First Mayor of Homebush Council, Harry Neville Kite, c.1908. Courtesy Strathfield Local Studies
Timber merchant, Harry Neville Kite became Homebush Council’s first mayor in 1906 after agitation from locals saw the inauguration of a new council.[1] He served four terms as mayor and remained an alderman until 1917.
Kite had arrived in Australia in 1853, aged four. He married Annie Cutler in Sydney in 1874 and the couple had six children during the next 20 years, although several died in childhood. By 1888 he was living at Ethelville, Parramatta Road Homebush – named after his young daughter who had died in 1878. The family was living in Redfern before their move to Homebush. Ethelville stood on five acres of land on the north side of Parramatta Road, bordering Powell’s Creek. It had been renamed Knowles Villa by 1910. As Knowles was also a middle name of their youngest daughter, Eaitha, it is likely that it was a family name.
Milton Kent aerial photos of Homebush taken between 1935 and 1942. Knowles Villa can be seen in the top photo but not the bottom photo.
Courtesy State Library of NSW
Harry Neville Kite was in business as a timber merchant with John Price, who also happened to be mayor of Strathfield in 1906. The premises of Kite and Price were located on the south side of Parramatta Road – on the corner of present day Knight Street, and opposite the Horse & Jockey Hotel. The business also expanded into nail making, advertising for staff in 1903.[2] By 1904 Kite and Price had acquired a patent for a special Australian-made nail with much smaller heads than normal.[3] Later that year the letters patent were transferred from Harry Neville Kite and John Price to Robert Hardie.[4]
Kite was active in his role as alderman and mayor and was appointed a JP in December 1905.[5] In January 1907 he brought to the attention of Homebush Council that soil and gravel were being removed from the district in vast quantities, insisting that Council put a stop to it.[6]
In March 1908 he presided over a meeting of Homebush Council whereby the erection of 12 lamps in the municipality was proposed and adopted. The valuer’s report was also received. The unimproved value of property in the municipality was £68,585, the improved value was £155,584 and the rental value was £12,720.[7]
In May 1908 he proceeded against the ex-Council Clerk, Arthur Joseph Chapman for embezzlement at Burwood Court.[8] That same month he became President of the Homebush Tramway League, agitating for an extension of the tramway along Parramatta Road from Leichhardt to the new abattoirs to be built at Homebush Bay.[9]
In April 1909, with war already looming, he supported Homebush Council’s plan to fundraise for the purchase of a dreadnought battleship for Britain in response to Germany’s increasing naval power.[10]
In 1910 Kite & Price timber merchants sold out to Ellis & Co.[11] with Edward Ellis and Harry Neville Kite continuing the timber merchants’ business on Parramatta Road, Homebush.[12]
In July 1911 he addressed the Parliamentary Public Works Committee, recommending the removal of the Homebush saleyards which were an ‘eyesore’. This would allow for more residential building sites in Homebush.[13] In 1912 the premises of Ellis & Co. timber merchants were broken into during the night.[14]
Kurraba, 14 Abbotsford Road, Homebush, August 2024. Courtesy Strathfield Local Studies
By 1913 Harry and Anne Kite had moved to Abbotsford Road, Homebush [15] where they resided at Kurraba[h], which still stands at number 14. Kurraba was built in 1912 for Edwin Robert Matthews.[16] However, by 1920 the Kite family had left the district entirely, settling in Chatswood.[17]
Ellis & Co. appears to have ceased business in 1925 when ‘all the materials contained in large timber sheds and racks, offices and outbuildings recently occupied by Ellis & Co. timber merchants …’ were offered at auction.[18]
By 1926 Knowles Villa was owned by the estate of Ernest Alfred Martineer and was offered for sale the following year along with six acres of land. Knowles Villa was described as ‘built of brick with iron roof, having verandah in front, hall, 6 rooms, laundry, verandah at rear, and bathroom of weatherboard.’[19]
The property was purchased by William Arnott Ltd who used it as a recreation area for staff working in its factory nearby. Today this land forms part of Ismay Reserve.
According to valuation records of the former Homebush Council, the cottage Knowles Villa survived until c.1939-40. This is verified by aerial photos in the collection of the State Library of NSW. Taken by Milton Kent between 1935 and 1942, Knowles Villa can be seen in some photos but had been demolished by the time the later photos were taken.
Anne Kite died 17 October 1923.[20] Harry Neville Kite died 3 September 1934, aged 85, outliving just two of his six children.[21] He had been living in Bondi with his son, Frederick Neville Kite.
Homebush Council ceased to exist in 1947 when it was amalgamated with Strathfield Council.
August is Family History Month.
Start researching your own family’s story using Ancestry.com at Strathfield Library.
By J.J. MacRitchie
Local Studies Advisor
References
[1] Jones, Cathy ‘Former Homebush Council’
https://strathfieldheritage.com/local-government/former-homebush-council/
[2]
Argus (Melbourne) 10 November 1903 p.10
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10581575
[3]
Daily Telegraph 7 April 1904 p.7
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/237823294
[4]
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 24 September 1904 p.1048
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/232524996/24974770
[5]
Sydney Morning Herald 20 December 1905 p.6
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/14735239
[6]
The Daily Telegraph 25 January 1907 p.5
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/238020701
[7]
The Australian Star 17 March 1908 p.2
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/229905748
[8]
The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express 22 May 1908 p.41
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/100772178
[9]
Sydney Morning Herald 30 May 1908 p.6
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/14926165
[10]
Sydney Morning Herald 7 April 1909 p.14
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/15048992
[11]
Dun’s Gazette for New South Wales Vol.3 No.18 2 May 1910 p.230
https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-776163415/view?sectionId=nla.obj-784771820&partId=nla.obj-776187958
[12]
The Sun 9 January 1911 p.4
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/221588957
[13]
The Sun 6 July 1911 p.7
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/221543077
[14] The Daily Telegraph 30 November 1912 p.15
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/238733771
[15] 1913 electoral rolls
[16] Jones, Cathy ‘Kurraba’ 14 Abbotsford Rd Homebush
https://strathfieldheritage.com/streetnames/abbotsford-road-homebush/kurraba-14-abbotsford-rd-homebush/
[17] Sands’ Street Index
[18]
Sydney Morning Herald 7 November 1925 p.20
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/16253399
[19]
Sydney Morning Herald 5 March 1927 p.21
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/16359332
[20]
Sydney Morning Herald 18 October 1923 p.8
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/16100399
[21]
Daily Telegraph 4 September 1934 p.6
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/246681329