10. Rockend

An old couple stands by the entrance of a house. A plaque monuments sits on the nature strip.

Style

Victorian Georgian

Year

Circa 1860s

Builder

John Crotty

About Rockend

The land on which Rockend sits was purchased by John Terry Hughes in 1836 but was repossessed by the Bank of Australia in 1843 when Hughes went bankrupt during the 1840s depression.

From 1850, the land passed through various owners and was eventually subdivided by Sydney Solicitor W.W. Billyard. Lot 47 was sold to builder John Crotty in March 1857 and he built the cottage.

The design with two doors onto the front veranda, and its proximity to the Great North Road, suggests it was originally built as an inn, a recommendation that had been made by Thomas Mitchell in 1830 but apparently not followed. After Crotty’s death in 1859, the property was offered for sale, being described as ‘a substantial stone-built family residence, containing seven rooms and kitchen’.

Emily Mary Barton (1817-1909) purchased the property in August 1866 and renamed it Rockend. Her grandson, the poet and author Andrew Barton (Banjo) Paterson, lived with her for a number of years whilst attending Sydney Grammar School. In 1869 and 1891, she purchased four adjoining lots.

In 1922, the five acres of land, including Rockend, was purchased by Harold Meggitt for the construction of a linseed oil mill. The cottage was used as offices and substantially modified. The mill operated in what is now Banjo Paterson Park until 1974 when business closed. High-rise development was proposed but the land was acquired by the State and passed to Ryde Council for open space in 1978. The restored cottage was leased in 1986 and used as a restaurant.

Location

40 Punt Road, Gladesville 2111  View Map

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