St Clair, Goulburn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Clair |
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| Location | 318 Sloane Street, Goulburn, Goulburn Mulwaree Council, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1840–1840 |
| Architect | James Sinclair |
| Owner | Goulburn Mulwaree Council |
| 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 special building in Goulburn, Australia. It was once a family home, but now it is a museum. You can find it at 318 Sloane Street.
A man named James Sinclair designed and built this house in 1840. It is the second-oldest house in Goulburn. St Clair is also known as St Clair Cottage or St Clair Museum. The local council, Goulburn Mulwaree Council, owns the property. It is home to the Goulburn and District Historical Society. This group helps to preserve history. St Clair was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999. This means it is a protected historical site.
Contents
The Story of St Clair
Who Built 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. He bought the land in 1843. The house was built in a few steps, finished before 1849. The first part of the house had a shingle roof. Later, this was covered with iron.
The first part of St Clair had four rooms on the main floor. Below these were two more rooms, two cellar rooms, and a special pantry. Later, two more sections were added. These sections had eight more rooms, a kitchen, and a scullery (a small room for washing dishes). These new parts created a courtyard in the middle.
James Sinclair lived at St Clair until 1851. He faced money problems and left for the goldfields in Victoria. Sadly, he was never seen again. People believe he was robbed and murdered near Ovens.
Life at St Clair Through the Years
In 1852, a store owner named Joseph Bull bought St Clair for 600 pounds. He lived there until he passed away in 1871. Around 1870, stables, a coach house, and a 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 also served in the New South Wales Parliament. It seems he lived in part of the house and rented out other sections. A doctor even had a room there before 1882.
In 1883, a girls' school was run at St Clair by Mrs. Emric and her daughters. In the late 1880s, a teacher named Miss Sharp taught music, piano, organ, harp, French, and drawing at the house. 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 J. J. Bruton, who owned the Royal Hotel. She lived there for several years. From this time on, St Clair became a guesthouse. A guesthouse is like a small hotel. From 1908 to 1910, Mr. Boissier, the local government architect, rented St Clair. After Mrs. Bruton passed away, her daughter, Mrs. Ruby Egar, inherited the house and continued to rent it out.
The McCarthy family ran St Clair as a guesthouse from about 1912 to 1922. Then, Horace Oliver Pursehouse bought it from Mrs. Egar. The Pursehouse family continued the guesthouse business. Their daughter, Mrs. Thirlby McDonell, took over after her parents died. She eventually turned the house into smaller apartments or "flatettes." She lived there until she passed away in 1966. Some new wall coverings were added in the 1950s and 1960s. After her death, her two sons sold the property.
Saving St Clair
In 1970, Goulburn celebrated 150 years since Governor Macquarie visited the city in 1820. To mark this, the New South Wales government gave Goulburn City Council $10,000. This money was for a historical project. At this time, St Clair was in danger of being torn down.
The Goulburn and District Historical Society convinced the Council to buy St Clair using these funds. They also asked the Council to use any remaining money for its restoration. The Council now officially owns the building.
Soon after, St Clair became the main office for the Goulburn and District Historical Society. They work with the Friends of St Clair group. Together, they protect the important historical items and research materials kept there. St Clair was restored during the 1980s. During this time, some ceilings were covered, and missing plaster was replaced with cement.
What St Clair Looks Like
The House's Design
St Clair is a large house with 18 rooms. It has different floor levels. It is made of strong brick, covered with a smooth finish. The rooms on the ground floor have plaster walls. The ceilings and upstairs walls are made of lath and plaster. This is an old building method. The doors, door frames, and baseboards inside are made of red cedar wood. The columns on the verandah (porch) are made of sandstone and have decorative grooves. The shutters and verandah ceilings are also made of red cedar.
The house is a great example of an early colonial villa from the 1840s. It is special because it has not been changed much over the years.
As you move from the front of the house to the back, and to the downstairs areas, the style becomes simpler. What looks like a regular-sized cottage from the front is actually almost twice as big downstairs! The house has three different floor levels. The central hall has a narrow staircase. The layout downstairs would have kept the people living there very busy.
St Clair also shows many examples of old building methods. These include the sandstone columns, the lath and plaster ceilings and walls, and the original wooden shingle roof (which was later covered with iron). There was even shingle material used for soundproofing in the upstairs floors.
Outside Areas and Condition
There is a small garden in front of St Clair, between the house 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.
St Clair has not been changed much physically in over 150 years. It is mostly in its original condition. Only small modern changes have been made. These include some cement repairs in the 1980s and some fiber cement sheets over old plaster walls in the 1960s. The other buildings, like the stables, could be explored more by archaeologists.
While St Clair is mostly strong, it has had problems with dampness. This is partly because some walls are partly buried. It is also because early coverings on the downstairs and cellar walls hid decaying bricks and plaster. This meant damage was already bad before it was noticed.
An old brick well or tank in 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 gravel and grass.
Why St Clair is Important
St Clair is a great example of an early colonial villa from its time. It was built in three stages between 1843 and 1849. It has not been changed much structurally over the many years since then. St Clair is located in the center of Goulburn and 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 listing helps to protect its history for future generations.
