Kelvin

About

Kelvin is a heritage-listed residence at 30 The Retreat, Bringelly, City of Liverpool, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was built from 1820 to 1826 by Thomas Laycock. It is also known as Retreat Farm, The Retreat, Thomas Laycock's Cottage Vale and Cottage-ville. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

Traditional owners of this country were the Cabrogal ( Cahbrogal ) clan (land around Liverpool), the Murigong ( Muringong ) clan (land at the Cowpastures), the Warmuli (land around Prospect ) and the Gomerigal people (land around South Creek ). Bringelly is an Aboriginal name, one of only two in the Liverpool district.

Kelvin Park estate's history is bound up with several grants of land including those of 600 acres to Thomas Laycock Jr. (soldier, explorer, businessman, farmer), Penelope Lucas (governess to John Macarthur and Elizabeth Macarthur and family, Parramatta ), William Hutchinson, Edmund Wright, and Charles Reid.

In 1824, Laycock's 1200-acre "Retreat Farm" was sold to Edward Riley, and resold within a month to Provost Marshal John Thomas Campbell ( Governor Macquarie 's secretary prior to 1819), who tried again to sell it. Liston (2010) notes that Laycock Junior's South Creek estate was known as "Cottage Vale", later called "The Retreat", and "Kelvin". She adds that Campbell was a successful farmer and pastoralist, breeding cattle and horses and in 1826 was a member of the NSW Land Board, responsible for assessing the resources of prospective settlers who applied for land grants. Campbell died in 1830.

A lease was given to the board of directors of the newly formed Australian Agricultural Company in early 1825 to accommodate its newly appointed director, Robert Dawson and the large party of workers and flock of merino sheep who'd accompanied him to the colony. (Campbell was a shareholder in the AA Company). The company was formed in 1824 to "extend and improve the flocks of merino sheep" in NSW.

In 1824, London was in the midst of an enormous stock market boom. With Australian wool becoming increasingly important, two companies – the Australian Agricultural Company (AACo.) and the Van Diemen's Land Company – were floated on the London Stock Exchange to promote raising fine-wooled sheep in the Australian colonies. The AACo. became a major force in the Australian coal and pastoral industries and in the settlement and development of the Hunter River and Port Stephens regions. Today, listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, it is the oldest Australian company operating under its original name.

Founded by a special Act of Parliament and under Royal Charter, it acquired the right to hold and sell land in New South Wales. Its founding members were a group of British bankers, merchants and politicians who saw the potential for big profits to be made in the colony.

The terms of the charter were that most of the labour would be provided by convicts under the supervision of superintendents, overseers and skilled mechanics sent from England. If, at the end of 15 years, the company had expended 10,000 pounds on improvements and employed 1400 convicts, it would obtain freehold title to its land. The size of the land grant was not specified in the charter, but discussions between the company directors and the Colonial Office settled on one million acres.

The company appointed a chief agent, Robert Dawson and a Colonial Committee to assist him. This eventually included just three people – James Macarthur (fourth son of John Macarthur ), his cousin Hannibal Macarthur and his brother-in-law, Principal Surgeon, James Bowman. The committee took a four-year lease of "The Retreat" (later 'Kelvin') at Bringelly near Camden for the immediate accommodation of imported stock, and sought advice on the best location for the land grant.

In June 1825 Dawson sailed from the Isle of Wight with 27 employees and their wives and families, 800 French and Anglo merino sheep, 8 cattle and 6 horses. They were followed a few weeks later by an overseer, 6 shepherds and a further 79 French merinos.

In January 1826, when people and stock were settled, Dawson sailed to Newcastle with a small party on the "Liverpool Packet" and from there, they travelled across country to inspect Port Stephens, an area which, of all those suggested, had the great advantage of access by water.

Temporary huts were added to the house on the farm to accommodate the worker families. Within two months he moved most of the party to Carrington, near Port Stephens, but the company continued to use the Retreat Farm for stock agistment. Imported thoroughbred and Cleveland stallions were stood at stud at Retreat Farm in 1826. Sheep were sent to it in 1827 with German shepherds. The farm continued to be leased to the AA Company from 1826- c. 1828 -30.

In 1831 Campbell's brother Reverend C. Campbell, heir to the estate on John Campbell's death, let the farm for a year, and in 1832 approved its auction. In 1833 Alfred Kennerley (landholder, philanthropist, later Premier of Tasmania ) bought it, using it as a base for stock agistment and operating his other properties at Parramatta and Mudgee. He returned to England in 1842 and in 1845 sold his stock and leased his land holdings.

He returned and is thought to have actively farmed "Retreat Farm". In 1853 he sold the farm to David Bell. In 1857 and again in 1862 it was mortgaged to Rowland Hassall. Bell was insolvent in 1864 and 1325 acres (including part of Lucas' grant to the north) were sold to Frederick Borton. About this time a store and dwelling known as the Bringelly Post Office and a public pound and blacksmith's shop had been built on the extreme (southwestern) boundary of the estate, and the junction of Bringelly, Penrith, Camden and Greendale Roads. In 1869 William Pearce of Seven Hills bought the farm, and 1872 records show he lived there, as well as farmer Frank Horsey.

In 1896 land on "The Retreat"s southern boundary was resumed to build Bringelly Road, and at its southwest corner for the Northern Road and a school, which was operating in 1897. Bringelly village grew up around the school and post office. The Retreat, post resumption, was c. 1187 acres (480ha). In 1901 the property title was transferred to Pearce's wife Elizabeth Charlotte, and it was subsequently sold. The Pearce family owned The Retreat more than 30 years, the longest period of tenure in its history to that date.

In May 1901 George Albert Church, grazier of Campbelltown bought The Retreat, and, heavily mortgaged, it was sold in 1911 to Arthur Owen Ryder, gentleman of North Sydney, who sold it within months to Charles Tyson of Aberdeen, grazier, who renamed it "Kelvin". The farm may have been attractive due to its proximity to abattoirs, four of which were in Liverpool in 1912, and for agistment of cattle prior to sale or slaughter.

In March 1914 Philip Staughton, grazier of Dalappol, Narrandera bought Kelvin. In October added to the land by buying lots 12–17 of Section 4, part of the subdivision of Hutchinson's former grant. This gave Kelvin access to Clyde Road to the east, later known as Badgery's Creek Road.

In 1918 Hugh Peter MacDonald, grazier of Yandra, Nimmitabel, bought Kelvin, transferring title to Lorna Jessie MacDonald, spinster, in 1921. Later records indicate that sheep were grazed on the property.

From 19 March 1942 to 28 February 1945, 370 acres of the 1320-acre property was leased by Lorna MacDonald to the Commonwealth Government, converted for use as a "Dispersal Aerodrome", for National Security Regulations by the RAAF. During this time it was owner-operated as a holding area for sheep marketing, wool growing and fattening, having a well improved grazing area with all necessary buildings. The Commonwealth's interest in Kelvin was influenced by a flat area along South Creek suitable as an airstrip. Similar defence positions at Penrith were a response to war in the Pacific and Australia's preparations for conflict.

The Dispersal area was never used and in 1944 the owner was able to resume use of part of the land for grazing, however lease of the airstrip and buildings was maintained. When it was deemed that the site was no longer of use to the war effort negotiations began to remove redundant items. Gravel surfaces, hideouts and many other items were left in situ. A few pieces of equipment were salvaged and disposed of. Compensation was made for fence repairs and estimates made for work to restore the buildings.