20 Dickson Terrace, Hamilton

First known as ‘Arddleen’, this large brick residence was constructed circa 1908 for the family of Thomas Llewellyn Jones, co-founder of Foggitt, Jones and Company. The land had been part of Sir James Dickson’s ‘Toorak Estate’, subdivided and sold in the early twentieth century. Jones relocated in 1915 after he was elected to represent the Oxley ward, going on to become a member of the Legislative Council. The house passed in 1921 to Alfred Walsh, managing director of Dalgety and Company, wool, stock and station agents. Walsh renamed the house ‘Vailima’ and resided there until his death in 1941. His family continued to own the residence until 1976. This high-set two-storey house, which features bay windows and verandas which take advantage of its views over the river, reflects the growth of the prestigious Hamilton area in the early twentieth century.