Summer Hill
Henson Street
Main Period: Victorian - Federation - Interwar
Leadlight apparent at No’s 1, 3, 3A, 4, 6, 13, 18, 20, 31,
36, 37, 40, 43, 45, 47, 52A, 52B, 54, 55, 56, 57, 57A, 58, 59, 61 & 63.
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Henson Street appears on some of the earliest subdivision plans of Summer Hill but it was first shown as Hill Street in 1876. Subdivision and development really took off in the 1880's, particularly after the opening of Summer Hill railway station. Henson Street has a wide variety of housing from the Victorian villas of the 1880's, one and two storey terraces, Federation era mansions and small weatherboard cottages, Interwar bungalows and flats together with units from the 1960's and later and the wonderful church that dominates the northern end; St Andrew's.
The southern end of Henson street is part of the 'Prospect Hall Summer Hill Heritage Conservation Area'. The street 'has aesthetic significance deriving from the 1908 subdivision pattern with little re-subdivision since, and the original building covenants applying to the subdivision, resulting in an aesthetically consistent subdivision of wide streets with grass verges' Draft Comprehensive Inner West DCP 2016, P.337.
In Henson Street Summer Hill it is possible to observe some excellent examples of leadlight from Victorian times through to years before the outbreak of World War 2. There are also a few examples of recently added leadlight, some of which has been very sensitively done.
Henson Street (Then Hill Street) in 1876, Summer Hill Estate.
Some time after 1876 Hill Street became Henson Street in 1884.
In 1886 Three lots were auctioned in Henson Street as part of the Kelvin Grove.
12 lots auctioned in Henson Street in 1886, as part of the Centennial Estate .
Three lots auctioned in 1905 at the southern end of Henson Street.
10 lots were sold in 1908 as part of the Prospect Hall Estate.
Henson Street
No 1 is a Californian bungalow (C.1926) on the corner of Short street that has leadlight in a wonderful five panel casement square bay window on the left, the side lights next to the door to the verandah. In two small windows facing north and also in a large four panel casement window also facing north. There appears to be leadlight in two other smaller windows (difficult to photograph). The design in the two casement windows is very different and this is unusual but not uncommon. The design in the sidelights and small windows has a large piece of bevelled glass as the focus.
