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Cleveland House, New South Wales
Cleveland House (also known as Cleaveland House) is a former "gentleman's house" and historic estate in Surry Hills, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is thought to be designed by Francis Greenway and built in 1823-1824. It is the oldest remaining residential home in the Sydney area, and a rare surviving example of Georgian Sydney architecture. It demonstrates the early development of Surry Hills.

Cleveland House is a rare and exceptional example of a Victorian Regency style mansion, its architectural design has been attributed to Francis Greenway. Erected by 1824, the dwelling’s internal and external fabric remains relatively intact.

Cleveland house is of exceptional historical significance as it is a rare and surviving example of an Old Colonial Georgian style dwelling. The building was also the first substantial residential dwelling to be constructed in the Cleveland Gardens estate and one of the earliest remaining to be constructed in Surry Hills. The building has high historical association significance as its architectural design has been attributed to Francis Greenway, Australia’s most influential colonial architect. ]	The building holds high aesthetic significance as a good example of old Colonial Georgian domestic architecture. The ‘L’ shaped floor plan is unusual, with a single storey wing attached to the eastern side of the two storey villa with ground floor verandahs. The building is held in high esteem by local community groups including the National Trust and South Sydney Heritage Society. Cleveland House represents a major link to the areas past, including the establishment of Cleveland Street. Cleveland House is a rare example of the Old Colonial Georgian domestic mansion, its architectural design is attributed to Francis Greenway. The building posses high representativeness in terms of the settlers and major landholders in Sydney during the early 1800’s, particularly for the purposes of supplying produce to the rest of the colony.

It is privately owned by LGC Enterprises and listed on the NSW State Heritage Register.

History
Before European settlement in 1788, the area that Cleveland House is situated on was originally occupied by the Cadigal clan, a group of Aboriginal Australians. Geographically, this region was originally marked out by early Sydney settlers as Strawberry Hills. It was an enormous sandhill that was populated by large blackbutt, bloodwood, angopphora and banksia trees, which were soon cleared.

In the early 19th century, this area remained undeveloped, gazetted as "Government Paddocks" but soon became known as the Cleveland Paddocks, or Cleveland Gardens, after Macquarie's friend, Major Thomas Cleveland. This allotment was granted to Charles Smith. In the early 1820s he sold 19 acres (7.6 hectares) of this land to the wealthy ex-convict and merchant, Daniel Cooper. Cooper then built Cleveland House on this site during 1823-1824.

The name ‘Cleveland House’ was derived from the close personal relationship between Gov. Macquarie and Major Thomas Sadlier Cleaveland. When issuing the first land grants Gov. Macquarie directed that one of the properties be called ‘Cleaveland Gardens’.

Cleveland House stands on the land originally part of the 10 acre grant named Cleaveland Gardens, issued to Charles Smith on 28th December 1809. The land was to be used for cultivating a kitchen garden to supply, in part, the Sydney Market.

Charles Smith mortgaged Cleveland Gardens to Thomas Clarkson in January 1817 until a Decree of Foreclosure made in the Supreme Court on 24th March 1818 vested the land to Clarkson. Clarkson sold the land to Robert Lathrop Murray in April 1819 who later sold it to Daniel Cooper on 9th September 1819.

Daniel Cooper, a former convict, became a prominent businessman and property owner by the early 1820’s. In c.1824 Cleveland House was constructed for Daniel Cooper in the Old Colonial Georgian architectural style with some Old Colonial Regency features (doric verandah columns, timber verandah balustrading), and the design is attributed Francis Greenway, architect.

ALTERNATIVE STORY:

First owner: Major Thomas Sadlier Cleveland. In 1819 it was sold by auction. It was not occupied 1814-25 when acquired by Daniel Cooper.

It was also used as a laundry, boarding house and government offices.

In March, 1978 it was added to the NSW State Heritage Register.

Occupation
In 1826, it was established as a private boys college "for the education of young gentlemen" by James and Fanny Kean (SMH, Wed 2 Dec 1936). Notable alumni include Samuel Horden, Archdeacon Boyce.

In the 1830's it was occupied by a G.Waller.

From at least early 1845 - mid 1847, Mr John Tooth Esq and his family occupied the house. Two of his daughters died there (SMH, 18 March 1847, SMH 8 February 1845) until he became insolvent and his estate was placed under sequestration on March 1848 (SMH 09 March 1848).

In 1848, an S.Maisey was reported to work or live there (30 June 1848, Government Gazette)

From 1850-1855 it was also occupied by Canon William Walsh from Christ Church St Laurence. During this time a Thomas Beagly Naylor may have also lived on the estate - potential church (SMH Mon 5 Dec 1853)

In 1859 it was reported to again be a school (SMH 1 Oct 1859), when an Alderman Northwood's son James passed away at the school.

In 1864, It seems that Mrs Kean was living in Cleveland House, in 1864.

1868 - Mr William Merrett (SMH Wednesday 20 May 1868, p8)

On the 19th July, 1903 it was bless by Cardinal Moran as the Saint Magdalen's Good Samaritan Refuge, also known as Mount Magdala (Sydney Morning Herald, Sat Jul 19, 1903). This woman's convalescent home was in use til at least 1945 (SMH Oct 1945)

In September, 1958 til 1988, it was the Australian Council for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled Headquarters for the NSW Society for Crippled Children (now known as Northcott disability services) included:the 25 bed Cleaveland Hospital, an outpatient service, orthopaedic appliances service, administration and appeal office, Orana Club premises and sheltered workshop.

Architecture
The two-storey brick "gentleman's residence" is an excellent example of Colonial Georgian domestic architecture. It is one of two examples of Sydney domestic mansions of this period still extistant. It is assumed to have been built by Francis Greenway, or in the Classic Greenway style. The exteriors feature Greenway's earlier, and more rough-hewn stucco style, low, three sided verandah and timber columns in the Greek revival style. The interior features a staircase, fanlighted doors, and cedar joinery. The two main entrance doors suggest a discontinuity in construction.

It retains its original Colonial Georgian 2-storey form and planning, and contributes to what remains of the historic streetscape of Chalmers Street. It belongs to an import and rare group of surviving Colonial Georgian style, substantial, 2- storey, middle class houses of symmetrical layout in Surry Hills and other parts of inner Sydney.

The building is a well proportioned and detailed two storey stuccoed brick villa in the Old Colonial Georgian style with some Old Colonial Regency features. The house has high sandstone foundations encompassing a basement, level, raised encircling verandahs supported by Doric columns and steeply pitched hipped roofs, and features timber verandah balustrading. The ground floor features timber panelled entry doors and pairs of glazed timber french doors. Windows to the 1st floor are vertically proportioned timber -framed and double-hung. The ‘L’ shaped plan of the main house is unusual for the era, with a single storey wing to the east. The building has retained much of its original internal and external detailing, form and character. Although the original surrounding lands have been subdivided, gardens to the west remain and give the building a good outlook from Chalmers Street. The internal and external fabrics remain intact with only minor additions and alterations being undertaken. The building is beginning to show signs of reduced maintenance. 1992: Alterations for purposes of conserving and restoring the heritage building.