1847 - 1926
CHAPTER ONE
John Brown, 1847
In 1847, Charle Henty sold 5 acres of land to John Brown, and Beulah House was built.
William Johnston, 1851
The Land and House was sold to William Johnston in 1851. William, Matilda and family moved into Beulah, and hosted many family gathering and weddings. It was the most valued house on the street and remained so for many years. The large block 1acre block of land included 1 road and 29 perches of land bounded Clarence St, Lyttleton St and Adelaide St.
The children had a huge area to play and grow up. The gardens contained many fruit trees and lawns spread out from the rear of the large House. The House was well and comfortably furnished with two pianos and a harmonium, and ivory carved chess set for entertaining. Matila Johnston sewed and made clothes for the family and the family unit was a close one.
The house had dining and drawing rooms, a large hall, 6 bedrooms, 2 servants room, pantries, dressing room etc. The current kitchen was the servants quarter, the original kitchen was in the breakfast room and into the North wing. On the lands there were many outhouses: diary, laundry, coach-houses, 3-stall stable, wood and coal sheds, fruit and seed rooms. On each side of the house were erected conservatories, and in the front a spacious verandah. At the time, the house had an extensive view of the Tamar River. William and Matilda died in 1874 and the house was auctioned to Charles and Miriam Smith.
Charles and Miriam Smith, 1874
Charles was a merchant. Charles and Miriam had a large family. This photo was taken in the early 1880s when Jane Florence Smith brought her two eldest children out from England to meet the family. Jane Florence Smith left Beulah to go to England to marry William Sloggat Hawker, she went to Penally House in Cornwall.
Some years after purchasing Beulah, Smith added the South Wing. The original Regency front verandah and end wall conservatories were later removed and the decorative verandah posts recycled on a a cottage at Blackwall. This was replaced with a robust timber two storey verandah that was partly enclosed with glazing on the first floor at both ends.
There was also a family radio station located in the house, known as 7AB (Radio Guide, Amalgamated Wireless Australasia Ltd, 2nd edition, 1926 p.74). We believe the radio station was managed by a cousin of the family.
Charles and Miriam Smith and their large family. Photo taken: early 1880s.
Beulah House. Photo taken: 1890
The family radio station at Beulah House, known as 7AB (Radio Guide, Amalgamated Wireless Australasia Ltd, 2nd edition, 1926 p.74)