Wardlow, Parkville, Melbourne facts for kids
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Wardlow is a beautiful old house in Melbourne, Australia. It's in a suburb called Parkville. A man named John Boyes built this house in 1888. It's a great example of the "boom style" Italianate architecture that was popular back then. The Victorian National Trust lists it as an important historical building.
You might have seen Wardlow before! It was used as the outside of Phryne Fisher's house in the TV show Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. This show is a period drama from the ABC.
Contents
Who Lived in Wardlow?
The Boyes Family
John Boyes, the man who built Wardlow, was born in Sheffield, England, in 1833. His father, William Boyes, was a carpenter. John learned to be a saw maker, just like his brother, William.
Around 1860, John Boyes moved to Australia. He lived in Heathcote, Victoria, for a few years. In 1863, he married Mary Hill, who had also moved from England. They lived in Heathcote for two years.
In 1865, John's brother William moved to Melbourne with his family. John then moved to Melbourne too. The brothers started a business together called Boyes Brothers. They made and sold tools and hardware. Their business grew, and they started importing hardware from other countries. They even owned four buildings in Russell Street, Melbourne, which are still there today and are historically important.
In 1879, John built two houses next to where Wardlow is now. He and his family lived in one of these houses until 1888. That's when he built Wardlow. He also built three more houses behind Wardlow. All six of these houses still exist and are listed on the National Trust (Victoria) heritage register.
John and Mary Boyes had four children. One of them was Mary Elizabeth Boyes, born in 1868. In 1892, Mary Elizabeth married Frederick Arthur Booth. They had four children together. Sadly, in 1901, Frederick was in an accident and passed away. Mary Elizabeth became a widow.
After this, Mary Elizabeth and her four children moved into Wardlow to live with her father, John. John's wife, Mary, had passed away the year before. Mary Elizabeth and her children lived in Wardlow until John Boyes passed away in 1910. In his will, John made sure his daughter Mary and her children were looked after. He left the six houses he owned in trust for them.
Mary Elizabeth Booth and Her Children
Mary Elizabeth Booth and her four children lived in Wardlow for the next twenty years. Three of her children moved out in the 1930s when they got married. One daughter, Mary Eileen Booth, stayed single for a while and lived at Wardlow with her mother.
In 1950, when she was 55, Mary Eileen Booth married Samuel Frederick Arthur Fripp. Samuel's father was a director of The Herald newspaper and The Weekly Times.
Mary Eileen and Samuel Fripp
After getting married in 1950, Mary Eileen continued to live with her mother at Wardlow. Her new husband, Samuel, also moved in. Mary Eileen's mother passed away in 1959. Mary Eileen and Samuel Fripp then lived in the house together for another thirteen years. Samuel passed away in 1972. Three years later, in 1975, Mary Eileen sold Wardlow.
Kimberley Kitching and Andrew Landeryou
Kimberley Kitching and Andrew Landeryou bought Wardlow in 2001. They paid $1,175,000 for the house. They were known for hosting fun parties at their home. Later, they faced some money problems. The house was sold in 2005 to help them with these financial challenges.
See Also
