Darling House is a restored heritage manor located at 8–12 Trinity Avenue, in the inner city Sydney suburb of Millers Point in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. Originally constructed as a private residence, this grand Georgian building now has been adapted for use as short stay accommodation. Darling House was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999, in recognition of its historical and architectural significance to Sydney.
The Georgian-style Old Colonial sandstone building incorporates parts of an original to dwelling house, the existing sandstone house was constructed in 1842 under the ownership of Joseph Farris. The name of the house, which originated from the local community in the 1800s, is derived from the original land grant by Governor Darling. Darling House holds particular historical, social and architectural significance due to its influence on the history and early social development of Dawes Point and early colonial Australia and as a representative example of Georgian style architecture in neo-colonial Australia. Darling House is distinctive as one of only a few remaining free standing dwellings in the area and rarer still for its generous curtilage in the form of landscaped gardens.
History Dawes Point is one of the earliest areas of European settlement in Australia, and a focus for maritime activities. This building has been newly renovated and, with new addition, has become a nursing home.
Pre-European and early history Originally known by the Aboriginal names of Tar-ra and Tullagalla, Dawes Point was later renamed after Lieutenant William Dawes (1762–1836), astronomer with the First Fleet. Before white settlement the area was home to the Cadigal (also spelled Gadigal) aboriginal tribe. holds historical significance as it was the site of the first guns mounted in Sydney in 1788, as well as the Dawes Point Battery, Sydney's first cemetery and the site of Sydney's first port facilities. The area is also commonly referred to as Dawes Point or The Rocks.
European activity around Millers Point and Dawes Point commenced with the beginning of Sydney's history, in 1788. There appear to be no actual structures on Dawes Point until slightly later - as can be seen from plans dated to 1788, 1792, 1802 and 1807. Though Dawes Point boasted an observatory built by Lieutenant William Dawes as early as 1788 and "Dawes Battery" was established next to it. By 1812 there was a wind-powered post mill behind the battery, owned by Nathaniel Lucas, which was then sold, with the surrounding land, to John Leighton (also known as Jack the Miller) in 1814. Between this time and 1822, there were three windmills in the area probably both owned and run by Leighton and hence this part of Sydney Harbour came to be known as Dawes Point. Apart from the windmills, it seems that there was also a slaughterhouse run in Dawes Point, probably by Tom Cribb. The rocky terrain of the peninsula made the area unappealing for residential structures as only Lower Fort Street, at this point unnamed, could allow vehicular access to the area.
The area was quarried in 1823 and by 1830 there were six quarrying parties whose work contributed to the cut for the future Argyle and Kent Streets which in turn made the whole area more accessible and allowed for residential development. With the development of steam milling and the abandonment of the old windmills, the area turned to maritime trades and many wharves and warehouses were established. With the increasing number of wealthy merchants and wharf owners moving into Millers Point and Dawes Point, Lower Fort Street began to develop as an area with "respectable dwelling houses" as commented by Maclehose in 1839.
Original dwelling –1835 The land upon which Darling House now stands was granted to Susanna Ward by Governor Darling in 1823 and in 1831 was transferred to Ms Susanna Elizabeth Douglas. Prior to the construction of any buildings, the site had been used as a sandstone quarry and it is from this quarry that the convict hand carved sandstone blocks from which the house is built are likely to have been quarried. The first building on the site is assumed to have been a stone building constructed during the early to mid-1830s. This can be deduced from the transfer of land in 1837 from Susanna Douglas to Michael Gannon which includes a reference to buildings having already been present (as well as the relatively sharp rise in the cost of the land from £101 in 1837 to £200 in 1839). It also seems that the second house, being the current sandstone building now standing on the site was built over the original building and was constructed during the depression of the early 1840s. Darling House incorporates some of the original foundations, retaining walls, stonework, cobbled paving and part of a brick cavity wall from the original early 1830s building and parts of the building are assumed to date from this earlier c.1833 to c.1835 period.Elements uncovered during restoration works in 2016 to 2018. There are no surviving mapping or historical records to show details of the original house although archaeological records for the adjoining property at 30-42 Lower Fort Street show the existence of a pre-1822 stone building which, as with Darling House itself, was extended, modified and converted into two dwellings during the mid-19th century.
