22 Wylde Street is the story of Potts Point. It is a palimpsest reflecting the many layers of our local history since the 1840s.

It is the site of the first development, lodged by Joseph Henry Hydes Potts, speculator, as they were then known and after whom the area is named. However, he never lived in the area. His gamble was not successful due to the 1840s depression. Later, his “Tor cottages” were sold in 1881 to an influential politician Charles Robertson MLC, NSW Upper House parliamentarian. He named his new home after an English grand mansion, “Chatsworth”.

Mr Robertson’s house boasted a glittering grand ballroom which, importantly was larger than that of NSW state government house itself, a form of one-up-man-ship.

In 1922 this house was demolished and replaced by a new liver-coloured dwelling for Scott Fell, shipping merchant.

The handsome sandstone gate pillars remained with their gold lettering.

It boasted a glittering ballroom bigger than that of government house, an important social consideration.

It was then occupied after 1941 during World War II by the Australian government for “defence” purposes and used as a suspected ASIO site. No-one seems to have lived there but its enormous five-storey black single-rod antenna overlooking the entrance to the harbour was an ideal location for electronic monitoring of the behaviour of alien shipping.

In 1997 it was then sold to property developers and the current block of apartments built. Mr Robertson’s sandstone gates were removed

The site has been a continuum of adaptive re-uses reflecting the area’s growth since inception and first use.

Andrew Woodhouse

Heritage Solutions