Slaughter, Leslie E. (Leslie Edgar).

University of Queensland eSpace

942 
SIDNEY HOUSE, TOOWONG 
[By L. E. SLAUGHTER] 
(Given at a meeting of The Historical Society of 
Queensland on 28th October 1954) 
Thomas Finney arrived in Fortitude Valley, Bris-
bane, after a long voyage in the "Flying Cloud" in 1862. 
After the death of his first wife he married Sidney 
Ann Jackson, who was born in Dublin, Ireland, on April 
8th, 1844. The ceremony took place in the original 
Wickham Street Presbyterian Church on May 8th, 
1866. 
William Henry Jackson 
William Henry Jackson was bom at Kilmore, Ire-
land, on 19th February 1835. He received an appoint-
ment in the Civil Service, from Viscount Canning in 
June 1854. He was for ten years in the Marine Post 
office service, between Kingston and Holyhead. He re-
signed in January 1870 and arrived in Brisbane on 25th 
April 1870. 
The Jackson family belongs to Irish landed gentry. 
Ancestors were members of a Scottish family which 
settled in Kilmore, County Monagan, Ireland, in the 
mid-seventeenth century, when they became landed 
proprietors. 
William Jackson's father was Henry Jackson of 
Kilmore. Including William, there were eleven sons and 
daughters. One daughter, Sidney Anne married 
Thomas Finney and another, Isabella Jane, who was 
born on 2nd May 1840, married James Isles. They had 
five sons. Mr. C. Isles, of Isles Love and C^. Pty. Ltd., 
is a grandson. 
A brother, James Jackson, was killed in the battle 
of Gettysburg, U.S.A., on 1st July 1863. 
The crest of the family includes an eagle's head. 
There is also an eagle in the family arms. This eagle's 
head with Thomas Finney's signature is incorporated 
in "Finneys" trade mark. 
Sidney House 
When Crown lands were being sold in Brisbane in 
1854, Robert Towns and George Christie on May 11th 
of that year, bought a block of land bounded by the 
river and River Road, near where Toowong railway 
station now is. The area of this land was 2 acres, 3 
roods and 4 perches. 
943 
This land was resold to Sidney Anne Finney (wife 
of Thomas Finney), on May 12th, 1881. On this land 
in 1882, Sidney House was built. 
On Mrs. Finney's death, at the age of 39 years on 
October 13, 1883, according to her will, the property 
came into the possession of Thomas Finney. 
Sidney House To-day 
Mention has already been made of the beginnings 
of Sydney House. This has changed little to-day in its 
appearance. It is two stories with a basement, which 
may be entered from the ground level. In this base-
ment were servants' quarters and the cellar. The base-
ment walls and piers are of bricks with bases of sand-
stone. Expert opinion has stated that these solid foun-
dations even to-day would carry another two stories. 
Opposite the stone entrance stairs to the building 
is another flight of similar stairs leading down to what 
was, in the early days, a sunken rose garden. On each 
side of the lower step and still standing are two pottery 
urns, which used to contain flower plants. Along the 
river bank was the once famous Finney orchard. 
Two stone eagles are still on pedestals on each side 
of the lower step to the entrance of the house. When 
the building was occupied by the American Army, the 
soldiers claimed them as "American Eagles" and would 
have "souveniered" them to send to U.S.A. had not the 
owner foiled that attempt. 
944 
On the left of the stairway is a large circular gar-
den plot, around which is a border of pointed stones. 
This was originally a gold fish pond, which subsequent-
ly was filled in with soil and converted to a garden plot. 
The house does not face the street (Coronation 
Drive, formerly River Road) ; but is sideways on. On 
the road side and also on the river side of the home is 
a weeping fig tree. These trees were planted when the 
house was erected. Dominating the slate roof are tall 
chimneys. 
Inside the main door is an interesting cedar screen 
partition with glass sides. Beyond this, a statue of a 
woman on the lower part of the balustrade of the cedar 
staircase commands attention. This figure is marble, 
although in recent days it has been painted brovm. 
The figure originally held aloft a torch; but in more 
modern times this has been changed to an electric light. 
Flowing garments clothe the figure and a pitcher 
stands alongside. 
Even to-day the figure is referred to as "The Lady 
