John Verge

John Verge (1782–1861) was an English architect, builder, pioneer settler in the Colony of New South Wales, who migrated to Australia and pursued his career there. Verge was one of the earliest and the most important architect of the Greek Revival in Australia. He also brought more comprehensive range of Regency style than any contemporary architects. His design indicates the increasing of sophistication compared to previous architect's design.^[1]

John Verge was born in Christchurch, Hampshire. Many generations of the Verge family had been bricklayers and stonemasons. Verge married to Catherine Bowles at the age of twenty-two and went to London. From 1804 to 1828, he worked in London in the building trade, becoming a man of means. Verge's marriage eventually failed and, in 1828, he migrated to Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, with his son George Philip, intending to take up a land grant.^[2] The first land grant in 1829, he took up land on the Williams River, south of Dungog, New South Wales, called Lyndhurst Vale. The second land grant in 1838, he took up land on the Macleay River named Austral Eden. Having insufficient capital to pursue pastoralism, Verge returned to the building industry between 1830 and 1837, fortuitously at a time when the colonial economy was prospering and designers and builders were in high demand. Between 1830 and 1834 was his maximum architectural activities. He was patronised by many of prominent businessmen and colonists. After 1837, his architectural work was decreasing and restricted. Retiring from architectural practice, he settled at Austral Eden, a pastoral property by the Macleay River in northern New South Wales. In 1858, Verge married Mary, 50-year-old daughter of John Alford at Austral Eden. Verge died on 9 July 1861 at the age of 79 in Austral Eden. He was buried as an Anglican in St. Thomas's burial ground in Port Macquarie.^[1]

In the 1830s, Verge produced a number of fine houses in Sydney's eastern suburbs, notably several of the 'Villas of Woolloomooloo Hill', the spine of elegant villas largely built by the senior civil servants of the colony on a series of land grants that stretched from Darlinghurst Hill to Potts Point. These villas included Rockwall, built for surveyor John Busby, Tusculum for merchant Alexander Brodie Spark for whom Verge also designed Tempe House, and Goderich Lodge, for Thomas Macquoid. Others including Barham and Rose Bank have been attributed to his hand. Further east he built Rose Bay Lodge for James Holt. To the west of the town he built Lyndhurst, for Dr James Bowman, and Toxteth Park for George Allen, in Glebe. Verge is also credited with Elizabeth Bay House, built at adjacent Elizabeth Bay for Alexander Macleay, the Colonial Secretary. It is theorised that Verge largely worked on a plan provided by Macleay, as his business ledger does not denote amounts that would reflect a full commission. John Bibb, an accomplished draftsman employed by Verge, also worked on the project and James Hume from Scotland supervised the building. The relative contributions of Verge, Bibb and Hume are unknown. The house's beautiful oval saloon, with its geometric stair and domed lantern, is likely the most celebrated interior in early Australian architecture.^[1]

Verge's work was not confined to Sydney. Bedervale homestead, near Braidwood, built in 1842, was designed by Verge.^[3] Aberglasslyn, built for George Hobler near Maitland, NSW, has been attributed to Verge. Like Elizabeth Bay House it never received its intended colonnade, the victim of the crippling colonial depression of the 1840s. Wyoming Cottage, built between 1832 and 1843, is located in the suburb of that name north of Gosford.^[4] The house he built for himself at Austral Eden was unfortunately destroyed by flood in 1864, three years after Verge's death, and no known sketches survive. Most of his papers were also lost in the flood.

Verge's best known work is Camden Park House, built south west of Sydney for John Macarthur, the wool pioneer and successful colonial businessman.^{[citation needed]} As Macarthur was debilitated towards the end of his life with mental illness his son William seemed to have administered much of the building, and is named in Verge's ledger rather than his father. This has caused confusion with some architectural historians as to the actual client.^{[citation needed]}

From 1947 to 1954 G. Nesta Griffiths, who had stayed at many Australian country houses, wrote several books about the houses of New South Wales and their heritage. She is creditted with reviving interest in the works of John Verge.^[5]

The following buildings designed either in part or in full by Verge are listed on various national,^[6] state and local government heritage registers:

More information Building name, Image ...

Buildings designed either in part or in full by John Verge

Building name	Image	Location	Year completed	Australian National Heritage List	NSW State Heritage Register	Local government register	Notes
Aberglasslyn House		Aberglasslyn, Maitland	c. 1840		00195		[7]
Barham		Darlinghurst, Sydney	1833			City of Sydney (#I301)	(now SCEGGS Darlinghurst)[8]
Bedervale		Braidwood	1836		00017		[9]
Brownlow Hill		Cobbitty	1834				Alterations attributed to Verge
Camden Park Estate		Menangle	1835		01697		[10]
Christ Church		Bong Bong	1845		01383		[11]
Church of the Holy Innocents		Rossmore	c. 1848				Possibly by Verge and John Bibb
Denham Court (extensions and chapel)		Ingleburn	1832–1838		00212		[12]
Elizabeth Bay House		Elizabeth Bay, Sydney	1835–1838	2000	00006		[13][14]
Elizabeth Farm (Extensions, coachhouse and stables)		Parramatta	c. 1830s		00001		[15]
Lietrim (renamed Pine Villa in 1843)		Newtown, Sydney	1833				[16]
Lyndhurst		Glebe, Sydney	1833–1837		00158		[17]
Rockwall House		Potts Point, Sydney	1831–1837		00020		[18]
Salisbury Court		Rose Bay, Sydney	1834		00251		[19]
St James' Church (vestries at the eastern end framed by two small porticos, and a similar portico as an entrance to the tower)		Queen's Square, Sydney CBD	1834		01703		[20]
St Paul's Church		Cobbitty	c. 1840
Tempe House		Arncliffe, Sydney	1836		00725		[21]
Tomago House		Raymond Terrace	1843				Attributed to Verge
Toxteth Park		Glebe, Sydney	1831				(now St Scholastica's College)[22]
Wyoming Cottage		Gosford	1837–1843		00213	197	[23][4]

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• List of buildings designed in full or in part by John Verge