By Cathy Jones
Architect George Sydney Jones [1868-1927] was the grandson of retailer David Jones and the son of Sir Phillip Sydney Jones [1836-1918], a prominent physician.
George Sydney Jones spent his childhood and youth in the family home at ‘Llandilo’ on The Boulevarde Strathfield [now Trinity Grammar Preparatory School] from c.1868. Many of his early designs are located in Strathfield.
George Sydney Jones was educated in architecture in London, qualifying for the diploma of Associate in the Royal Institute of British Architects [ARIBA] in 1890. He returned to Australia in 1891 and started his own architectural practice. He was elected a Fellow of the NSW Institute 1896-1901, Editor of Art & Architecture 1909-1912 and President of the NSW Institute of Architects [1912-1914 & 1920-21] .
George Sydney Jones designed six properties in Strathfield ‘Trinity Congregational Church’ [1889], ‘Springfort’ [1894], ‘Darenth’[1895], ’Bickley’ [1894], ‘Treghre’ [1899], and ‘Luleo’ [1912]. With the exception of ‘Springfort’ and ‘Luleo’, all properties were built for or financed by the Jones family, though ‘Luleo’ was a private commission, it was built on land jointly owned by Sir Phillip Sydney Jones and his uncle, stockbroker Thomas James (TJ) Thompson.
Three survive reasonably in-tact, ‘Springfort’, ‘Darenth’ & ‘Trinity Congregational Church’. ‘Luleo’ [1912], 105 The Boulevarde (corner Albyn Rd) Strathfield, was one of Strathfield’s only flat-roof houses and though altered, is currently the residence of the Maronite Bishop of Sydney. Another house ‘Weemabah’ 74-76 Homebush Road Strathfield is listed on the Australian Institute of Architects Register of Significant Architecture with the design attributed to George Sydney Jones.
‘Bickley’ and ‘Treaghre’ have been demolished. Bickley was built in 1896 for Mrs Helen Jones, the widow of David Jones Chairman Edward Lloyd Jones and the aunt of George Sydney Jones.
The Trinity Congregational Church [1889] was designed by George Sydney Jones and his cousin architect Harry Thompson on corner of Morwick St and The Boulevarde Strathfield . The architects worked in an honorary capacity and the Jones and Thompson families, who were devout Congregationalists, financed the building of the Church. The Church was included on the State Heritage Register in 2003.
‘Springfort’ was built in 1894 to a design by architect George Sydney Jones for Alexander Troup.
The house was illustrated as ‘A Cottage in Strathfield’ in the Australasian Builder’s and Contractor’s News in its issue of November 10 1894, which stated:
‘The cottage an illustration of which we publish in the current issue was erected at Strathfield some months ago, and is situated on the heights of the Sydney suburb. The walls are brick, with white dressings, mouldings etc of the same material, and the roofs are covered with American redwood shingles, with tiled ridging. The architect was Mr. G Sydney-Jones, ARIBA, of Hunter-Street, Sydney, and the work was carried out by Mr J C Horne of Alexandria, the contract amounting to 1414 pounds’.
| Date | Details |
| 1889 | Trinity Congregational Church, corner Morwick Street and The Boulevarde Strathfield. Designed by George Sydney Jones and Harry Thompson. |
| 1894 | ‘Springfort’ 108 Redmyre Road Strathfield. |
| 1895 | ‘Darenth’ Albyn Road Strathfield. Home of Rev. Littlemore. House owned by Jones’ father, Sir Phillip Sydney Jones. |
| 1896 | ‘Bickley’ Albyn Road Strathfield (demolished). |
| 1899 | ‘Treaghre’ Albyn Road Strathfield. (demolished) |
| 1911 | ‘Luleo’ 105 The Boulevarde (cnr Albyn Road) Strathfield |
| 1913 | ‘Weemabah’ 74-76 Homebush Road Strathfield (attributed) |
References
Building Magazine, 1917 September 12, ‘A Home in a Garden’, vol.21
Hamann, C., 1979, ‘Forgotten Reformer: the architecture of George Sydney Jones 1865-1927’, Architecture Australia
Strathfield Heritage 