Construction of Darling House, c.1840 The sandstone building now known as "Darling House" was built by Joseph Farris in the early 1840s, a period of great depression in Sydney. It was a large house of eight rooms (at a time when most houses in Dawes Point contained two or four rooms), with its construction clearly being an attempt by the owner to build a fashionable stone dwelling designed to fit in with the other grand Lower Fort Street houses. The success of local mercantilist ventures and associated industries became evident in both commercial and residential architecture, constructed for merchants such as Robert Towns and Robert Campbell. Sections of Dawes Point became regarded as affluent enclaves, with Argyle and Lower Fort Streets known as 'Quality Row.' Darling House was built to provide residential accommodation for the growing number of workers moving into the area that were associated with the expanding wharves along the Dawes Point shoreline (such growth resulting from the exporting of wool to England and from the whaling industry). The site on which the house was built comprised two allotments, the northern allotment was granted to Joseph Farris and the southern allotment to Michael Gannon, a local builder. Soon after the allotments were granted Gannon admitted that, at the time the grant was made, the southern allotment was actually the property of Farris and in 1842 Gannon formally conveyed the allotment to Farris for the nominal sum of five shillings.
Upon construction, the interior of the house was divided by a large corridor. On the ground floor to the left of the corridor there was a dining/living room with two bedrooms on the right. On the upper floor there were four bedrooms on either side of the corridor. A stone kitchen and breakfast room were connected to the rear of the house, a bathroom to the right of the backdoor and timber laundry against the rock face. During the 1860s the ground and first floor Victorian verandas were added to the house, with the first floor windows being converted into French doors. These modifications are classic representative examples of the development of Australian architecture away from the traditional English styles in response to local environmental factors. English bald faced buildings offered little protection against the sun while the French doors and veranda allowed for greater air circulation through the house alleviated the effects of the heat during the summer months. Such architectural features are illustrative of the way in which Australian architectural styles were forced to differ from the traditional English styles to accommodate for the vastly different Australian climate.
Joseph Henry Farris (1807–1859) Joseph Henry Farris was born in England in 1807, to Joseph Farris and Hannah Longhurst. In 1827 Farris’ father died leaving him an inheritance. He used this inheritance to book passage for himself and his wife, Elizabeth to Australia, arriving in Sydney in May 1830.Shipping Intelligence - Arrivals, Sydney Gazette and NSW Advertiser, Sat 15 May 1830 p2.Trove Archives As a free settler, Farris quickly established himself as a prolific local businessman plying his trade as a boat builder, publican and Sergeant in the water police. As a prominent individual in Sydney at the time, Farris’ name was inscribed upon the visiting list at Government House. An avid boat builder and regatta competitor, in 1832 Farris built the first boat ever manufactured in Australia, which he subsequently raffled off for a total of £30.
Farris obtained prominence around Sydney as a publican, holding licences for the Whalers Arms Hotel located on the corner of Windmill Street and Lower Fort Street, the Young Princess Hotel (now the Hero of Waterloo) and the Shakespeare Hotel. It appears that Farris never resided at Darling House. It was built as a commercial venture which Farris owned together with three other commercial residences on Fort Street. The house was leased out to various middle-class, educated residents (including artists, musicians, teachers and police officers) for a period of around 60 years whilst the family owned the property and until it was resumed by the Sydney Harbour Trust in 1901.
Notable residents and occupants of Darling House (1842–1900) The first record for lease of the house is an advertisement dated 12 October 1842, which read:
Early occupants and residents of Darling House have been distilled from public advertisements in Sydney papers and also from Sydney City Council rates assessment records and the Sands Directory. Some notable resident at Darling house included Mr Canham, a musician in the colony. An advertisement in the Sydney Morning Herald of 9 March 1844 advertised music lessons (violin and flute) from the then resident of Darling House, a Mr J. G. Canham. In addition to "giving instructions on the above instruments", Mr Canham advertised that "he will feel pleasure in attending Balls, Parties, &c, having formed a very superior Band, capable of giving every satisfaction in the performance of the most admired and popular airs, waltzes, quadrilles, &c, now played in London. Orders left at the residence of Mr C., Darling House, Lower Fort Street, will be immediately attended to".The Sydney Morning Herald, 9 March 1844