Addresses

At 17 Kew Road, Graceville, Queensland 4075

Type of place

House

Period

Federation 1890-1914

Style

Queenslander

17 Kew Road Graceville

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This is an image of the local heritage place known as Residence

17 Kew Road Graceville

17 Kew Road Graceville Download Citation (pdf, 538.14 KB)

Addresses

At 17 Kew Road, Graceville, Queensland 4075

Type of place

House

Period

Federation 1890-1914

Style

Queenslander

This nineteenth century residence was established on a large block of well over an acre for Captain John Wood, marine surveyor between 1890 and 1892. In 1896 he sold the half of the property containing the house to Sarah Radcliffe, wife of Amos Radcliffe. Amos Radcliffe had been a farmer of note in the district having lived in Oxley since 1861 and had been the first to grow and process sugar cane in the district. 17 Kew Street was to be their retirement home and they named the house 'Netherton'. Amos Radcliffe died in 1909 but his wife Sarah survived until 1936. The property stayed in the Radcliffe family until 1976.

Also known as

Netherton

Lot plan

L2_RP98181

Key dates

Local Heritage Place Since —

Date of Citation —

Construction

Roof: Corrugated iron;
 Walls: Timber

People/associations

Amos Radcliffe (Occupant)

Criterion for listing

(A) Historical; (H) Historical association

Interactive mapping

City Plan Interactive Mapping

Also known as

Netherton

Lot plan

L2_RP98181

Key dates

Local Heritage Place Since —

Date of Citation —

Construction

Roof: Corrugated iron;
 Walls: Timber

People/associations

Amos Radcliffe (Occupant)

Criterion for listing

(A) Historical; (H) Historical association

Interactive mapping

City Plan Interactive Mapping

History

Captain John Wood purchased 1 acre and 31 perches from property investors G.C. Horstman and H. Penfold in March 1888. Wood, a marine surveyor with an office in Queen St, resided at Leichhardt St until first appearing in the POD at Graceville in 1892-93. He had taken out a mortgage for 239 pounds in April 1890, and may have built the house around that time.

In 1898 Wood sold the land to Charles William Costin, who resold the 2 roods containing the house to Sarah Radcliffe, wife of Amos Radcliffe, and Florence Fanny Radcliffe, their daughter. In 1912 the Radcliffe’s purchased a neighbouring allotment, which expanded the property’s garden to the West.

Amos Radcliffe was an early farmer in the area, moving to Oxley in 1861. He was the first farmer to grow sugar in the district, and built a mill on Oxley Creek in 1869. The Radcliffe farm lay between Sherwood and Rocklea, and due to the transport distance other sugar farmers soon decided to build mills West of the Oxley Creek, the Berry family establishing mills at Chelmer and Sherwood. The Radcliffe family home was on the rise where the house on the Department of Primary Industries farm stands today.

Prior to 1898, Amos Radcliffe was listed as “farmer, Sherwood”, but by 1900 he was listed at Graceville. This may indicate that 17 Kew Rd was his retirement property.  His eldest son, Oliver, built a large home at 74 Mortlake Rd /20 Verney rd West in about 1900, only one street away. Amos died in 1909, but the house at Kew St stayed in the Radcliffe family until 1976; a total of 78 years. Sarah Radcliffe died in 1936, and in 1951 the title for the 39 perches containing the house was transferred to Florence and Laura Radcliffe. 

The land was again subdivided in 1961, Florence died in 1964, aged 99, and the western side of the property was sold to John Box in 1970. Laura died in 1976, aged 100, and the house passed to The Union Fidelity Trustee Co. of Australia.

Statement of significance

Relevant assessment criteria

This is a place of local heritage significance and meets one or more of the local heritage criteria under the Heritage planning scheme policy of the Brisbane City Plan 2014. It is significant because:

Historical

Criterion A

The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of the city's or local area’s history

as it is a fairly intact nineteenth century house illustrative of the slow shift in land usage in the Oxley district from rural to residential use.

Historical association

Criterion H

The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organization of importance in the city’s or local area’s history

as it was the last home of local pioneer farmer of note Amos Radcliffe.

References

  1. Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Queensland Certificates of Title

  2. Walter Taylor South Character and Heritage Study, BCC Heritage Unit, 1997

  3. Queensland Post Office Directories

  4. Queensland Electoral Rolls

  5. Brisbane City Council Water Supply & Sewerage Detail Plans

  6. McKellar's Map of Brisbane and Suburbs. Brisbane: Surveyor-General’s Office, 1895

  7. The Brisbane Courier, 12 December 1911 p.9

  8. Narration by Miss Mary Radcliffe, at Rocklea School Centenary

  9. Queensland Pioneers Index 1829-1889. Births, Deaths and Marriages

Citation prepared by — Brisbane City Council (page revised September 2020)

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Federation 1890-1914
Queenslander
House
At 17 Kew Road, Graceville, Queensland 4075
At 17 Kew Road, Graceville, Queensland 4075 L2_RP98181
Historical, Historical association