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Our History

Pymble House 57 Merrivale Rd

Settling of the Pymble area

The suburb of Pymble is named after Robert Pymble (I) (1776–1861), an influential early settler whose 1823 land grant comprised 600 acres named Stoney Creek. Robert Pymble (I), from Hertfordshire, England, a farmer and silk weaver by trade arrived in Sydney with his wife Mary (nee Jamison) on board the Marquis of Wellington in 1821 as a free immigrant, lured to the colony by the expectation of a substantial land grant which assured him of a prosperous life in New South Wales. Robert and Mary brought with them their 6 children, Ann, Jane, William, James, Eliza and Robert.  Sadly, in 1823 Mary Pymble passed away following years of ill health.

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Robert Pymble (I) cleared the land and built a house, just slightly south of where Pymble Railway Station is now (see inset photo). 

He and his family became successful farmers and orchardists (Halstead), whilst between 1826 and 1833 he was also a policeman and pound-keeper of the 'Hunter’s Hill' District (roughly the North Shore). They commenced cultivating oats, barley, wheat, maize and raised sheep, cattle and pigs. They cultivated an orchard of nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, apricots, apples, vineyards of grapes and a large orange grove. Credited with bringing the first orange seeds to the area in about 1828, oranges became a popular and prosperous crop in the region.

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Robert Pymble (II) took after his father and built a large weatherboard house called Merry Vale (see inset photo), which was on the corner of what is now Merrivale and Telegraph Roads. Merrivale Road was named after the Pymble family’s house. ​The plot of land between Merrivale Road and Cowan Creek was passed onto William Pymble (III), Robert Pymble (I)’s great grandson. William (III) Frederick and his wife Ada (nee McIntosh) lived the rest of their lives in a house opposite.

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The land was subdivided again and in 1909 sold to Charles Bathurst Bradford. Charles Bradford and his wife, Harriett Jane (nee Hawkes) commissioned a single story brick dwelling from builder Richard Joseph Porter III the house was named Wiangaree. 

Richard Joseph Porter III came from another influential family in the Pymble area, his

grandfather was Richard Porter I who arrived with the second fleet in 1790 from Nottingham, England. His father, Richard Porter II (Dick), a prosperous orchardist who owned about 100 acres where Pymble Ladies College and Avondale Golf Course are now, decided to become a publican and started the Gardeners' Arms Hotel and Grandview Hotel 1866.  The original 'Arms', later renamed Pymble Hotel, was built about 200 metres up the hill from the present Pymble Hotel. Grandview was the site of the area’s first bank, it still stands at 1178 Pacific Highway, Pymble as a private dwelling.

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Richard (III) Porter was married to Mary (nee McMahon), who was from another well known North Shore family. 

 All the woodwork was made of timber from the local mill and the woodwork on Wiangaree was done by Carpenter William Henry Pymble (grandson of Robert Pymble I).  William Henry Pymble was a builder by trade, but he was also a gifted watch maker and musician.  William and his wife Emily (nee McIntosh) also lived in Merrivale Road, opposite Nithdale Street.   

On the first day of January 1890, Pymble Railway Station was opened and Pymble became more accessible, there were only 125 residents in the Pymble area. 

Charles Bathurst Bradford, Owner of Wiangaree

Charles Bradford was originally from Wiltshire in England.  He arrived in Australia on the Cuzco in 1879 with his wife, Harriett, and daughter, Florence Harriett Benson Bradford.  Once in Sydney, Charles Bradford become a quantity surveyor with the Lands Department.

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Charles Bradford was well-known flautist, and a great friend of John Lemone (the flautist who accompanied Dame Nellie Melba).  Robert Pymble (II) was also a talented flautist and is believed to have played with Bradford and Lemone on their porch in Pymble.  All the Pymble family were renowned for their musical ability.

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Charles Bradford was close with his neighbours William (III) Frederick and Ada Beatrice Pymble (nee McIntosh), who also lived on Merrivale Road, just opposite Wiangaree.  In his Will, Charles Bradford left Ada Pymble (who was widowed by that time) a bedroom clock and 5 pounds to 'buy a keepsake'.

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Florence Bradford married local dentist, Dr Percie Chater Charlton in 1894.  Roy Pymble became his apprentice in dental mechanics and showed particular aptitude for the craft.  Roy Pymble passed on this craft to his nephew, Roy Samuel Smith, who went on to be a prominent dentist in England.

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Charles Bradford lived in Wiangaree until the age of 99 when he passed away.  He had the honour of having a street named after him.  Bradford Street, Pymble is very close to Wiangaree.  Locals will also know of Florey Ave and Charlton Ave nearby.

The Pymble Family’s association with Wiangaree

Ellen Pymble (nee Smith), William Henry Pymble’s sister-in-law, built a neighbouring house at 49 Merrivale Road.  It was call Hayden, after their first house, Hayden Dell, in Telegraph Road, which was named so because it was Ellen’s mother’s maiden name.  The house was designed to be acoustically perfect so that the Pymble family orchestra could practise there.  The Pymble’s were renowned for their musical talent.

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William (III) and Ada Pymble, who are mentioned above, had 6 children.  The eldest, Mabel Beatrice Jane Pymble, affectionally known as ‘Dot’ because she was so tiny as a child, went on to be heavily involved with the establishment of Pymble Playgroup.  Mabel lived with her parents William (III) and Ada in Merrivale Road until she married and moved across the road to a house next door to Wiangaree.

