John Oxley's Sydney town house

MARGIN: Life & Letters in Early Australia, April, 2004 by Richard Johnson

John Oxley, third Surveyor General of New South Wales, occupied the house at the corner of King and Macquarie Streets Sydney from about 1820 till his death in 1828.

It was on the 12 June 1811 that Thomas Clarkson, a ticket of leave man, having arrived in the Alexander during August 1806, purchased two blocks of land in Macquarie Street near Hyde Park from John Jones. He paid 15 [pounds sterling] each for the blocks which included as part of the purchase, the frame of a house that Clarkson planned to complete. (1)

Later on 24 September 1811 he acquired another allotment in Macquarie Street for 5 [pounds sterling], giving him three adjoining blocks. Today this land lies at the corner of King and Macquarie Streets, Sydney. St. James's Church lies on the other side of King Street to the south while the Mint and Hyde Park Barracks are situated to the east on the other side of Macquarie Street. (2)

We cannot be certain of the exact date Thomas Clarkson completed the house. However it was still under construction when he mortgaged the property in 1817, to Thomas Hall. At the time it was planned to be ready for occupation in January 1818 and on this basis Clarkson leased the property in late 1817, although soon after the date of occupation was moved to June 1818. Clarkson however mortgaged the property again including the 'newly erected stone and brick menage or dwelling house' together with stables and other outhouses to D'Arcy Wentworth in March 1818 for 350 [pounds sterling]. Soon after, conflict arose over whom it was who had the right of occupation, and Clarkson's unhappy tenant was prevented from entering the premises. (3)

After repaying the mortgage, Clarkson advertised the house for sale in the Sydney Gazette of 14 August 1819. During the same year Governor Macquarie asked Francis Greenway to value Mr. Clarkson's house, to which he assigned a value of 2000 [pounds sterling]. (4)

The town of Sydney was slowly beginning to expand around Clarkson's small allotment. On 7 October 1819, on the other side of King Street, Governor Macquarie laid the foundation stone for a new Supreme Court, only to be frustrated later by Commissioner Bigge, who against all protests, insisted a new church must be built on the site. On the other side of Macquarie Street the new prison barracks were nearing completion. Sydney's population had swollen to well over 11,000 souls and the town was beginning to take on the order of formed streets and substantial buildings. (5)

Clarkson's property would probably have been a wise investment, although whether D'Arcy Wentworth acquired it at the sale is unknown. Whatever the outcome of the sale of the property of 1 rood 24 3/4 perches it was granted to D'Arcy Wentworth on the 31 December 1819 by Governor Macquarie. The grant set out a description of the land. While the size of the house set out is presumed to be a minimum requirement, the type of residence is remarkably similar to the house already existing on the site. (6)

   Unto D'Arcy Wentworth, His Heirs and Assigns to have and to hold
   forever. Sixty four and three quarters rods of ground lying and
   situate in the town of Sydney. Bounded on the north side by a line
   bearing east two and one quarter degrees north one hundred and
   fourteen and one half feet. On the east side by Macquarie Street
   bearing three degrees east one hundred and fifty feet. On the south
   side by King Street bearing west three degrees south one hundred
   and nineteen feet and on the west side by a line bearing north two
   thirds of a degree west one hundred and fifty one feet. Conditioned
   not to sell, or alienate the same for a space of three years from
   the date hereof and to build a good and sufficient dwelling house
   there of brick and stone within the said period, fifty feet in
   length, sixteen feet in width and two stories high, reserving at all
   times the right to the Governor (for the time being) of appropriate
   such part thereof as may be deem necessary for the making and
   improving the streets. Quit rent of one pound fourteen shillings and
   eleven pence.
         In Testimony &c the 31st day of December, 1819
         (signed) L. Macquarie
   witnessed by H.C. Antill
      John Riley

   Registered in the Secretary's office Sydney, 28 April 1820. J.T.
   Campbell, Sec.

During the winter of 1816, John Oxley, Surveyor-General of the Colony had moved from a house he had occupied at 72 George Street, Sydney. It was thought that John Oxley moved directly from that address to this Macquarie Street house, though no evidence seems to have been produced to support this, and nor have I found any to support his claim (7). Research on the life of Thomas Clarkson has clearly shown the house was uninhabitable in 1816, and it must therefor be concluded that Oxley occupied a house elsewhere in Sydney prior to moving to the corner of King and Macquarie Streets. (8)

The location of any other house he may have occupied is unknown; however the Sydney Gazette of Saturday, January 8, 1820 indicates that the Government paid rent for Oxley from the Police Fund to James Whitehouse. Rent for this property at this time was the same as it had been at George Street, one guinea per week. On 11 November 1820 payments were made for Oxley's rent up to July 1820 from the Police Fund to Jones & Riley.