7f. 22 Tyrell Street

Boy alone and crowd of women pose in front of a house
Style

Late Federation / Californian Brick Bungalow

Year

1916

About 22 Tyrell Street
During the First World War, the Voluntary Workers’ Association was established in several states. In NSW, they were organised under the Voluntary Workers (Soldiers' Holdings) Act 1917, with the objective to provide homes for disabled soldiers or for soldiers’ widows or dependants.

Groups were organised within local government areas, Crown Grants were available and the houses were financed by donations of land, goods, money and labour.

This house, one of more than 100 built by this organisation in Sydney, was completed for the widow (Ida May) and family (two children) of Private Albert Besanvalle, 4th Battalion Infantry who was killed at Lone Pine between 6 and 9 August 1915. Albert was buried in a mass grave of about 250 men that he may share with Wallace Park who was killed in the same action. Wallace was the son of Gladesville stonemason James Park and his wife Catherine. This link is expressed in the name of the house in mirrored glass on the front door.

Very few Voluntary Workers houses remain intact in Sydney although one other, which is a mirror image of this property remains in Earl Street, Hunters Hill.

Ida remarried in 1926 and lived in the house until moving to a son’s home in Putney in her 70s and then to another son and family on Flinders Island where she died in 1967.

Location

22 Tyrell Street, Gladesville 2111  View Map

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