31 Waterview Street, Balmain NSW 2041
Every home has a story — whether it spans generations or is only just beginning.
About Waterview Street
Historical/alternate name evidence: George Street. The first extracted Sands reference is 1861.
- 1840 — Called George Street in 1840s for George Cooper.
- 49 Waterview Street, c1855, built by Captain William Sawyer, later called Regimbah .
- George Street
Some historical information was obtained using Streets, Lanes, and Places 1836–2017 by Yvonne Davidson and Kathleen Hamey, The Balmain Association Inc. (2017).
The story of this home
Eleanor Cottage
Sculptor Thomas Vallance Wran bought this land in February 1878 and built Eleanor Cottage as the twin of neighbouring Carrington Cottage. Early tenants included engineer John B Davis and shipwright John Davenport.
Bootmaker George Kensey purchased Eleanor in 1890 and continued Davenport’s tenancy. Jonathan Hutchinson bought it in 1924 and lived there until selling in 1940. The journal photograph shows Eleanor on the right; the cottage on the left is Carrington, a separate house later demolished.
Peter Reynolds, “From Cooper Street to Waterview Street: Waterview Estate 1835–1970, Part 3”, Leichhardt Historical Journal 24, pp. 83–84 (PDF pp. 85–86). Read journal
Historic people
People whose lives form part of this house’s story.
Thomas Vallance Wran
Thomas Vallance Wran is recorded in the journal in connection with Eleanor Cottage.
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People associated with this house
Residents, owners, builders and others whose connection forms part of this house’s history.
Thomas Vallance Wran — Builder-owner · From 1878
From 1878
Thomas Vallance Wran is recorded in the journal in connection with Eleanor Cottage.
Sources:
Peter Reynolds, “From Cooper Street to Waterview Street: Waterview Estate 1835–1970, Part 3”, Leichhardt Historical Journal 24, pp. 83–84 (PDF pp. 85–86).
Timeline
1-
Sep 1890
* Historical information for marked Timeline entries sourced from Peter Reynolds, Leichhardt Historical Journal No. 24, “From Cooper Street to Waterview Street: Waterview Estate 1835-1970: Part 3”, p. 83–84.
Memories from people
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