On Saturday October 14 of 1865 in the Family Notices section of the Brisbane Courier was the announcemnet of the birth of a daughter to the wife of His Honor James Cockle, F.R.S., the Chief Justice of Queensland, at Oakwal House nesr Brisbane. Now near Brisbane in 1865 is what we know today as the suburb of Windsor what would in the 21st century be named as an inner city suburb. The estate of Sir James Cockle was of some 45 acres or 20 hectres. It existed between what we know today as Lutwyche Road, Newmarket Road and the area north of Breakfast Creek. Today Oakwal is now absorbed into suburban Windsor but still commands a prominent position on the hill on the southern side of the Windsor Train Station. As you stand at the front of the house one can imagine the open land in front and the long entrance from what was then Bowen Bridge Road up to the house. The house faces east and the next house that would have been sighted Rosemount.
The following historical description is taken from the Queensland Heritage Register.
This substantial, single-storeyed stone residence, designed by Brisbane architect James Cowlishaw, was constructed in 1864 by contractor John Petrie for Justice James Cockle, at a cost of approximately £4,000. Oakwal is thought to be the second residence on the site. An earlier house may have been erected c1858-59 for Brisbane businessman Daniel Rountree Somerset, who in May 1858 purchased over 20 hectares of land north of Breakfast Creek, which included the Oakwal site, for a little over £120. Somerset had arrived in Brisbane with his family in 1850/51 and during the 1850s was in partnership with John Richardson in a Brisbane warehousing, shipping agency and customs agency business. He was active in the separation movement, and in 1860 was appointed Chief Clerk of the Queensland Customs Department and Shipping Master for the Port of Brisbane. By 1858 the Somersets were resident at Rosemount, on Breakfast Creek. In December 1858 they advertised Rosemount and several other Brisbane allotments for sale. Descendants believe that the Somersets left Rosemount in April 1859, and that they lived at a residence on the later Oakwal site before selling it on nearly 16.2 hectares to James Cockle in 1863, for £1,000. Cockle was Chief Justice of Queensland from 1863 to 1879, and as senior commissioner in 1866-67 he consolidated many of Queensland's earliest statutes. He was knighted in 1869. The Cockles commissioned prominent Brisbane architect James Cowlishaw to design their new residence, which they named Oakwal. It is believed they derived the name from Cockle's birthplace at Great Oakley in Essex and his wife's birthplace of Walton in Suffolk. The Cockles resided at Oakwal for 15 years, during which time Lady Cockle held an annual picnic for local school children in the substantial grounds. When Cockle left the colony in mid-1878 he rented out the house at £250 per annum. The most distinguished of his lessees was Sir Arthur Palmer, former Queensland premier [1870-74] and later acting governor [1883 and 1888-89], who resided at Oakwal in the 1880s. Palmer remained in residence until 1890, despite the property having been sold to the original designer - architect, politician and newspaper proprietor James Cowlishaw - in 1888. A July 1888 newspaper report suggested that the house and lands exchanged hands for around £10,000. Cowlishaw subdivided and sold off much of the Oakwal estate, but his relatives and their descendants have occupied the house since 1890. In the late 1940s a two-storeyed sandstone kitchen wing was demolished to enable the present land subdivision and the creation of Bush Street. The timber extension was added at this time. Sandstone blocks from the demolished service wing were utilised in the landscaping of the remaining grounds.
Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), Thursday 23 October 1930, page 59
LINKS WITH THE LONG AGO.
BRISBANE'S HISTORIC HOMES. XXXV.—Oakwal.
By F. E. LORD.
The name, suggesting to us— "The brave old oak, Who stands in his pride alone," emblematical of steadfastness and strength, is appropriate for this fine old home, crowning one of the heights Of that suburb bearing the name of our Royal house, Windsor. Its grounds front the road to which it has given its name Oakwal terrace off Newmarket-road, which latter joins Lutwyche road. Oakwal was built for the first Chief Justice of Queensland. Sir James Cockle, in the early or middle sixties of last century, the architect being the late Hon. James Cowlishaw. Sir James Cockle was born at Great Oakley, near Harwick, in Essex, so the name that he gave to his Brisbane home evidently was either that of the old family home in England, or else one compounded from that of his native town, Great Oakley. Sir James was a highly educated and cultured man. He took his B.A. degree at Cambridge in 1841 and his MA. in 1846, and entered the legal profession. He practised in England, I understand, until appointed Chief Justice of the new colony of Queensland in 1862, and it is said that "he gained a high repute for judicial learning and impartiality." He was also interested in the study of philosophy and astronomical science, was a member of several societies, and published a work on mathematics. He was knighted in 1868, and returned to England in 1879, and took up residence in London. He had married, in 1855, Adelaide Catherine, the oldest surviving daughter. of Mr. Henry Wilkin, af Walton, near Ipswich, in Suffolk.
