'Agincourt' (now Jesmond Nursing Home) Albert Road Strathfield
‘Agincourt’
was built c.1891 for John Paul, ships chandler, who lived there until 1903 and
called the house ‘Agincourt’. This house is most famous as the residence of
pharmacist Washington H Soul from 1903 to 1927.
‘Agincourt’ is built on land previously owned by the Camden Congregational
College. The College had intended to build a theological college in Strathfield.
Due to onset of the 1890’s Depression the plans were withdrawn and the College
proceeded with subdivision of the land, which was then offered for private sale.
This subdivision includes properties on Albert Road (north-side), Homebush Rd
and Beresford Road (south side).
The house is notable as the home of Washington Handley Soul (1845-1927), who
moved to ‘Agincourt’ upon retirement in 1903 and lived there until his death in
1927. Soul and his father Caleb established their first drug store and
dispensary in Pitt St Sydney in 1872 called Washington H Soul & Co. Soul merged
with Pattinson & Co in 1903 and became a public company known as Washington H
Soul, Pattinson & Co. Soul was a prominent Freemason who sub-divided ‘Agincourt’
at the rear and built Lodge Washington H. Soul in 1922 (44 Beresford Rd).
In 1903, Soul’s land holdings measured 3 acres, which has been decreased with
various subdivisions at the rear and eastern boundaries.
In 1929, ‘Agincourt’ was converted into the ‘Deaconess Children’s Home’, a
Church of England Orphanage. This was also recorded in some records as the
Pallister Girl’s Home. A detailed account of the orphanage and physical
descriptions of the property is contained in Win Evan’s ‘A Rejected Childhood’,
2001. In more recent years, it has accommodated the Jesmond Nursing Home.
This building has had numerous additions and alterations and its appearance is
greatly altered. Many photographs of ‘Agincourt’s’ interior and exterior were
published during the occupancy of Washington H. Soul.
References
Evans, Win ‘A Rejected Childhood’, 2001
Green, Annette, The Village of Homebush Walking Map, 1987.
Strathfield Council Valuations Lists
Sands Sydney Directory published by John Sands until 1932
Wise’s Post Office Directory
Author and Copyright information
This article was written by Cathy Jones, 2005
© Cathy Jones 2005. This article is subject to copyright and may not be
reproduced without permission of the author.
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