Derrington

Initially the area developed with a number of large houses surrounded by large landholdings. Glen Kedron, the eight-roomed house of James Love, one of the founders of the firm Isles, Love and Co., Pty., Ltd was built c.1900 and stood on about 100 acres of land.

The extension of the tramline along Lutwyche Road to Kedron Brook further urban development in the area. By 1911 census Kedron had a population of 1129 with the total population of the Kedron Shire, formed in 1903, numbering 3,663. The Glen Kedron Estate, the first section of which was first offered for sale in November 1917 featured 246 beautiful sites in the “highest, healthiest and breeziest situation.” Marketed and sold by Isles, Love & Co auctioneers, the lots were right at the Kedron Park tram terminus and had water and gas mains laid in the streets, with roads that were “well-formed and beautifully gravelled”.

Martin Lonergan purchased three lots (132, 133, 134) on the corner of Leckie Rd and Sixth Avenue in that first offering and a further two lots (135, 136) in 1920. He sold the corner two lots to Augusta Axelsen in 1927. William Packer, and his wife, Margaret Smith Packer purchased lots 134, 135 and 136 in January 1930.

William Packer was the son of Joseph Packer who established the Wool Scour and Tannery at Chermside. It operated from 1891 until 1923 as Packer and Knox. Joseph Packer died in 1929 leaving a substantial sum to his sons. Joseph Packer, junior also lived in Sixth Avenue, while William’s other brothers George and James, lived in other parts of Kedron.

By September 1930, William Packer and his wife had decided upon an architect and house design. Eric Percival Trewern was the chosen architect. E.P. Trewern was one of Queensland’s notable interwar architects. Born in Bendigo in 1895, Trewern worked as a draughtsman in the Queensland Department of Public Works. He left in 1920 to establish his own practice which proved highly successful. His Spanish Mission and Old English/Tudor Revival houses popularised these styles in interwar Brisbane.

The tender for a timber residence in Sixth Avenue Kedron closed on the 18 September with the tender of J. Heywood accepted. An application to the new residence in Sixth Avenue Kedron was lodged with Council in October 1930 with the cost of works estimated to be £2160. In comparison a new timber residence at Langsbury Parade Ashgrove was estimated to cost £550.

The house was finished in 1931 and was featured in numerous articles for its fine design. The Brisbane Courier in September 1932 told readers that, “although Derrington was built only 18 months ago” the house had “that quiet, restful atmosphere that one always seems to associate with old English houses” 1

In 1933, the Steering Wheel and Society & Home also featured the house:

“Darrington”(sic) is an attractive and much admired house, being of traditional origin modified … to suit local conditions and present-day living requirements and depends for interest on gleaming cream walls and steep red tiled roof which is thrown up pleasantly against the well-kept lawns and colourful garden beds. A sense of solidity and permanence is achieved by the use of a stucco base, stuccoed piers and brick steps of generous proportion to the entrance porch.

Internally the house is designed and decorated on a manner commensurate with the exterior. Polished floor, beam ceiling, paneled wainscot and papered walls, added to the general decorations, make the lounge a room that is homely and comfortable and expressive of intimacy and family life.”1

William and Margaret Packer raised their family in the home and lived there until William died in April 1956. Margaret Packer died the following year and their daughters Miss Violet Packer and Miss Vera Packer inherited the house. Their other daughter, Dr Ivy Jean Packer had married in 1941. Violet and Vera Packer retained ownership of the house until 2001. Apart from adding a garage in 1968, little was done to the house during this period, other than regular maintenance.

In 2002-2003 a pool has been added, a deck has been added to the rear and a block retaining wall built. The house retains the outstanding features and setting of Trewern’s original design.

Kedron is a suburb north of the Brisbane city centre, near Kedron brook. The subject area has a mostly residential character with some commercial areas along Gympie road which bisects the suburb. Buildings on Sixth Avenue are typically one to two storeys mostly built in the Federation and Inter-war eras with some Post-war and contemporary infill. There are also a number of two to three storey flat buildings on Sixth Avenue. Buildings on the street generally have a moderate setback from the street boundary. A footpath stretches the lengthof the northern side of the street and street trees are sporadically located along Sixth Avenue, all of varying size, maturity and species.

The subject property is located near the western end of Sixth Avenue and occupies a large square block of land. The house is located at roughly the centre of the site with a moderate setback from the front. The front boundary is lined by an early 3 rail timber picket fence with a trestle over the pedestrian gateway. A concrete driveway leads from the street through another larger gate and a paved path leads to the front steps of the house. The side boundaries are lined by tall hedges and small trees are planted the length of the rear boundary. The front yard contains some small plant beds and the back yard contains a swimming pool in the south east corner and a garage with tin gable roof.

The subject house has a multi-gabled roof clad in terracotta tiles. There are gable vents in the two dominant gables facing north and east. Exposed roof timbers are noted in all eaves and shaped timber brackets in the eaves of the entry.

The external walls of the house are mostly clad in chamferboard with several feature walls with different treatments including a stucco bay window with half-timber details, shingled walls, imitation half-timber and stucco walls. Most windows are timber framed casement windows with decorative leadlight panes.

The street facing gable features a square set bay with a stucco finish and half-timber details, the wall is shingled above the lintels of the window. A timber framed and shingled skillion window hood is also noted on the bay. The eastern side of the front elevation features a large verandah with large brick piers with a roughcast stucco finish and face brick bands to the tops. Between the piers is a lattice timber balustrade and timber picket valance below floor level. The sub-floor level is not enclosed below the verandah. Brick stairs with stepped masonry railings lead to the front door. The railings have a stucco finish with a face brick band below the flat capped tops. The entry has imitation half-timber walls above a masonry plinth. These walls are open at the top portion with timber bars. The arched timber panelled front door has similar details.

The western elevation has a tiled skillion window hood over the windows centred in the gable end. The eastern elevation features a smaller gable and skillion roof inset within the larger gable end. A corner window is noted on this elevation with shingle cladding below sill height.

The interior of the subject house has not been inspected.

The subject house appears to be in excellent condition and has had some alteration and additions including large extensions to the rear, a carport added to the side of the early garage and the addition of a swimming pool.

1. Brisbane Courier 1 September 1932

2. Architect Eric P. Trewern F.R.I.R.A. – Steering Wheel and Society & Home 1 June 1933, p.33

3. Brisbane City Council. Building Card

4. Brisbane City Council Building Registers

5. Digitised newspapers and other records. http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper

6. Queensland. Certificates of Title

7. Queensland. Post Office Directories

8. Queensland. Qimagery. 1936 aerial photos

9. Realestate.com.au https://www.realestate.com.au/property/5-sixth-ave-kedron-qld-4031

10. State Library of Queensland blog. http://blogs.slq.qld.gov.au/slq-today/2015/07/06/house-histories-derrington/