of The Lamp." It was said to represent Florence 
Nightingale; but Miss Nightingale was an entirely 
different type with a different type of lamp. 
The home has twenty rooms. On the left of the 
ground floor is what is known as the ballroom. This is 
a large room divided by massive folding cedar doors 
and was a lounge in normal use. It is now divided 
into several bedrooms, as the house is now a guest 
house. 
On the right is a large front room, there is a small 
room, behind which is the dining room. This is still 
used as such to-day. 
The kitchen is at the rear of the building. It is 
an extension and is spacious. Here is a large "Crovm" 
wood fuel range, which is at least forty-five years old, 
and a "Garland" gas stove, approximately sixty-five 
years old. 
At the top of the first flight of stairs, there is a 
magnificent stained glass window. This was purchased 
by Thomas Finney in Ireland and the cost was £80 be-
fore shipping it to Australia. There are three main 
panels. The themes are Australian and the style is of 
those years. The top panel is circular and shows a 
kangaroo with stockmen on horses, with rifles and 
kangaroo dogs (to-day known as greyhounds) and a 
945 
large old-man kangaroo. The middle panel is also cir-
cular and illustrates a ploughman, with a plough drawn 
by bullocks. The bottom panel is semi-circular and is a 
duck-shooting scene, showing a beautiful lake and 
mountains with wild ducks and a man with a shot gun. 
This window can be seen to advantage from the top of 
the second flight of stairs. 
The top floor rooms correspond with those of the 
ground floor for size and position. At the front of 
the corridor is a small room, which in the early days, 
was a "dressing room." Access to the balcony is gained 
through this room. From this balcony there is a fine 
view straight along the middle of the river to Grey 
Street Bridge. The river takes a turn to the right near 
the house. All rooms have fire grates with marble man-
tel pieces. Around some of the grates are tiles depict-
ing mediaeval scenes and other pictures. Around the 
grate in the dining room are coloured tiles showing 
Shakespearian scenes. 
Sidney Anne Finney, Thomas Finney's wife, died 
on 13th October 1883, at the age of 39. Her will be-
queathed the property to her husband, Thomas Finney, 
and he came into possession of it on 15th July 1884. 
Ehzabeth Finney, Thomas Finney's mother, lived at 
Sidney House. 
In the year 1901, while he was living at 105 Dur-
ham Street, East Finchley, Middlesex, Thomas Finney 
married in London, Janet Edgar Farrow, the widow of 
Thomas Farrow. Mr. Finney was living at East Finch-
ley as late as 2nd April 1903, because it was at this 
address where his last will was made. However, on 
16th December 1903, at the age of 66 years and 11 
months and six days, he died at Sidney House and was 
buried in Toowong Cemetary. 
According to his will, Thomas Finney left to his 
widow, a life interest in "Sidney House, on trust with 
a right to live there until her re-marriage or death." 
She continued to live there with her son and three 
daughters, by her previous marriage. She left the house 
when she went to England, in mid-1905. She severed 
her connection with Finney Isles & Co. Limited then; 
but acted as buyer for the Company for a short term. 
She was born in Brisbane on the 27th March 1866 
and is now living at Turramurra, a suburb of Sydney, 
New South Wales. 
946 
An auction sale of the furniture and furnishings 
of Sidney House was held on Wednesday 29th March 
1916. On the same day the house was auctioned and 
sold to Anne Valleley, wife of Peter Valleley. The 
auctioneers were Isles, Love & Co. 
Sidney House was purchased by Henry Hatch and 
his wife, Florence Hatch, on 3rd February 1926. They 
first established the home as a guest house. 
The surrounding land has since been subdivided 
and sold to various buyers. The area on which Sidney 
House now stands is 1 rood, 3 8-lOths perches, Resub-
divisions 11 and 12. The present owner is Mrs. Florence 
Verney, who lives in a nearby cottage on part of the 
original ground of the old home. 


Sidney House, Toowong

http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:211532/s18378366_1954_5_2_942.pdf

Sidney House, Toowong

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

University of Queensland eSpace