Lindesay, Darling Point facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lindesay |
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Lindesay today
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| Location | 1a Carthona Avenue, Darling Point, Sydney, Australia |
| Built | 1834–1836 |
| Architect |
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| Architectural style(s) | Gothic Revival |
| Owner | National Trust of Australia (NSW) |
| Official name: Lindesay | |
| Type | State heritage (complex / group) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 686 |
| Type | Villa |
| Category | Residential buildings (private) |
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Lindesay is a very old house in Darling Point, Sydney, Australia. It was built between 1834 and 1836. Today, it's used as offices, a place for events, and a museum. It was designed by several architects, including James Chadley and Edward Hallen.
Lindesay is special because it was the first big house built in Darling Point. It's also one of the earliest examples of the Gothic Revival style in Sydney. Many interesting people who helped shape the history of New South Wales have lived here. The National Trust of Australia (NSW) now owns and cares for Lindesay.
History of Lindesay
Darling Point's Story
The area we now call Darling Point was originally known by its Aboriginal name, Yarranabbee. Later, Governor Ralph Darling named it "Mrs Darling's Point" after his wife, Eliza.
In the early 1830s, the area was covered in trees. After a new road was built in 1831, many trees were cut down. The land was then divided into smaller plots for sale. Many important people bought land here and built grand homes. These included Lindesay and Carthona.
Building Lindesay
Lindesay was built between 1834 and 1836 for Campbell Drummond Riddell, who was the Treasurer of the colony. He was a young man from Scotland. His wife was Caroline Stuart Rodney. They built the house on a large piece of land, about 17 acres, which went all the way down to the harbour. It took two years to finish the house.
The house was designed as a "villa." This means it was a free-standing, rectangular building with different looks on each side. The style was called Gothic Revival. It was named after Colonel Patrick Lindesay, who was acting governor for a short time. He helped Riddell get the land, so Riddell named the house in his honour.
Early Owners of Lindesay
The Riddells lived in Lindesay for only two years, from 1836 to 1838. After they left, the house had several different owners.
- Sir Thomas Mitchell (1841–1845): He was the Surveyor-General and a famous explorer. He bought Lindesay so he could be close to where his own house, Carthona, was being built nearby. His youngest daughter was born at Lindesay.
- Sir Charles Nicholson (1845–1849): He was a doctor and a very important person in Sydney. He loved collecting rare books and old items. He had one of the biggest private libraries in the colony at Lindesay. He later helped start the University of Sydney.
- William Bradley (1849–1868): He was a rich farmer who owned a lot of land. He bought Lindesay and raised his five daughters there after his wife passed away.
- John Macintosh (1868–1911): He was a successful businessman and a city councillor. He lived at Lindesay for 43 years, longer than any other owner. He built two other houses nearby for his children.
The Riddell Family
Campbell Drummond Riddell was born in Scotland in 1796. He met Caroline Stuart Rodney in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). She was only 16 when they married in 1830.
Soon after, they moved to Sydney because Campbell became the Colonial Treasurer. They started building Lindesay in 1834 and moved in by 1836. They had a two-year-old son at the time. They only stayed at Lindesay for less than two years.
The Riddells had five children in total. They returned to England in 1857. Campbell died in 1858. Caroline lived until 1898, reaching the age of 84.
The Mitchell Family
Thomas Mitchell was born in Scotland in 1792. He was a skilled mapmaker in the military. In 1827, he came to Sydney and became the Surveyor General. He led three big trips into the Australian outback. He was even knighted for his work!
In 1841, Mitchell bought Lindesay. He and his wife, Mary, had eleven children. While they lived at Lindesay, another daughter, Blanche, was born in 1843. Mitchell was also busy building his new home, Carthona, nearby. In 1845, the Mitchell family moved into Carthona, and Mitchell sold Lindesay to his friend, Sir Charles Nicholson.
Sir Charles Nicholson
Sir Charles Nicholson was born in England in 1808. He became a medical doctor. In 1833, he came to Sydney and inherited a lot of money from his uncle.
