Nelson Lodge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nelson Lodge
Location	125 Unwins Bridge Road, Tempe, Inner West Council, New South Wales, Australia
Built	1858
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name: Milford Haven; Nelson Lodge; Leinster Hall
Type	state heritage (built)
Designated	2 April 1999
Reference no.	518
Type	Villa
Category	Residential buildings (private)
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Nelson Lodge is a historic house located at 125 Unwins Bridge Road in Tempe, Australia. It was built in 1858 and is also known by the names Milford Haven and Leinster Hall. This important building was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999, which means it is protected for its historical value.

A Look Back in Time

Early Land and Farms

The first European to own a large piece of land near the Cooks River was Sergeant Thomas Smyth. He received 470 acres in 1799. After he passed away in 1804, his farm was bought by Robert Campbell. Between 1831 and 1838, Campbell divided the land into 42 smaller farms. The Cooks River area was well-known for its market gardens and small farms. These farms were very important to the local economy in the mid-1800s.

In 1837, Robert Campbell sold the property to Henry Mace, a chemist. After Henry Mace died in 1856, Thomas Crittenden and William Perry became in charge of the property.

Around the 1820s and 1830s, the Tempe area began to change. Alexander Brodie Spark, a well-known merchant in Sydney, bought land called Packer's Farm. He built Tempe House in 1836, which was designed by John Verge. This house became one of Sydney's most impressive estates. In the 1840s, Spark planned a model village near Tempe Estate, making the area attractive to new buyers.

On 13 May 1857, William Wells bought the property at an auction. He paid 331 pounds for the land, which was about 10 acres.

The Story of William Wells

William Wells was born in England in 1796. He was sent to Australia in 1817 aboard the ship "Fame." In Australia, he worked in Liverpool for a time. He later received a "Ticket of Leave," which allowed him to work independently.

In 1830, Wells bought a hotel license for the Kings Rams in Parramatta. He ran this hotel until 1836. He also received a land grant in 1836 for the site of the Lord Nelson Hotel in The Rocks, Sydney. Wells built a two-story home there. In 1842, he opened his own home as the Lord Nelson Hotel. He ran this hotel until 1860, and it stayed in his family until 1884.

Building Nelson Lodge

It is believed that Nelson Lodge was built for William Wells around 1858. By 1861, Wells was living at Nelson Lodge. In 1862, it was listed as having a "Nursery." Wells might have wanted to retire as a "country gentleman" in Tempe. At 62 years old, he still had a young family. It's also possible he tried to be a commercial farmer. However, his time in the country was short. William Wells passed away in Sydney in 1865. The property then went to his wife, Ann Wells, and their children.

From about 1873 to 1878, Edward Greville owned Nelson Lodge. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, representing the area of Braidwood. Greville supported working-class people and the development of natural resources. He later became a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council.

From 1878 to 1882, Catherine Birrell owned Nelson Lodge. She bought the property for 2400 pounds. It seems Mrs. Birrell changed the name from Nelson Lodge to Leinster Hall. After she died in 1882, the property was transferred to her children, Francis and Teresa Birrell. They rented out the property from 1882 to 1889. In 1886, a small part of the land was used for the construction of Railway Street, now called Collins Street.

From 1886 to 1888, Edward Grant Ward owned Nelson Lodge. He was the Registrar General and Chairman of the Lands Titles Commissioners in New South Wales.

The Rev. Arthur Aspinall and his family owned Nelson Lodge from 1889 to 1925. In 1893, Aspinall became the first principal of Scots College in Bellevue Hill. He retired from this role in 1913. Rev. Aspinall was responsible for dividing the larger Nelson Lodge estate into smaller suburban blocks. A plan from 1923 shows this subdivision.

Arthur and Helen Aspinall's daughter, Jessie Strahorn (Aspinall) Freeman, studied medicine at the University of Sydney. In 1906, Jessie Aspinall became the first female junior medical resident officer at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. This was a big deal at the time. Her father wrote a letter to the Sydney Morning Herald supporting her appointment. This led to public support, and the hospital agreed to appoint Dr. Aspinall for one year. She continued her medical career at the Royal Hobart Hospital, at Crown Street Women's Hospital, and in her own practice. She became a very important figure in medicine when it was uncommon for women to be doctors.

