Cleveland House, Surry Hills

Cleveland House is a heritage-listed building at 146–164 Chalmers Street, Surry Hills, Sydney, Australia. Built from about 1823–4 for emancipist merchant Daniel Cooper, the two-storey Colonial Georgian house is attributed to architect Francis Greenway. It sits on land originally granted to Charles Smith in 1809 and known as Cleveland Gardens. The Cooper family occupied the house from 1825 until 1829, after which it was let for residential and other purposes. Over the following decades the property served as a school, laundry, boarding house, gentlemen's apartment and government labour bureau, and from the mid-1870s its outbuildings housed Barrett's cordial factory. In 1903 the Order of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan purchased the property and used it as a convent and city refuge, adding a four-storey refuge building and a commercial laundry in 1904. In the late 1920s the refuge became a home for aged and infirm women. The Franciscan Missionaries of Mary took over in 1946, and in 1958 the NSW Society for Crippled Children purchased the property, using the former refuge as a hospital, clinic and administration. Sold in 1988 to Denerin Pty Ltd, all buildings except Cleveland House were demolished. The house remains privately owned, today by LGS Enterprise, which runs a medical education business, InViVo Communications, from the building. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. The building is in poor condition, with boarded windows, rust and a dilapidated verandah, though its gardens are maintained.

Cleveland House was built in about 1823–4 for prominent emancipist merchant Daniel Cooper. The house was built on about five hectares (twelve acres) of land originally granted to Charles Smith by Governor Macquarie in 1809. Smith used this land, known as Cleveland Gardens, as either a market garden or nursery. Upon his purchase of the land Cooper spent A£4,000 on construction of the house, believed to be the work of architect Francis Greenway. The Cooper family moved into the house in 1825 but only resided there until 1829 when Cooper separated from his wife. At the time the house was let to provide Mrs Cooper with a source of income. Until 1855 the house and its land was let out mainly to various families for residential purposes. However, in the 1830s the property was also used as a school. During this time the property is believed to have held prime views of the Darling Harbour and city areas. The decision in 1850 to build Redfern terminus brought industry to the area. This resulted in the subdivision of many of the gentlemen's estates in the neighbouring suburb of Surry Hills. This caused Surry Hills to be built out and changed its character from a picturesque "village" to a high density suburb. Daniel Cooper returned to England in 1831 and left the house in the trust of James Cooper on the death of his ex-wife, Hannah, in 1836. Daniel Cooper died in 1853 and James Cooper sold the estate, which now amounted to around five hectares (thirteen acres), jointly to Moorehead and Walker. In 1855 this estate was subdivided into eight sections as part of the redevelopment of Surry Hills. The section containing the house and the outbuildings, lots 7, 8 and 12, were sold as a single property to Isaac Levey and inherited by his son, Montague, in 1860. For a short time after the subdivision the property was used for residential purposes but from 1858 the uses were varied. Uses included a school, laundry, boarding house, gentlemen's apartment and a government labour bureau. A further subdivision of land, lots 7 and 8, occurred in 1886. However, only two of these were purchased. From about the mid-1870s the outbuildings were used as a cordial factory, Barrett's. It is thought that some new buildings and extension of existing buildings took place to accommodate the factory. This use continued until it was sold to Peach and Jones bottle merchants in 1896. At this time, the house was still owned by Levey. In 1903, the Order of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan purchased the entire unit of the original 1855 subdivision, with the exception of the two lots that were purchased in the 1886 subdivision. The Order used the property as a receiving place in the city for its refuge. Cleveland House was used as a convent for the nuns. They built a large four-storey building to house the refuge and a commercial laundry which was opened in 1904. In the late 1920s the refuge became a home for aged and infirm women. In 1946 the property was sold to the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary who used it for the same purposes as the Good Samaritans. In 1958 Cleveland House was purchased by the NSW Society for Crippled Children. The refuge, built in 1904, was used as a hospital, clinic and for administration. Cleveland House was also used for administration. The former convent garden was filled in to be used as a lawn area and later for parking. Additional small buildings were constructed on the site. The property was sold in 1988 to Denerin Pty Ltd and all the buildings with the exception of Cleveland House were demolished and further subdivisions have occurred. Today there is a small garden at the front of the house and a grassed area between the side of the house and Chalmers Street. A large apartment complex is located at the rear (south) of the house. The house has been in private hands throughout its 186-year history. It is today owned by LGS Enterprise, which runs a medical education business InViVo Communications from the building.

• 1999

  Added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April.

• 1988

  Sold to Denerin Pty Ltd; all buildings except Cleveland House demolished.

• 1958

  Purchased by the NSW Society for Crippled Children.

• 1946

  Property sold to the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary.

• 1920

  Refuge becomes a home for aged and infirm women.

• 1904

  Four-storey refuge building and commercial laundry opened.

• 1903

  Order of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan purchases the property.

• 1896

  Sold to Peach and Jones bottle merchants.

• 1870

  Outbuildings used as Barrett's cordial factory.

• 1860

  Montague Levey inherits the property.

• 1855

  Estate subdivided into eight sections; house and outbuildings sold to Isaac Levey.

• 1830

  Property used as a school.

• 1829

  Cooper separates from his wife; house let for income.

• 1825

  Cooper family moves into the house.

• 1823

  Construction of Cleveland House begins for Daniel Cooper, attributed to Francis Greenway.

• 1809

  Land granted to Charles Smith by Governor Macquarie, known as Cleveland Gardens.

Heritage-listed historic building, privately owned and used for medical education.

1. 1Cleveland House, Surry Hills - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Cleveland House, Surry Hills - Wikidatawikidata.org