Marion Street Strathfield is built on part of the original 1841 land grant to Joseph Hyde Potts, Secretary of Bank of NSW.  By 1918, the land was owned by Francis Howard Potts and Arthur Campbell Fraser of Homebush, descendents of Joseph Hyde Potts. 

The land was subdivided in 1923 as deposited plan 12405 by surveyor L A Curtis of Castlereagh St Sydney and offered for sale as the ‘Crown of Strathfield’ Estate by auctioneer H W Horning & Co Ltd.  Despite this estate being offered for sale in 1923, building on the Estate was slow due to the economic depression of the early to mid 1930s.  Most houses were built in the late 1930s.

The ‘Crown of Strathfield’ subdivision includes a public recreation area, which was later dedicated asKessell Square, named for Arthur Kessell, Mayor of Strathfield 1919-20.  The late 1910s and 1920s were a period of rapid subdivision in Strathfield and Council’s planning policies required allocation of open space for purpose of public recreation, particularly in large subdivisions such as the ‘Crown of Strathfield’. Kessell Square is one of Strathfield Council’s neighbourhood parks, most of which were established during Strathfield’s subdivisions of the 1920s.

Ownership of Joseph Hyde Potts land was kept in the Potts family until the 1920’s, when the ‘Crown of Strathfield’ was subdivided and sold.  Many of the streets are named for members of the Potts/Fraser family such as Edgar St, Fraser Street and Howard Street.

Marion Street Heritage Conservation Area

The Marion Street Heritage Conservation Area features interwar style bungalows.  This area is listed on Strathfield Council’s local environmental plan.  The statement of significance states:

“The houses are predominantly single storey with tiled hip roofs, dark coloured brick, small front bays and verandahs, timber windows and low brick fences. Marion Streethas brush box street planting and well kept gardens that add to the overall streetscape value. Marion Streetis of local significance as representing a cohesive group of housing from the 1930’s and 1940’s that retains, form and detail’.

The conservation area includes 1-45 and 2-26 Marion Street and 46-50 Shortland Avenue.  The listing also includes properties located at 45-55 Barker Road. 

The Marion Street Heritage Conservation Area is part of the larger National Trust Urban Conservation Precinct 2.

(c) Cathy Jones 2011.