Lozelles

Wilson purchased the land on which the house stands in 1888.  It had been part of the large Norman Park Estate which was first advertised for sale in 1887.  He initially purchased subdivision 117 and it was on this section that the house was built.  He added subdivision 116 to his parcel in 1902.  Three more lots were added between 1910 and 1924 and it was here that he steadily built his foundry.

Wilson's wife, Elizabeth, died in 1939 and Wilson himself died in 1944.  The property comprising the house and foundry passed to his four sons who then consolidated their ownership under the Wilson Waratah Metal Company.  In 1959 the Brisbane City Council commemorated Wilson's lengthy association with the area by naming a newly made park opposite the house, "Wilson Park". 

Wilson developed a white metal which he advertised as “Waratah” anti-friction white metal throughout 1911 and 1912.  In September 1913, he returned to Brisbane on the ‘Orvieto’ after travelling to Great Britain to list his metal on the British market for shipbuilding and engineering concerns.  It was recognised as a leader in the production of castings in brass, gunmetal, aluminium, phosphor bronze as well as the anti-friction white metals.

Foundry buildings on the site are shown in sewerage detail plans and surveyor’s notebook plans prepared in the mid 1930s, and also in 1946 aerial photographs.  It continued to operate until the late 1960s when the land the foundry occupied was sold off.