Moorefield / Moorsfield — 6 Charles Street. Photograph: c. 1968. R. Irving, Leichhardt Historical Journal No. 15, printed p. 63 (PDF p. 63).Print options & photo selection
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Moorefield / Moorsfield — 6 Charles Street. Photograph: c. 1968. R. Irving, Leichhardt Historical Journal No. 15, printed p. 63 (PDF p. 63).
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6 Charles Street, Balmain NSW 2041
6 Charles St, Balmain NSW 2041, Australia
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Cover photo: Moorefield / Moorsfield — 6 Charles Street. Photograph: c. 1968. R. Irving, Leichhardt Historical Journal No. 15, printed p. 63 (PDF p. 63). — c. 1968
Year built1839
Timeline entries5
Memories0
Photos1
At a glance
- House typeCottage
- StyleChoose Option
- Current statusUnknown
The story of this house
Moorefield / MoorsfieldMoorefield, also recorded as Moorsfield, stands at 6 Charles Street.
Robert Blake commissioned architect John Bibb to design it in 1839.
Built in brick, coated with stucco imitating dressed stone, it cost £1,200 and had verandahs on three sides.
The house faced Darling Street and looked across Waterview Bay, now Mort Bay.
A carriage loop passed through gardens on land later occupied by Balmain Bowling Club.
Blake’s first wife Ann died at Moorefield in 1840.
Among its later occupants were Joshua R.
Young in 1844, Augustus Hayward in 1850 and barrister C.
K.
Murray in 1853.
Dr Gunst operated a hydropathic establishment there in 1854.
The journal records later tenants including Balmain Ferry Company manager James Peters in 1887, Mrs Robins’s boarding house in 1891–1893, and musical-instrument importer Johannes Hess in 1894–1896.
Ephraim Ward moved in and renamed the house Segenhoe in 1906, remaining until 1910.
Charles Goodwill, a Balmain poulterer, bought Moorefield at the end of 1927 and his family lived there for many years.
R.
Irving’s photograph is captioned as about 1968.
The journal describes a brick addition made toward the end of the 1960s that damaged the verandah and concealed the entrance.
Conservation work in the 1970s removed that addition.
These approximate periods have been retained rather than converted into exact dates.
Peter Reynolds, Leichhardt Historical Journal No.
15, From Cameron’s Cove to Adolphus Street, printed pp.
46, 63.
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Timeline highlights
A compact summary of key moments. Scan the QR code to read the full timeline online.
- 1839 — John Bibb designs Moorefield for Robert Blake
Robert Blake commissioned John Bibb to design the brick and stucco house, built at a cost of £1,200.
- 1854 — Dr Gunst operates a hydropathic establishment
Dr Gunst offered hydropathic treatments at Moorefield. This records a historical business, not endorsement of its medical claims.
- 1906 — Ephraim Ward renames the house Segenhoe
Ephraim Ward moved into Moorefield and called it Segenhoe. He remained until 1910.
- Late 1927 — Charles Goodwill purchases Moorefield
Balmain poulterer Charles Goodwill bought the house at the end of 1927.
- 1970s — Later front addition removed
The journal reports that conservation work in the 1970s removed a brick addition that had concealed the entrance and damaged the…
- 1839 — John Bibb designs Moorefield for Robert Blake
Robert Blake commissioned John Bibb to design the brick and stucco house, built at a cost of £1,200.
- 1854 — Dr Gunst operates a hydropathic establishment
Dr Gunst offered hydropathic treatments at Moorefield. This records a historical business, not endorsement of its medical claims.
- 1906 — Ephraim Ward renames the house Segenhoe
Ephraim Ward moved into Moorefield and called it Segenhoe. He remained until 1910.
- Late 1927 — Charles Goodwill purchases Moorefield
Balmain poulterer Charles Goodwill bought the house at the end of 1927.
- 1970s — Later front addition removed
The journal reports that conservation work in the 1970s removed a brick addition that had concealed the entrance and damaged the…
Memories, sources & further reading
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Selected photos
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