A history of Wilford Street

(Courtesy of Marrickville Council for the meeting on 24 February 2011)

Wilford Street is on the land  of the Cadigal band of the Eora people who ranged across a large area extending from Sydney Harbour to Botany Bay in the south and Petersham in the west. It is believed that the area had extensive grasslands which were ideal breeding grounds for kangaroos (City of Sydney, 2002).

In 1796, James Codd received a grant of 8.1 hectares (20 acres) known as Hartle Pitts, where Wilford Street is now located.

Map of the Bourough of Newtown circa 1885 (Source)

Wilford Street and Wilford Lane are located on what was the estate of Thurnby Lodge built in the early 1850's. Thurnby faced Phillip Street and the grounds extended to Station Street. On the plan of Thurnby, Wilford Street is located on a large paddock. Thurnby was most likely built on the site of the original Halfway House Inn which, due to it proximity to a fresh water stream, was able to cater to bullock teams travelling along Enmore Road on their Journey South.

Wilford Street and Wilford Lane in Enmore were formed in 1869 (Sydney Archives, 2009), but there is some confusion over how the Street got its name. According to the Sydney Archives (2009), Wilford Street was named after Jude Henry Wilford who may have been the first owner of Thurnby Lodge. According to Cashman and Meader (1997), Wilford Street was named after George Wilford who owned Thurnby from 1894.

There is also some confusion about the ownership of Thurnby Lodge. sydney Archives (2009) suggest that it was built in the early 1850's for Judge Wilford and bought by Thomas Chaplin Breillat in 1854. However, Cashman and Meader (1997) suggest that it was more likely built in the early 1850's for Thomas Breillat (1804-1873), who had an illustrious career as a merchant, was the founder of the Sydney Chamber of Commerce, manager of the Sydney Flour Company and founding director of the Australian Joint Stock Bank. In the 1880's, Thurnby was bought by Judge William John Foster, who lived there until he retired from the Supreme Court in 1894. Thurnby was the bought by George Wilford, after whom Wilford Street was most likely named.

Thurnby was one of the grand Villa Estates of Enmore, buit in the colonial Regency style. The house was surrounded by extensive pleasure gardens with a small entrance lodge and numerous stables and outhouses. The property was well supplied with creeks and a waterhole.

By 1876, development in the area was well underway, and the Thurnby Estate was being encroached upon.

Notice in the map of Newtown circa 1885 above, Wilford Street is shown but Thurnby does not appear. The property was the last of the large estates to be subdivided when it was sold in December 1910. The house was demolished soon after (Sharpe, 1999).

The Sans Directory was a business and residential directory published from 1858 to 1932. Entries for Wilford Street first appear in 1883. It is interesting to note that many of the Wilford Street properties show tenant names changing on an almost annual basis. The full listings can be found here.