The Swifts

The Swifts or Swifts is an historic Australian house in the Sydney suburb of Darling Point. Designed by G. E. Morrell and built between 1876 and 1882 by the brewer Sir Robert Lucas Lucas-Tooth, it is described by the Australian Heritage Commission as “perhaps the grandest house remaining in Sydney”.^[1] It has federal and state heritage listings.^[2][3]

In 1997, the building was acquired by the Moran Family via a Moran Family Trust.^[4] In 2013, Dr Shane Moran^[5] became the sole-owner of Swifts.

History of Swifts

Swifts was designed by G. E. Morrell and built in 1876–1882 for the brewer Sir Robert Lucas Lucas-Tooth, a tycoon and member of the brewing family who came to Sydney in the 1820s and established the Kent Brewery. They came from Swifts Park at Cranbrook in Kent. The foundation stone was laid on 18 March 1876 by his daughter, who was then only a baby. A High Victorian Gothic mansion, it is more castle-like than most, with its towers and castellated parapets. The private house has over 54 rooms and was built in two builds in 1874 and 1882.

Sir Robert Lucas Lucas-Tooth sold Swifts in 1900 to Edmund Resch, another beer baron. Resch occupied Swifts from 1900 to 1923. During this time he redecorated the interior and made some alterations to the services. Edmund Resch died in 1923 and the title of the land was than transferred to his two sons, Edmund and Arnold in April 1924. Family problems lead to Swifts going to public auction and it was bought by Edmund Resch junior for £50,000 in January 1929.

Edmund Resch left Swifts to the Roman Catholic Church and the land title was transferred into their name in June 1964. In 1964 the Roman Catholic Church changed the Ballroom to a Chapel-of-ease that seated 200 and had standing room for 50-60 people. Swifts was also used to house the Cardinals as it was the home for Cardinal Gilroy, Freeman and Clancy, and Pope Paul IV and Pope John Paul II also stayed there on their visits to Sydney. Gilroy was proud to be a prince of the church and entertained visiting dignitaries in style, including at least one Pope. During Swifts ownership by the Roman Catholic Church a Permanent Conservation Order was placed on it. The Swifts was sold for $9 million in 1986 to Minjar Holdings Pty Ltd and fell into serious disrepair.^[6]

Carl Spies and his family used Swifts as their place of residency for four years. In 1990 the Spies were evicted by their Mortgagee Bank because of a large outstanding debt of over $25 million. An auction of 450 pieces of furniture was held in October of 1992.^[7]

In 1997 Swifts was acquired by the Moran family via a Moran Family Trust. The Moran Family embarked on a major restoration of the home and grounds. In 2013, Dr Shane Moran^[8] became the sole-owner of Swifts.

Significance of Swifts

Swifts is of State significance as, apart from Government House, Sydney, it is the largest remaining Victorian Gothic Revival house in Australia. Swifts remains on its original grounds and still consists of the original landscape, statuary, terrace wall, stairs and paths.^[9] It is a prime example of how the upper-class people lived in the 19th century in Australia.

Swifts is also of cultural significance as it was home of two well-known Sydney business families, the Lucas-Tooth^[10] and Resch families. Swifts connection with the Roman Catholic Church is also of social significance as it was home to three cardinals; Gilroy, Freeman and Clancy. The building is also significant because it is an example of the work of Gustavus Alphose Morell, a prominent Sydney architect in the late 19th century. The western section of the garden of Swifts formed an integral part of the original design of the grounds. The special relationship of the grounds to the mansion is a significant factor in determining the status of the grounds as an item of environmental heritage. The building together with its site is an item of environmental heritage.

Restoration of the main Swifts house

The Moran Family engaged the experienced conservation and heritage architect Clive Lucas of Clive Lucas, Stapleton & Partners to take on the mammoth task of restoring the derelict house.^[11] This involved extensive stone and roofing reconstruction and the interior paintwork required restoration. Swifts is considered one of the most detailed Victorian interiors in Sydney and the Moorish smoking room is believed to be unique in Australia. Half way through the restoration works in 1998 a tornado swept along the Darling Point ridge destroying much of the restored roofing and decorative painting which had to be redone.^[12] Interior work continues today under Clive Lucas' direction. Restoration of the grounds was also carried out with the assistance of Dr James Broadbent advising. In December 2012, Swifts was awarded the Governor Lachlan Macquarie Award by the Australian Institute of Architects for the finest restoration project in Australia.^[13]

References

External links

• Article on The Swifts, The Australian

Coordinates: 33°52′10″S 151°14′18″E / 33.8695°S 151.2383°E / -33.8695; 151.2383