Brislington House - John Hodges (Part 2)

John Hodges was transported to the colony in 1806, escaped in 1807 but was recaptured in Timor, and returned to Port Jackson. Hodges obtained a "Ticket of Leave" in 1814 and married a colonial borm women. They had two children and purchased a thirty acre farm at Seven Hills. In 1818 Hodges  recieved a "conditional Pardon" in recognition ofsending a horse and cart to carry stones.  Pardoned by Governor Macquarie, he became a landed proprietor and was eventually granted a liquor licence in 1821.

Early Parramatta history has it that one night, ex-convict Hodges, won the sum of £1,000 pounds in a game of euchre at the original Woolpack Hotel, situated on the north/east corner of George and Marsden Streets, in 1821.

Hodges, having won the money with the use of the ‘8 of diamonds’ incorporated the ‘8 of diamond’ pattern into a black brick mosaic pattern on the rear wall. This pattern still remains and can be easily seen. The building is a solid dark brown brick residence set well back on a large raised block of land in about 1¼ acres. The entrance being central opposite the small front gate. A very large fig tree shades the dwelling on the southern side. The roof was of galvanised iron, (probably originally slate) above which brick chimneys appeared towards the rear. A surrounding fence comprised of white painted wooden tapered pickets. The residence comprised of four rooms downstairs and four upstairs, approached by a wooden interior staircase. The floors are of solid wood. The outhouses, kitchen and pantry, servants quarters and bedrooms, a four stall stable and coach house, and a private water supply from a small well, (one of the first in the town) have all been subsequently demolished. Later a verandah was added on the southern side, replacing the original entrance.

The property was purchased by Sir Wigram Allen in about 1840. He later sold it to a Dr. W. S. Brown, a Medical Practitioner in 1857, whose son followed in 1888, and subsequently his grandson, Dr. K. S. Macarthur-Brown who also practiced medicine, while residing in Brislington. During the mid-1960 the dwelling was utilised by the State Government as a nurses home for the nearby Parramatta Hospital.

Brislington House was finally restored in the late 1990’s to its former glory by New South Wales government.