Leadlight of Inner Western Sydney

No 120 is a late Victorian two storey house that, given the nature of the leadlight, must have been occupied by a religious order at some stage. There is a large imposing angled bay window on the right with leadlight. The front panel has a geometric design at the centre of which there is a chalice in an opaque white glass. The letters J H S with a cross slightly above and passing through the H. The front door fanlight has some letters in it that are difficult to discern from the street. The double hung window on the west side has a radiant cross in cross upper panel. The leadlight is all very Victorian. Would love to know the history of this place.

The following information was provided by Neil Palmer.

‘Ottoline’ on Parramatta Rd, Ashfield was built in 1881 by Ashfield builder Robert Henry Conner for Thomas Boyalson, a miller, baker and publican and was part of the Summer Hill Ottoline Estate. In 1883 Ottoline was purchased by James Montague Sandy (JP), a plate glass, oil and colour merchant. The company became James Sandy & Co and later Sandy’s Glass. Ottoline was sold in 1913 and again in 1939 when it became known as ‘Morven’. Passing through the hands of several other owners, the house was converted into three flats with the owner adding bathrooms, verandah enclosures, laundry and storerooms between 1959 and 1967. In 1977 it was bought by the Hungarian Catholic Community of NSW. According to the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney website, it is known as Mindszenty Home’s Chapel (where Masses are held in Hungarian). A religious motif depicted in a front leadlight window provides a clue to the building’s current use. My photo 1/8/2021. References: Along Parramatta Road (Ashfield & District Historical Society), Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney website.