn't seem to be used, or maybe it's used for storage. The windows are boarded up, and there's rust on the verandah. However, the gardens outside the house are kept neat.
The original smaller buildings that were part of the property have been torn down. Cleveland House now stands alone. Its current look and the fact that it's not in a grand setting anymore don't really show how important it was as a big house on a large estate in the city.
Current Condition
As of 2010, the outside of the house was in poor condition. The paint was peeling, and the once-fancy columns were crumbling. Many of the verandah railings had fallen off, and you could still see burn marks from an old fire. Grass was even growing through some of the floorboards on the verandah.
Why Cleveland House is Important
Cleveland House is very important to the history of New South Wales. It's special because:
- It's one of the oldest surviving homes from the 1820s in Sydney.
- It was built for Daniel Cooper, a successful former convict. This shows how people could make a new life for themselves in early Australia.
- Many believe Francis Greenway, a famous architect, designed it.
- It's a great example of a large, well-built Colonial Georgian house. The verandah, which goes all around the house, shows how they adapted English designs for the Australian climate.
- The way the house and its land have been used over time – as a home, school, factory, convent, and hospital – tells the story of how inner Sydney has grown and changed.
- It shows how the social landscape of Surry Hills changed, from a quiet area to a busy city suburb.
Cleveland House is listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register because it meets several important requirements:
- It shows the history of New South Wales: It's the oldest surviving home in Sydney and shows the opportunities available to former convicts. The way its land was divided shows how the city grew. Its changing uses show how businesses and services developed.
- It's connected to important people: It has strong links to Francis Greenway, a pioneering architect, and Daniel Cooper, an early and important merchant.
- It's beautiful and well-designed: It's a fine example of a Colonial Georgian house, simple and balanced, designed to suit Australia's climate.
- It has social importance: It connects to Australia's convict past and the changing community of Surry Hills, including its ties to industry, social welfare, education, and government.
- It's rare: It's the oldest surviving residential house in Sydney, making it very unique.
- It represents a type of place: It's a great example of an important colonial town house. The fact that its first owner was a former convict shows how different the social system was in Australia compared to England.
