Woodstock, Burwood facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Woodstock
Former names	Broughton (1912–1982)
General information
Type	Mansion
Architectural style	Victorian Italianate
Location	22 Church Street, Burwood, New South Wales
Country	Australia
Coordinates	33°52′55″S 151°06′16″E / 33.8819°S 151.1045°E / -33.8819; 151.1045
Construction started	c. 1866 (c. 1866)
Completed	1873 (1873)
Owner	Burwood Council
Technical details
Floor count	2
Register of the National Estate
Official name	Woodstock Community Centre, 18-30 Church St, Burwood, NSW, Australia
Type	Defunct register
Designated	14 May 1991
Reference no.	3373
Invalid designation
Official name	Woodstock; Broughton Migrant Hostel
Type	Built
Criteria	a., b., c., d., g.
Designated	10 March 1995
Reference no.	Local register
Group/collection	Community Facilities
Category	Mansion
Builder	Edwin Thomas Penfold

Woodstock is a beautiful old house in Burwood, Sydney, Australia. It was built a long time ago, between about 1866 and 1873. A man named Edwin Thomas Penfold built it. Over the years, many different people owned it. Now, the Burwood Council owns it.

This house is built in a style called Victorian Italianate. It is very important because of its history. It is listed on two special heritage lists. These lists help protect old and important buildings.

The Story of Woodstock

Building a Grand Home

Edwin Thomas Penfold was a very successful man. He first made money working in goldfields. Then, he started a tobacco business in Sydney. In 1871, he bought a large piece of land in Burwood. It was about 6 acres, which is a lot of space!

He decided to build a big, two-storey house there. This house was Woodstock. He moved in with his wife, Susannah Clarke. Their son was later born in the house. People think the name Woodstock came from a novel. It was a book written by Sir Walter Scott in 1826. The Penfold family lived in the house until 1895.

New Owners and a New Name

After the Penfolds, Edward Scholes owned Woodstock until 1907. He was a well-known person in the area. He was a barrister, which is a type of lawyer. He also worked in local government. He was even the Mayor of Burwood in 1891.

In 1907, Sir Arthur Renwick bought the house. He was a doctor, a kind helper of others, and a politician. Sadly, he passed away the next year. His family then owned the house.

In 1912, two sisters, Amy and Edith Keep, bought the property. They decided to change its name to Broughton. This new name came from their old family home.

The Keep sisters loved gardening. They created a beautiful garden at Broughton. They also made many changes inside the house. They updated the entrance and the staircase. They added a lovely leadlight skylight. You can still see these changes today. The house also got a new tiled roof.

A Home for Many Uses

During World War II, the Australian Government took over the house in 1942. It became one of the army bases. It was used by the Australian Women's Army Service. They used it until 1946. After the war, a school principal briefly lived there.

From 1948 to 1974, the house had a very special purpose. It became the Broughton Migrant Hostel. A hostel is a place where people can stay. This hostel helped families who had moved to Australia from Europe and Great Britain. These families were called immigrants. It gave them a place to live when they first arrived.

In 1976, the Burwood Council started to lease the property. They rented it until 1982. Then, they bought it from the Australian Government. The Council decided to change the name back to its original name, Woodstock. Since then, it has been used as a community centre. It is a place where local people can meet and hold events.

Gallery

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  The beautiful staircase inside Woodstock.

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  A view of the hallway.

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  The upper floor with its balustrade.

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  The west side of the house.

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  A fountain in the garden.