The Homestead (Georges Hall, NSW)

History of the area

On 6 April 1798, George Johnston received a land grant of 172 acres in the district from NSW Governor John Hunter. The grant was made up of a number of parcels of land including 12 acres at Marquee Point, 70 acres adjacent to 'Strongs Farm' and 90 acres above 'Red Bank'. It was on the 12 acre lot at Marquee Point, at the junction of Prospect Creek and the Georges River that Johnston built a simple timber farmhouse building. It was known as Georges Hall. It became an unofficial military outpost and in 1801 it was reported that there were no less than one sergeant and four privates stationed there.

David Johnston married Selina Willey in February 1836 and the couple resided in Georges Hall. However, the land was prone to flooding and it is likely that this led to the construction in 1837 of a new house also known as Georges Hall, today known as “The Homestead.”

David and his wife Selina lived at Georges Hall until his death in 1886, three years after his wife. In his will David left his large land holdings to be divided between his children by the Trustees. Two sons, George Robert and Arthur Alfred inherited the Georges River Estates, consisting of 1064 acres, as joint tenants. In 1876 an agreement was made between the brothers that should either of the two pass away the surviving party had the option to buy the other share. Arthur purchased Georges share on his death.

Arthur continued to reside at Georges Hall with his wife until he died in 1907 when he was found in his bedroom having shot himself with a pea rifle. His wife, Maria inherited the property and remained at Georges Hall. The property was gradually subdivided and in 1913 the Georgetown Estate was formed. Ralph Johnston a nephew, controlled the 100 acre property until 1917 when it was sold to Henry Crossing a grazier from Pilliga.

James William Ashcroft and his wife Amelia purchased the property in 1920 residing there for only two years until James Ashcroft's death in 1922. It was then sold to Robert Harvey Layton and during this time the remaining 100 acres was subdivided and a subdivision planned known as the Deepwater Estate.

Layton sold much of the Deepwater Estate including the lot on which the original Georges Hall stood. In 1948 the After Care Association purchased Georges hall for use as a hostel for elderly women. The name 'The Homestead' appears to have come into use by 1946 when a valuation of the house and grounds was conducted. The Association spent 2000 pounds on renovations and other necessary alterations including additional bathing facilities.

In the late 1950s it was decided to build a men's hostel on adjacent land and to finance the project the 14 lots of land around The Homestead was auctioned off. Through funding from the Heritage Assistance Program, restoration and archaeological work was undertaken during 1992 and 1993. The building is now used as a school and pre-school and church, operated by Calvary Chapel.

The House

“The Homestead” built in 1837, is the oldest remaining building in the Bankstown district and is evidence of the earliest permanent settlement in the district. The building being substantially intact, it is a well proportioned and finely detailed Georgian styled colonial homestead with strong links to Australia’s early colonial history through its original owners and residents the Johnston family of Annandale.

It was the second Johnston house built on this land with the first house being affected by flooding. Its location on the rise above the river and floodplain, demonstrates the settlers' adaptation to their environment, standing on ground above Henry Lawson Drive in Lionel Street, and was the home of the Johnston Family until 1917.

While the architect and builder are unknown, the “Homestead” that David Johnston built is typical of many Georgian country homes with a low pitch all encompassing roof and a detached return verandah form on an elevated masonry base.

Exterior

The building is a well proportioned symmetrical rectangular mass modulated by timber coloumns and a regularly spaced window pattern. The principal chimneys reinforced the symmetry of the building which was centred on a circular carriage drive. The front entry was orientated 20 degrees west of north and had extensive views down to the Georges River and beyond. Additions and extensions have altered the rear of the house.

Foundations

The house is built on a raised plinth over a partly excavated cellar. While most of the cellar is built of brick, the main walls at the rear and the front of the house are sandstone. The building is founded on a clay or shale base and the cellar is subject to a rising water table.

Walls

Wall construction was the finest quality sandstock bricks of a red and blue mottle and laid in lime mortar. The exterior walls were stuccoed and lined to imitate. The principal rooms contain fine stone chimney pieces while the south - west rooms have Edwardian fireplace surrounds. All of the fireplaces had been fully tiled circa 1911, these fireplaces have been restored.

Floor construction

The central floor of the cellar is of stone flagging while the side rooms were rammed earth construction. The original timber flooring in the house has been sanded, oiled and restored to their original condition.

Cellar and outer buildings

Under the house is a large cellar with brick arches and barred windows. The huge windows that support the building show the marks of the adaze and the square, and handmade nails can be seen.

At the rear of the building, large slabs are all that remain of the demolished outbuildings. The coach house and the stables, although now demolished, were still intact in 1923; a curve in Beale Street shows how the street was aligned to avoid them when part of the estate was subdivided as the Deepwater Estate. While many alterations have been made, they have not obscured the line of the original building.

The restoration program undertaken by the Church of the Four Square Gospel, with the assistance of Bankstown City Council Heritage Committee, is preserving part of the local heritage.

Roof

The roof which was framed in pit sawn hardwood framing with purlins and struts onto internal walls and chimneys. Originally shingled with hand split oak shingles the roof was subsequently covered in corrugated iron, and then later terracotta tiles.

The unusual half second storey breaks the roof structure into two along the centre of the house providing the support at the ridge between th two principal chimneys.

The verandah is roofed separately at a lower pitch.

The earliest photographic records of the house date from circa 1860. Unfortunately no photos of the extensive outer buildings exist and none of these buildings have survived. Photos from the 1890s show the front of the house and the ring or central garden area surrounded by a carriage drive, some of the Johnston family are believed to have been buried in this garden.

These photographs were used to recreate the original verandah details that were removed when extensive alterations were made to the house by Henry Crossing in 1917 when he purchased the house.

The Crossings and later the Beans, tried to update the property by re roofing with terracotta tiles and replacing the verandah details with Art Nouveau columns and brackets.

Wall finishes

The internal walls were plastered and electricity installed when Mr. Bean owned the property.

Joinery

The cedar panelling inside the house is intact (the cedar believed to have come from the Johnston holdings on the south coast at Albion Park). The panelling consists of 6 panelled doors and 12 panel windows. The french doors to the main rooms have magnificent glazing and fixed highlights. The semi circular fan light at the rear door and the unusual gothic sashes of the attic windows are fine examples of the influence of Regency design.

The steep and narrow staircase leading to the attic bedrooms is typical of the style of colonial stairs built in this period. Large double door sets opening of the entry hall were seen in a number of houses of the period.

All the openings are shuttered externally and have splayed cedar linings internally.