St Clair, Goulburn facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Clair
Location	318 Sloane Street, Goulburn, Goulburn Mulwaree Council, New South Wales, Australia
Built	1840–1840
Architect	James Sinclair
Owner	Goulburn Mulwaree Council
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name: St. Clair; St Clair Cottage; St Clair Museum
Type	state heritage (built)
Designated	2 April 1999
Reference no.	117
Type	Villa
Category	Residential buildings (private)
Builders	James Sinclair
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St Clair is a very old and important building in Goulburn, Australia. It was once a home, but now it's a museum! You can find it at 318 Sloane Street.

A man named James Sinclair designed and built this house in 1840. It's super old, actually the second-oldest house in Goulburn, right after Riversdale. People also call it St Clair Cottage or St Clair Museum. Today, the Goulburn Mulwaree Council owns it. It's also home to the Goulburn and District Historical Society, which helps keep history alive. St Clair was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999, meaning it's a special place worth protecting.

The Story of St Clair

St Clair is one of the very first houses built in Goulburn. James Sinclair, a well-known builder and architect, designed and built it himself. He bought the land in 1843. The house was built in a few steps, finished before 1849.

James Sinclair's Time

The first part of the house had four rooms upstairs. It also had two rooms downstairs, two cellar rooms, and a unique pantry. Later, James added two more sections. These new parts had eight more rooms, a kitchen, and a scullery. These additions created a courtyard in the middle.

James Sinclair lived at St Clair until 1851. He had money problems and left for the goldfields in Victoria. Sadly, he was never seen again. People believe he was robbed and murdered near Ovens.

New Owners and Uses

In 1852, a shop owner named Joseph Bull bought St Clair for 600 pounds. He lived there until he passed away in 1871. Around 1870, the stables, coach house, and hay loft were built for Joseph Bull.

After Joseph Bull's death, his wife Elizabeth lived there until 1876. Then, Edward Ball bought the house. Edward Ball was the Mayor of Goulburn twice. He was also a member of the New South Wales Parliament for Argyle. It seems he lived in part of the house and rented out other sections.

A School and Guesthouse

In 1883, a girls' school was run at St Clair by Mrs. Emric and her daughters. Later, in the late 1880s, a Miss Sharp taught music, piano, and French there. After Edward Ball senior died in 1894, his son, Edward Joseph Ball Junior, took over St Clair.

In 1900, Bridget Bruton bought St Clair. She was the wife of the owner of the Royal Hotel. From this time on, St Clair started being used as a guesthouse. A guesthouse is like a small hotel.

The McCarthy family ran St Clair as a guesthouse from about 1912 to 1922. Then, Horace Oliver Pursehouse bought it. His daughter, Mrs. Thirlby McDonell, continued the guesthouse business. She later turned the house into small apartments called "bedsits" or "flatettes." She lived there until she died in 1966.

Saving St Clair

After Mrs. McDonell's death, her sons sold the property. In 1970, St Clair was almost torn down! But the Goulburn and District Historical Society stepped in. They convinced the Goulburn City Council to buy St Clair. This was done using money given by the Premier of New South Wales. The money was meant to celebrate 150 years since Governor Macquarie visited Goulburn in 1820.

Soon after, St Clair became the main office for the Historical Society. They work with the Friends of St Clair to protect the important items and research materials there. St Clair was restored in the 1980s to keep it looking good.

What St Clair Looks Like

St Clair is a unique house with different levels. It has about 18 rooms in total. It's built with strong bricks and has plaster on the inside walls. The ceilings and upstairs walls are made of lath and plaster. The doors, door frames, and skirting boards are made from beautiful red cedar wood. The columns on the verandah are made of sandstone.

House Design

The first part of the house has four rooms on the main floor. Below them are two more rooms, two cellar rooms, and a special pantry. Later additions created two wings with eight more rooms, a kitchen, and a scullery. These wings formed a lovely courtyard.

St Clair is a great example of an early country house from the 1840s. It's special because it hasn't been changed much over the years. The house gets less fancy as you move towards the back and downstairs areas. What looks like a small cottage from the front is actually much bigger downstairs.

You can see many examples of old building methods at St Clair. These include the sandstone columns and the lath and plaster ceilings and walls. The first part of the roof was made of wooden shingles. These were later covered with iron.

Outside the House

A small front garden sits between St Clair and Sloane Street. The land slopes down from the street. This means the house has two stories at the back. Behind the house, there are stables, a carriage store, and servants' quarters. These buildings are currently used as apartments.

Condition of the Building

St Clair has not changed much physically in the last 150 years. It is mostly in its original condition. There are only a few modern additions. For example, some cement was used in the 1980s. Also, some fiber cement sheets were added over old plaster walls in the 1960s.

St Clair is mostly strong and sound. However, it has had problems with dampness over the years. This is partly because some walls are partly buried. It's also due to early coverings on the downstairs and cellar walls. These coverings hid decaying bricks and plaster until the damage was serious.

An old brick well or tank near the wagon shed has been filled in. It might contain old items from the past. The brick path in front of the stables is now covered with grass.

Why St Clair is Special

St Clair is a great example of an early country house from its time. It was built in three stages between 1843 and 1849. It has not been changed structurally since then. St Clair is located in the center of Goulburn. It is one of the city's oldest homes.

St Clair was officially listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999. This means it is a very important historical site that needs to be protected.

See also

• Goulburn
• Historic house museums in New South Wales