132 Windermere Road, Hamilton

In the nineteenth century Hamilton was a ward of the Toombul Divisional Board, before becoming a separate local authority in 1890. An elevated suburb near the river, it was a desirable location for large estates owned by wealthy settlers. From the time of the economic boom in Brisbane in the 1880s Hamilton continued to be an area favoured by ‘well-off’ settlers. Large estates began to be subdivided and Hamilton was described as the “show suburb” which would allay new arrivals’ disappointment with Brisbane after the uninspiring journey up the first part of the river. 

James Sutherland’s estate, suburban allotment number thirteen, remained undivided although he died in 1875. His estate did not pass to trustees, William Fryer and Thomas Curphy until 7 October 1907. Immediately the estate was subdivided and sold. The subdivisions encompassing this property, totalling 3 roods and 34 perches, was the first area purchased – by Ernest Eaglesfield White on 15 October 1907. By this time Hamilton had been proclaimed a town and was pronounced by the Brisbane Courier to be “one of the richest and most picturesque” places in Brisbane with the “mansions and villas of many of Brisbane’s commercial men crown[ing] every green knoll”. 

In the early twentieth century Brisbane and its suburbs was undergoing a period of unsurpassed building activity and prosperity. The Building journal reported an upsurge in new residences with much improved architecture, being “modern, ornamental and picturesque”. Ernest Eaglesfield White constructed a substantial residence, named ‘Kangoola’ (or ‘Rangoola’) on the property circa 1913-14. It was sold in 1915 to Horace and Vera Munro who lived there until about 1921. The property was sold to Thomas and Amy Alice Jones in 1924. Although immediately sold to James T. and Henrietta Isles, the Jones continued to live at the address until 1926, by which time, James William Clifford Isles (the son of James and Henrietta) had title to the land. 

Clifford Isles lived at the property from 1926 and applied to erect a new building on subdivisions 41-46 and 51 in December 1927.  White’s residence, captured in a c.1925 photograph of Ascot, was either demolished or relocated and the land was  further subdivided in 1928. Clifford Isles commissioned notable architect Eric Percival Trewern to design this fine Tudor Revival home, which was to cost ₤4,200 at a time when the average cost of a house was about ₤600.

Clifford Isles was the second generation of the real estate firm of Isles, Love and Co. founded by his father, James Thomas Isles and James Love. Isles, Love & Co. was a successful property sales and auction business founded in 1889 that continues today as McGees Property. 

E. P. Trewern was a talented and popular architect “who was able to design with facility the popular styles such as Spanish Mission, Californian bungalow, Georgian Revival and Tudor Revival.” This house was constructed by B. Hollingsworth and by 1929 had an adjacent tennis court on the corner of Charlton Street. In 1966 a garage was added for E. Cotte who also added a carport in 1972.

1.  Gardiner, F 1988, Significant Twentieth Century Architecture (1988, p.277)

2. Architecture & Building Journal of Queensland, 10 December 1928, pp. 30 & 94

3. Australian Heritage Commission. Register of the National Estate. Place Report for 132 Windermere Rd, Ascot, Place ID 17478. 15/12/2004

4. Brisbane City Council, 1946 & 2000 aerial photographs

5. BCC Building Card. 132/105886

6. BCC Heritage Trail – Hamilton. 3rd edition. Nd

7. Buildings of Queensland, Jacaranda Press, Brisbane 1959, p.16

8. Department of Natural Resources, Certificates of Title

9. DERM. Entry in the Queensland Heritage Register 600048 Windermere

10. JOL Estate Map. Hamilton Estate

11. Gardiner, Fiona, Register of significant twentieth century architecture (Australian Heritage Commission, 1988)

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

13. Queensland Digital Library. Aerial view of Ascot, Brisbane, ca. 1925. SLQ

14. Queensland Post Office Directories. 1908-1939

15. Telephone conversation with Tony Love of McGees Property 29/09/09