Sitting on the corner of Kingsford Smith Drive and Grays Road is a home that has that neat demure appearance. One could almost say distinctive but insignificant amongst the backdrop of homes of Hamilton hills. Recently back on the market it sold for $2.25 million to a previous owner.
The following article taken from the Hamilton Today online news is a very good summary of what happened in the home nearly 70 years ago.
https://hamiltontoday.com.au/prestige-hamilton-house-murder-past-auction/
Onedin, a Spanish-style house on Grays Road with a dark
and scandalous past, has been put up for auction. In the 1950s, this Hamilton
house was the scene of a murder-scandal involving a socialite couple.
With unobstructed views of the Brisbane River and the Story
Bridge, this stately and elevated house thrives as a multimillion-dollar
property within a bluechip suburb despite its history. Realtors expect Onedin,
the house’s name, to fetch a substantial price when it goes on the market on
Saturday, 20 March 2021.
Onedin house has a master suite on the top floor with its
own living room and balcony. The living space on the ground floor faces towards
the city views, whilst the kitchen and three bedrooms with bathrooms are set at
the back of the house, where there is privacy. This Hamilton house also has a
lower level with a secure garage, laundry room and bathroom.
Sitting on a 607 square metre block with garden hedges,
Onedin was once the site of socialite parties. It was owned by Sylvia Joyce
Clare Ferguson and Roy Ferguson.
What happened inside Onedin?
According to reports, Roy co-owned pubs, breweries and
hotels around Forbes and Newcastle, as well as a poultry farm in Charleston
with his brother, Jack Ferguson. A wealthy bachelor, Roy met his wife in the
1940s whilst she was working as a barmaid. They moved from New South Wales to
settle into this Hamilton house when they got married.
Sylvia, however, had a lover, Albert Eric Murphy, who worked
for Roy and he discovered that the Fergusons were not legally married. