Carthona is a large Gothic Revival architecture style house situated at 5 Carthona Avenue, on a promontory of Darling Point, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The mansion is listed by the New South Wales Heritage Council as a building of historical significance and is listed as being of local significance on the New South Wales Heritage Database.
Carthona was initially the residence of surveyor and explorer Thomas Mitchell and his family.
Architecture
Carthona is described by the Heritage Council as an "impressive two storey mansion with cellars, of mannerist Tudor Gothic style. Built of sandstone, exterior there is a profusion of gabled slate roofs having castellated parapets and balconies dominated by tall tudor chimneys. Ground floor windows are pointed Gothic style having three centred heads and fretwork while first floor windows are flat arched and shuttered." It was built in 1841 by Sir Thomas Mitchell and it is believed that many of the keystones of doors and windows were carved by him. Carthona has had many residents some of whom were historically interesting.
Residents
The Mitchell family
Thomas Mitchell was born in 1792 in Scotland. His family was not wealthy but he joined the military and was proficient in drawing up plans of battlefields. In 1818 he married Mary Thomson Blunt who was the eighteen-year-old daughter of General Richard Blunt.Baxter, D. W. A. 1967 "Mitchell, Sir Thomas Livingstone (1792-1855)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Vol 2, Melbourne University Press, p. 238-42. In 1827 the couple came to Sydney and Thomas became Assistant Surveyor General of New South Wales and two years later became Surveyor General. During the 1830s Mitchell conducted three major expeditions into the interior of Australia. In 1837 he went to England and published a book about his explorations and obtained his knighthood. He returned to Sydney from England in 1841 and soon after purchased Lindesay. While he was at Lindesay Mitchell was planning to build Carthona. Besides buying Lindesay on Lot 1 in 1841, Mitchell also bought Lots 7, 12, 13, 14 and 15. It is on the last four lots that Carthona was constructed. In 1845 the Mitchell family moved into Carthona and Mitchell sold Lindesay to his friend Sir Charles Nicholson.
Soon after Mitchell moved into Carthona he set out on his fourth expedition in search of an overland route from Boree in NSW to the outpost named Victoria at Port Essington, in the present day Northern Territory. On the completion of the exploratory journey, Mithchell's Aboriginal "guide, companion, counsellor and friend", Yuranigh, lived briefly at Carthona, but not liking the city, Yuranigh soon left to take up work as a stockman.
In 1847 Mitchell again went to England and it seems that, at least initially, he may have intended not to return as an advertisement in the Sydney Morning Herald in February 1847 lists for sale all of his property including Carthona. Carthona is described as "the very splendid family mansion with spacious stabling and two acres of ground at Mrs Darling's Point, the present residence of Sir Thomas Mitchell, Surveyor-General."Sydney Morning Herald 18 February 1847, p. 4.
He returned from England in July 1848 but again went to London for almost two years in 1852. In 1855, after his return to Sydney while conducting surveying work in Southern New South Wales he contracted a chill and developed pneumonia. He died at Carthona in October 1855.
In his will Mitchell left all of his property to his children and Carthona was left to his second youngest daughter Alice who was then only 16 and living with her mother.Foster, W. C. 1985, "Sir Thomas Livingston Mitchell and His world 1792-1855", The Institution of Surveyors NSW Inc, Sydney. It seems that from about 1858 Carthona was rented by the Mitchell family to the Misses Cooksey as Blanche Mitchell, the youngest daughter mentions in her Diary on 17 July 1858 that Miss Cooksey called at Craigend Terrace where they were then living and paid her mother a quarterly rent.
Because Mitchell had left a considerable amount of debt, Lady Mitchell and her children were forced to move out of Carthona to a much smaller residence in Craigend Terrace, Woolloomooloo. Blanche Mitchell disliked the new accommodation and reminisced about her previous life at Carthona in her diary. In one section she says.
"Oh! for one breath of cool Carthona air, which used so to refresh us after having taken a run round the green, or when at night after one of these hot windy days, tired and wearied out, we used all to sit at the dining room window, waiting for the Southerly wind to blow, then what a rush, what a scramble to get out, and what a glorious run we would have chasing each other round! Ah, then we were happy, at least I was, always looking forward into a bright future every day I thought would bring us more happiness"Diary of Blanche Mitchell, 23 September 1858.
The Misses Cooksey The Cooksey sisters were Catherine and Sarah Cooksey, who were born in Sedgley in Staffordshire. Catherine was born in about 1810 and Sarah in about 1815.England Census for 1841, for the Civil Parish of Upton Warren. There are records for at least two other sisters. Martha was born in 1805 and Mary Ann, the eldest sister, was born in 1800. Mary Ann married William Henry Savigny (1792–1828) in 1821. They had a son in May 1825 also named William Henry Savigny.United Kingdom Births, Deaths and Marriages. The four sisters lived together for some time in Wharf House in Upton Warren.England Census for 1841 for the Civil Parish of Upton Warren. In this residence they conducted a ladies boarding school.Directory of Upton Warren for 1855 Martha Cooksey died in 1851.United Kingdom Births, Deaths and Marriages Mary Ann and her son, best known as the Rev. W. H. Savigny, immigrated to Australia in 1853.Victorian Immigration Records for Unassisted Passengers and several years later the two remaining Cooksey sisters Catherine and Sarah also immigrated, and ran a boarding school for young ladies at Carthona from 1858 to 1872. Their first advertisement in the Sydney Morning Herald in January 1858 read "The Misses Cooksey, having taken Carthona, the residence of the late Sir Thomas Mitchell, will be ready to receive their pupils on 26 January. For terms apply to the Misses Cooksey. Applications to be made at Carthona, Darling Point"Sydney Morning Herald, 21 January 1858, p. 8. In 1872 their sister Mary Ann Savigny diedThe Mercury (Tasmania) 15 June 1872, p.2. and the Misses Cooksey left Carthona and stayed at her late residence in Launceston, Tasmania for a short time. They then rented a house at 4 Grey Street, East Melbourne, where they lived until 1885, when Catherine died."Death Notice for Catherine Cooksey" Sydney Morning Herald, 17 January 1885, p. 1. Sarah then left for Launceston, where she died a year later."Death Notice for Sarah Cooksey", Sydney Morning Herald, 4 March 1886, p. 1. Some time before 1887 the Savigny home at 45 Lyttleton Street, Launceston, was dubbed "Carthona", as was the home of John Savigny on Ashby Street.
After the Cooksey sisters left, Carthona was rented for some time by Mrs Tait who also ran a boarding school.The Brisbane Courier, 25 April 1872, p. 1. Thomas Mitchell's daughter, Alice Mitchell, who inherited Carthona, had married Captain Philip Dauncey in 1859 and now lived in England. She first advertised Carthona for sale in 1875 and the notice read as follows.
"The family mansion was built of stone under the personal inspection of the late Sir Thomas Mitchell containing on the basement several large and cool cellars, well drained; on the ground floor a portico, a very large hall and a staircase to the second story; a well finished drawing room separated from the dining room by sliding doors with bay window looking over Double Bay.
Adjoining the dining room with the same charming view is the library and on the other side of the hall is a good bedroom and a butler's pantry. Attached to the house is the large kitchen containing Russell's cooking stove and other conveniences.
The bedroom story contains chambers suitable in character to the rest of the building. The outbuildings erected in stone comprise spacious coachhouse, stabling for six horses, plenty of good servants' bedroom accommodation, loft, saddle room, laundry etc. A never failing supply of pure water laid on to kitchen and laundry besides a massive stone tank roofed, is supplied by a spring from the rock."Sydney Morning Herald, 20 April 1875, p. 7.
The Allen family
Arthur Mansfield Allen was born in 1843 in Sydney. He was the son of George Allen (1800–1877) who was a prominent Sydney solicitor and owned Toxteth Park, Glebe. Arthur was born into a large family of ten children, five sons and five daughters. He received a good education and graduated from Sydney University with a Master of Arts Degree in 1866. He entered his father’s firm of solicitors Allen and Allen in the same year.Sydney Morning Herald, 19 August 1885, p. 9.
In 1869 he married Alice Greer who was 19 years old. When they moved into Carthona in 1880 they had three children under the age of ten.New South Wales Births Deaths and Marriages Unfortunately Arthur was plagued with ill health. He suffered from Bright’s Disease which is a kidney disorder. While the Allens were at Carthona they went to England twice to try to improve Arthur’s health. Their last visit was at the beginning of 1885. Not long after their return Alice died at Carthona at the age of 35.Sydney Morning Herald, 11 April 1885, p. 1 and Sydney Morning Herald, 19 August 1885, p. 9 and three months later Arthur died at his brother’s residence of Toxteth Park. His brother was Sir George Wigram Allen.
Carthona was put on the market in 1886Sydney Morning Herald, 10 July 1886, p. 15 and was bought by James Sutherland Mitchell who at that time owned Etham, an adjoining property. He bought Carthona for his son William Broadfoot MitchellSydney Morning Herald, 31 Jan, 1934, p. 50. who was married the following year. This Mitchell family was not related to Sir Thomas Mitchell.
William Broadfoot Mitchell
William Broadfoot Mitchell was born in 1850. His father was James Sutherland Mitchell and his mother was Elizabeth Carter Laidley who died in 1868.Etham, Darling Point, Sydney” Website Picture Australia. Online reference http://www.pictureaustralia.org/apps/pictureaustralia?action=PADisplay&mode=display&rs=resultset-4519&no=56 After his wife’s death James married Maria Allen.Bartley, N. 1896 “Australian Pioneers and Reminiscences”, Gordon and Gotch, Brisbane p.226. who was the sister of Arthur Allen the then owner of Carthona. James was a partner in Tooths Brewery and William was employed by his father’s firm as a Manager.“Obituary for Mr W. B. Mitchell”, Sydney Morning Herald, 20 November 1899. p. 9.
In 1887 William married Edith M Gore.New South Wales, Births Deaths and Marriages They had two children one girl and one boy. William was reported to be a good sportsman and enjoyed yachting but unfortunately he did not enjoy good health and he died prematurely at the age of 49. After his death in 1899, Carthona was advertised for sale. It was marketed jointly with Etham and Prudhoe which were properties also on Darling Point.Sydney Morning Herald, 18 November 1899, p. 17.
Holmes Samuel Chipman The next resident of Carthona was Holmes Samuel Chipman. He is listed in the Sands Directories as living at Carthona between 1900 and 1902.
Chipman was born in Nova Scotia, Canada in 1850. He had various occupations including school teaching, shipping and publishing. In 1879 he came to Australia and established an extensive general mercantile business. In 1882 he married Julia Anna Tortat and they had one child, a son.Chipman, B.L. 1920 “The Chipman Family: A Genealogy of the Chipmans in America 1631-1920”, p. 182.