Shirtsleeves to Shirtsleeves in Two Generations

The Meriden School was taken over by the Federal Government, I think, for an Air Force Headquarters during the Second World War. The Government requestioned Welbeck, our home, and made it available to Meriden who used it for their borders. The rails and steps in this photo were erected by the school. The flat area where the girls are standing was originally a grass tennis court. Meriden used this photo in their school promotions. My father used a scythe to cut the sloping bank down to the tennis court. He learnt this skill at a very early age. After the war Welbeck was returned to our family. As my father did not wish to move back into the house my mother encouraged him to sell it to the Catholic Women’s League, who first used it as a hostel for country girls working in Sydney. Later a block of self-care units were built in front of the house facing Margaret Street. Finally the house was demolished to make way for further units. The property is now called Marian Court Units. On a recent visit the staff were pleased to receive my books which contain the history of the house on this site.

These two photos are of Welbeck in the 1930s.