In 1843, he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Council. He bought Lindesay in 1845. He was a bachelor and used his wealth to collect rare books, old art, and statues. His library at Lindesay was one of the biggest private collections in the colony.
In 1849, he sold Lindesay. He played a very important role in setting up Sydney University and later became its leader. He returned to England in 1862 and lived to be 95 years old.
William Bradley and His Family
William Bradley was a very rich farmer from New South Wales. He owned large areas of land. In 1831, he married Emily Hovell, the daughter of the explorer William Hovel. They had eight children.
In 1846, he took his family to Europe because his wife was unwell. Sadly, she died in Rome in 1848. He returned to Australia in 1849 with his five daughters and bought Lindesay. He raised his children there.
William Bradley died at Lindesay in 1868. The house was then bought by John Macintosh.
The Macintosh Family
John Macintosh was born in Scotland in 1821. He had a tough childhood, starting work at a young age. He came to Sydney when he was 17 and worked hard to build a successful business.
In 1849, he married Caroline Alway. In 1861, he became a city councillor. The Macintosh family moved to Lindesay in 1868 with their six children. They had four more children while living there. Sadly, Caroline died in 1880. John Macintosh then raised the younger children alone.
John Macintosh built two other houses on Darling Point for his children. He died at Lindesay in 1911. The house was sold two years later.
The Jenkins Family
Dr Edward Jenkins bought Lindesay in 1914. He was born in 1854 and grew up in a large house called Parkhall. He studied medicine at Oxford University. He returned to Sydney in 1884 and became a doctor.
He married Annie MacCabe in 1887, and they had three children. The Jenkins family enjoyed social events and holidays. Their daughter, Judith, loved taking photos.
In 1926, the Jenkins family moved to a smaller house. Edward died in 1940, and Annie died in 1949.
The Pye Family
Charles and Mary Pye bought Lindesay in 1926. Charles was a wealthy farmer. He died the year after they moved in. His wife, Mary, stayed at Lindesay until she died in 1961.
Her son, John, lived with her for some time. When Mary died, she left Lindesay to John. He died two years later, and his younger brother, Walter, inherited the house. In 1963, Walter Pye decided to give Lindesay to the National Trust of Australia (NSW). Since then, the National Trust has owned and looked after the house.
The National Trust Women's Committee has done a lot of fundraising for Lindesay. They hold events like antique fairs and open days to help maintain the property.
Lindesay's Gardens and Changes
The Gardens
Lindesay once had much larger gardens. Today, the northern garden is smaller, but it still offers a view of the harbour. There are tall trees and plants that help hide nearby buildings. This helps keep the feeling of how the garden looked long ago.
In the eastern garden, near the main entrance, there's a large plane tree and a circular driveway. A formal courtyard garden, called a parterre, is located to the east of the house. It has gravel paths and low hedges that create geometric shapes. This area also features beautiful 19th-century Italian statues called "the Four Seasons."
How Lindesay Changed
Over the years, Lindesay has seen many changes:
- Around 1935, Walter Pye built a small building called a gazebo in the garden.
- From 1964 to 1971, the National Trust worked to restore the house.
- The National Trust established committees to raise money and manage Lindesay.
- Garden designers helped recreate the gardens to look like they would have in the 19th century. They planted trees like an English oak and a hoop pine.
- The garden was designed to frame the harbour view and create a private, green space.
- Today, the garden is kept beautiful for events like weddings, which help pay for the house's upkeep. Volunteers and professional gardeners work to maintain it.
Why Lindesay is Important
Lindesay is considered very important for several reasons:
- It was the first major house built in Darling Point after the land was divided in the 1830s.
- It's the earliest example of the Gothic Revival style in homes in Sydney.
- Many important people in New South Wales history lived there, including Campbell Drummond Riddell, Sir Thomas Mitchell, Sir Charles Nicholson, William Bradley, and John Macintosh.
- The house still has many original features that show how people lived and what was popular when it was built.
- It's one of the few old houses from the 1830s and 1840s around Sydney Harbour that you can still see from the water.
- It has a rare example of a colonial basement kitchen.
Lindesay was officially added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. This means it is protected and recognised as a special historical place.
See also
- Australian residential architectural styles