In April 1925, Charles Willie Willis, a builder, bought Nelson Lodge. He converted the house into flats. He also turned the kitchen outhouse into a home for his family. During this time, the original stone kitchen fireplace was removed. A new wall divided the kitchen into two, and new ceilings were added. One window was changed into a doorway, and a new doorway with a staircase was added for outside access.

Elizabeth Grace owned Nelson Lodge from 1950 to 1961. It is possible that the name changed to Milford Haven during her ownership. Vito Modesto owned the property from 1961 to 1985.

In 1987, Nelson Lodge was given a Permanent Conservation Order. This order protects its historical value. It was then transferred to the State Heritage Register in 1999. From 1988, the property operated as a bed-and-breakfast.

What Nelson Lodge Looks Like

Nelson Lodge is a classic single-story house built in the colonial Georgian style. It has five sections across its front. The house follows a typical design for its time: a central hallway with rooms of equal size on each side. Wide French doors open onto the verandas, extending the living space. It has seven bedrooms, six bathrooms, and a basement.

The house shows common features of its period. These include a "broken-back" roof, French doors with panels, and fanlight windows above the doors. The windows have large panes of glass. There are wide verandas with cast iron columns that form colonnades.

Nelson Lodge is built from ashlar sandstone, which is finely cut stone. The front and back veranda floors are made of sawn stone flags. The front and back doors are identical, with four panels, a fanlight, and sidelights. The house has elegant double-hung sash windows. All the wooden parts, like doors and window frames, are made of Australian cedar.

Inside, the house features marble fireplaces. It also has detailed decorative plasterwork and ceiling designs. The open grille columns on the front and back verandas were made by the Victoria Foundry of Bubb and Son. These cast iron columns are the same as those used at Admiralty House, Sydney.

The roof is covered with corrugated metal sheeting. Even though the building has had some changes over the years, it still keeps much of its original look.

The house sits on a block of land that is 1556 square meters. There are several large trees near the street that block the view of the house. The front garden is a cottage garden, which is a bit overgrown in some areas. Some of the mature trees include Mexican pine. Old photos show the front of the house "framed" by a Cook's pine and a Norfolk Island pine.

Changes Over Time

• 1831-1838: The original 470 acres were divided into smaller farms.
• Around 1858: The house was built and used as a nursery or farm estate.
• 1923: The property was divided into a smaller block of 0.18 hectares.
• 1925: The house was changed into flats. The kitchen outhouse became a separate home. The original stone kitchen fireplace was removed. A new wall divided the kitchen into two. New ceilings of pressed metal and plaster were added. One window was turned into a doorway, and a new doorway with a staircase was added for outside access.
• 1997: Approval was given to remove parts that had been added later and didn't fit the original style.
• 1999: Approval was given to change the four apartments back into a single home.
• Unknown date: The original slate roof was replaced with corrugated steel sheeting.

Despite these changes, the building still has many of its original details.

Why Nelson Lodge is Special

Nelson Lodge is a great example of a single-story colonial Georgian-style house built around 1858. It was built for William Wells, who owned the Lord Nelson Hotel, the oldest hotel still standing in Sydney.

Nelson Lodge is important because it is a rare example of a villa built after the original large land grants were divided. The Marrickville area was one of the first places for farming in inner Sydney. Very few villa estates from this period still exist.

Nelson Lodge was built for William and Ann Wells, who were successful publicans. The house shows their financial success and their tastes.

Nelson Lodge is also important because of its connection to famous people. These include:

• Reverend Arthur Ashworth Aspinall, who helped start and was the first principal of Scots College.
• Jessie Strahorn (Aspinall) Freeman, who was a pioneer for women in the medical profession in Australia.
• Edward Greville, a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and later the Legislative Council.
• Edward Grant Ward, the Registrar General and Chairman of Lands Titles Commissioners of NSW.

The beautiful Australian cedar woodwork inside Nelson Lodge is of very high quality. Its good condition makes it very special. The decorative plasterwork at Nelson Lodge is also well-preserved. It shows how popular plaster decoration was in Australia in the 1850s. The different styles of plaster decoration used in Nelson Lodge show the advanced techniques of plasterwork before 1858. The plasterwork is in good condition and is an amazing example of its kind from the 1850s in Australia.

Nelson Lodge was officially listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.