79 Primrose Street, Grange

Wilson was an Irish immigrant who became a mercantile and insurance broker and later Brisbane representative of the Adelaide Milling Company. From 1874 to 1878 he was a member of the Legislative Council of Queensland. Wilson sold ‘Wilston House’ in 1884 and some of the estate was subdivided for sale in the 1880s as the ‘Wilston Estate’.

In December 1889 subdivisions 173 to 176, 255 to 258 of Portion 268, consisting of 1 acre 3.8 perches, were transferred to Emily Brown, the wife of William Villiers Brown.. The subject house was constructed across subdivisions 255 to 258 (2 roods 2 perches) circa 1898. 

In 1888 William Villiers Brown was managing director of the Townsville mercantile, shipping and stock and station agency, Aplin, Brown and Co. Limited. Brown was also a member of the Queensland parliament, commencing as member for Townsville in 1885 and later as Minister without Portfolio and Representative of Government in Legislative Council 1907-08. The Browns lived in the house for several years until it was sold to Elizabeth Holdsworth (wife of James Atkinson Holdsworth) in 1911.

Following the death of Elizabeth Holdsworth in 1918 the house was transferred to Alfred and Gladys Leitch (1920), John Sharp (1922) then John Heywood (1925). At an unknown time a tennis court was constructed to the east of the building. Following a resubdivision in 1940 the tennis court allotment (sub 255 and resub 2 of sub 256) was transferred to Harry Trent and Marjory Heywood. A house was later built on this  allotment. 

Following the death of John Heywood’s wife Julia Heywood on 17 November 1979 the land passed through a number of owners.

The house has retained some of its early outbuildings.

1. Aldine history of Queensland, 1888

2. Alphabetical register of members of the Legislative Assembly 1860 to 2004 and of the Legislative Council 1860 to 1922

3. Brisbane City Council Water Supply and Sewerage Detail Plan no. 608 dated September 1937

4. Department of Natural Resources, Queensland Certificates of Title and other records

5. Environmental Protection Agency

6. JOL Estate Map Collection and photographic collection

7. Hogan, Janet. Historic Houses of Brisbane: a selection. Brisbane: Boolarong for the National Trust of Qld, 1979

8. Lawson, Ronald 1973, Brisbane in the 1890s: A Study of an Australian Urban Society, University of Queensland Press, St. Lucia

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