The residence of Sir James and Lady Cockle at Oakwal being contemporary with that of Sir Maurice and Lady O'Connell at Rosemount, naturally there was much friendly intercourse between the two houses, separated by about half a mile. The Oakwal land then extended from a little distance to the back of the house down to Lutwyche-road. After the departure of Sir James and Lady Cockle for England, the architect who had planned and built Oakwal for Sir James, the Hon. James Cowlishaw, purchased the property, which he subsequently let to the late Mr. Arthur Palmer. This was in about the year 1882. and the Palmers lived there for about six years. The next occupier, I believe, was one of the Cowlishaw sons, and, following him, big sister and her husband, Mr. T. Woolnough. About 80 years ago the eldest daughter of Mr. James Cowlishaw (Mrs. Capper) took up residence there, and with her family has lived there ever since, and now the old home has become her property. But gradually, since Mr. Cowlishaw acquired the property, the land, all but about three acres, has been cut up into building sites mostly, on which now stand modern homes. Bowser's
Quarry was once part of the estate. But, in spite of a populous suburb having grown round the old home, Oakwal still stands above it, "enthroned, apart, serene," and from Oakwal-terrace it is quite unseen. A delightful grove of gum trees of mixed ages and sizes shields it from view. It is most refreshing to see this grove of our national trees that have made for us "long centuries or shade" in a near suburb like Windsor. One of these, of fine stature, stands at the curve of the road leading up from the front entrance gates on Oakwal-terrace. Through the grove which is on the left hand one catches a glimpse of the old grey house; then following the road as it takes a curve to the left from the bend where the tall gum tree stands one comes to the garden gate, and there the house comes fully into view. It is of stone, the blocks being rough, but not prominent, and the roof is of slate. A gabled front porch over the steps breaks the otherwise uniform veranda roof, which is supported by pairs of wooden posts. Flowering pot plants to-day form a bright contrast against the stone walls and make pretty the sides of the porch. The veranda runs three parts of the way round the house, which has the appearance of an old station home, which likeness is further emphasised by the row of squatter's chairs and the hammock hanging at the corner of the veranda. So with its rural setting as well those dwelling there almost feel as if they are in the real bush. Through the grove of trees, which stretches from the lower part of the grounds to the terrace below the flower beds In front of the house, one gets a peep of the river a little to the left, and a view of Bowen Hills to the right. To the right from the back is Eildon Hill, and directly opposite, are seen the houses of Wilston. The house being situated on the summit of the hill, the grounds slope away from it on every side. Its main rooms conform to the old style of building in their spaciousness and the height of their ceilings, and each contains a fireplace. The mantelpiece in the two front rooms the drawing room to the right as one enters the long hall from the front door, and the prin-cipal bedroom on the left are of marble, and following what appears to be the custom, or fashion, of these older days as I have mentioned similar ones in other old homes one is of grey and the other of white marble. The mantelpieces in the other rooms are of wood. There is something arresting about the rooms in Oakwal as well as their spacious dimensions and fine appearance in general; the furnishing of them impresses one. There is nothing of the "gimcrack" style about to put the old rooms out of countenance, some of the pieces being more venerable than the old house itself, one of those being an old cabinet holding a collection of treasures in keeping with itself. The many wide french lights leading on to the veranda are of plate glass, oval at the top. The hall is divided by two archways, with a skylight in the roof between them. Out of the back door one steps on to the veranda of a wooden wing, added before the Cappers' time, which connects the house with the old stone kitchen. Originally, I think, this was connected with the house by the old-time style of gangway. As may be understood when looking at the photograph taken from a position towards the back of the establishment, the side of the house on view continues further towards the kitchen than that on the other side. A small portion of the cor-rugated iron roof of the wooden addi-tion may also be observed between the two stone buildings. On entering the big old-time kitchen, with the firelit range in the wide fireplace, one is again transported away to the bush, and the horse grazing not far from the back door at the top of a flight of steps is an added spur to memory, re-calling springtime and horses being saddled for the mustering, and old Oakwal is in touch with the bush, as one of the Capper sons is a station owner in the West. In addition to the grove of gum trees, and others of the same kind to be seen about the property, there have been planted other shade and flowering trees. One jacaranda is especially beautiful at present in its lavender dress. So altogether Oakwal is a fascinating and desirable home, and its old associations add much to its attractiveness. For "Still to the living Present The power of the Past can reach."
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