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Mabel married Roy (Dick) Franklin Pymble in 1935.  Roy is one the children of Robert (III) Pymble and Ellen Pymble (mentioned above as living in Hayden, Merrivale Road).  Mabel and Roy were fourth cousins.  Mabel was William Pymble’s great granddaughter and Roy, was Robert Pymble’s (II) grandson.  William Pymble and Robert (II) Pymble were brothers.

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Roy and Mabel built a house opposite her parents and neighbouring his mother and Wiangaree.

Florence Bradford married local dentist, Dr Percie Chater Charlton in 1894.  Roy Pymble was an apprentice to Dr Charlton in dental mechanics and showed particular aptitude for the craft.  Roy Pymble passed on this craft to his nephew, Roy Samuel Smith, who went on to be a prominent dentist in England.

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Mabel Pymble remembers Charles Bradford in his old age, living at Wiangaree, ‘We used to look after him and feed him.  I recall one evening taking his meal en route to the College as I was on early post duty.  As I entered the door and flicked on the light, he shot out of bed in his long white nightshirt screaming, “Put out the light, there’s a war on!” I must admit to being somewhat startled’.  Mabel refers to Canisius College which became a centre for war work at the beginning of World War II (Halstead).

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Mabel Pymble went on to be very involved with Wiangaree after the death of Charles Bradford.  She was the proud patroness of Pymble Playgroup in its formative years.  In the images below, she can be seen at the official opening of the display case at Pymble Playgroup in 1977.  Mabel loved children, although sadly, she and Roy were unable to have any themselves.  She passed away in 1987, at 85 years of age from complications associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

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Wiangaree’s new owners – Canisius College

After Charles Bradford's death in 1947 the house was purchased by Canisius College, a local Jesuit college.  They leased it to Eric Porter and his wife, who lived there with their adopted family of five.  They called the home Pentecost, which was taken from their earlier house in Pentecost Road, Pymble.

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Canisius College was a Catholic college which was build on land purchased by the Jesuit community from Thomas Brown.  The College officially opened in 1939 and until 1968 was a training college for Jesuits.  From 1974 to 2011 it operated as a house of formation for Jesuit novices and Tertains.  The College also ran a dairy farm for many years.

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The College building still remains as a beautiful historical function venue and retreat centre at 102 Mona Vale Road, Pymble.  It is now known as Peter Canisius House.

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Playgroup at Wiangaree

In 1973 Ku-ring-gai Council purchased 25 acers from Canisius College and divided the land into residential blocks.  This is when Wiangaree was leased to The Playgroup Association.

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In 1977 Leon Sadubin was commissioned by Mabel Pymble to design a display case notice board for Pymble Playgroup.  Mabel was the patroness of the Playgroup at the time and no doubt paid for more than just this with her own funds.  Leon Sadubin was a local up-and-coming furniture designer.  Leon is now a well-known woodcarving expert whose bespoke works can be seen at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney and New Parliament House, Canberra.

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The display case was built in Australian Red Cedar and features a carving of Wiangaree as well as a young boy and a young girl to celebrate the playgroup.  Leon’s original sketches and a photo of the display case can be found below.  The display case was proudly dedicated by Mabel in September 1977, and it still hangs in the hall of Wiangaree today.

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57 Merrivale Rd heritage listing

Since November 1989, Wiangaree has been a heritage listed building because of its historical, architectural and rarity value.  It was deemed to be of municipal and state significance.  The house is recorded as 'an extremely good example of early Australian Colonial style architecture within Ku-ring-gai.' The description also emphasises the house's 'association with many well known people and their families within the Pymble area'.

Recent Pymble Playgroup history

The State Government offered Pymble Playgroup a generous grant of $26 000 in 2012 which helped to fix and furnish the insides of the deteriorating house.  ​​

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​Pymble Playgroup currently have a lease with Ku-ring-gai Council until 31 December 2021.

Collaboration with the Ku-ring-gai Art Society

On 26th February 2020, Pymble Playgroup had the pleasure of revealing two stunning paintings of Wiangaree by well-known local artists.

Wiangaree has a long history with the Ku-ring-gai Art Society.  The late Janine Bravery OAM was the president of the Ku-ring-gai Art Society, as well as an art teacher and renowned artist.  She painted a watercolour of Wiangaree during or before 1977.  This special artwork (which is, sadly, undated) hangs in a customised display cabinet in pride of place in the House.


Nina Paine and Caroline Oesterheld, two local artists and members of the Ku-ring-gai Art Society presented their own paintings of Wiangaree in a small unveiling ceremony.  Everyone who attended was amazed by the beautiful detail in the artworks, and the kids enjoyed seeing their Playgroup in the paintings.  For the committee of Pymble Playgroup, this is an amazing opportunity to celebrate the beloved house and its rich history.  


The donated paintings will be framed and hung at Pymble Playgroup, along with Janine Bravery’s 43-year-old version, for future children and carers to admire.

Over the last 45 years Pymble Playgroup has served countless children and their families from the Ku-ring-gai area.  Some of whom, now come to Pymble Playgroup with their own children.  Hopefully, one day we will get to see a third generation of Pymble Playgroup members come through the doors.

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