Stone Residence

At this time, Windsor was newly declared a separate Shire and developing into a more populous middle suburb of Brisbane as the large estates of the wealthy were subdivided for residential development. William O’Connell’s estate of Rosemount  and James Swan’s property at Swan Hill (now part of Windsor) were just two of the estates subdivided at this time. Spurred by the dramatic increase in population caused by immigration and booming economic conditions of the 1880s, developers sought to take advantage of the need for affordable sites with access to the town centre. Since Bowen Bridge was constructed across Enoggera Creek in 1862, Bowen Bridge/Lutwyche Road had been the major route to the north of the city and beyond to the goldfields of Gympie causing ribbon development of residences, churches, shops, hotels and other businesses to occur. In 1904, Windsor rose to the status of a Town.

William Parson’s house was built on three 16 perch allotments, which he purchased in 1886 (allotment 182) and 1887 (allotments 183 and 184). This land was part of a parcel of some 27 acres owned by the Rev. George Wight, who had established a Congregational chapel on his property on Eildon Hill in the 1860s. Rev. Wight subdivided his land into a large number of mostly 16 perch allotments from 1885. An 1887 estate sales map for “Eildon Tower Hill Estate” shows that the new subdivision had sold well.  Although the railway line through Windsor would not open until 1899 and the electric tramline to Windsor was not opened until 1914, the estate map advertised the land as “Only 15 minutes from Queen Street. For health, scenery and convenience to buss[sic], tram and rail.” It is likely that horse drawn omnibuses provided a service to the city and that some people would have walked to Albion Railway Station on the Sandgate line. The residents of Sixth Avenue listed in the 1891 postal records are drawn mostly from the labouring and artisan classes, with several carpenters and stonemasons. It is likely many of these residents would have worked locally in the building trade rather than have commuted to the City.

Parsons is listed in postal records as living at this address from 1889, suggesting that he constructed the house soon after purchasing the land. As a stonemason, it is probable that Parsons himself built his new home. 

Parsons mortgaged the land at the time of purchase in 1887 and again in 1888 and 1896 before selling the house in 1913 to Constance Ashworth (wife of Percy). The Ashworths sold the property in 1924. It has since had several owners. The house is shown on a 1935 BCC detail plan with the name Cresmere, although a sign on the house presently says Grasmere.

Building records show an approval for a “double garage with patio” in 1977. Two enormous palm trees feature in the front yard of the house.

Stone houses are relatively rare in Brisbane. Two other stone houses in the Windsor area are the residence at 22 Cartwright Street and Craigellachie in Fosbery Street which is entered on the Queensland Heritage Register. Three other examples of stone houses in Windsor were demolished in the mid-1990s. They were located in Stoneleigh Street and on the corner of Albion and Lutwyche Roads.

1. Brisbane City Council sewerage detail plans and building cards

2. Queensland Certificates of Title

3. Queensland Post Office Directories

4. Teague, D., Windsor Council Chambers, 1897 - 1997, Brisbane: Windsor & Districts Historical Society, 1997

5. Windsor and Districts’ Historical Society Inc. Historic Real Estate Posters, Folder Five, nd