Morag

The cottage was built in the part of Windsor which was named Swan Hill, after the original landowner, James Swan, who subdivided the area in 1884. The small allotments of 16 perches sold well over the next few years. Residents in the street, some of whom rented the modest cottages, were mostly working class and artisans such as bricklayers, carpenters, blackmiths and labourers.

One outstanding feature of the character of Windsor, Lutwyche and the surrounding suburbs is the unusually large number of 19th century brick residences. These range from grand houses such as Boothville at Windsor, to small brick cottages such as those found in Bess St and Fuller Street at Lutwyche. 

Brickmaking was one of the earliest manufacturing enterprises in Brisbane during  the colonial period.  By 1871, census figures recorded 672 brick dwellings in Brisbane. Bricks were generally made by hand until the 1870s and 1880s, when mechanised processes such as the Hoffman method began to take over. During this period, the greatest concentration of brickyards in Brisbane was in the Lutwyche area. One of the most well-known brickyards was that established by William Williams in the 1860s. His own brick cottage on the corner of Fuller St (formerly William St) and Crowther Street at Lutwyche is one of the earliest homes in the area. Other brickmakers in Lutwyche during the 1870s - 1880s included Samuel Hedge and John Salt. 

By the 1890s, Lutwyche no longer dominated the brickmaking industry. Large brickmaking businesses had been established elsewhere such as Petrie’s Brick Yards at Albion. However, the Lutwyche/Windsor district’s association with brickmaking continued into the 1980s when the brickworks at Newmarket which were established circa 1912 finally closed. In addition to the legacy of many brick houses and cottages in the area, several street names in the area, such as Salt Street and Brickfield Street, recall this important facet of the area’s history. Another reminder is the Newmarket brickworks chimney, now an important local landmark.

Ownership of no. 80 Swan Road passed to James King’s wife, who sold the property the following year. The house has since had several owners. The present owner, who purchased the property in 1981, has taken a great interest in the history of the house. Careful renovations were carried out in 1991-92 under the guidance of award winning builder, Paul Sorenson.

1. Marsden, Brian S. AA century of building materials in Queensland and Brisbane, 1861-1961". Australian Geographer, Vol. 10 (Sept 1966)

2. Morrison, W. Frederick. The Aldine History of Queensland. Sydney: Aldine Publishing Co., 1888, Vol. II

3. Queensland Certificates of Title

4. Queensland Post Office Directories

5. Shaw, Barry, (comp.). Stafford and Wilston-Grange Heritage Tour. Brisbane: Brisbane History Group, 1995

6. Information kindly provided by the present owner, Jenny Dunstan, correspondence dated 30 June 1998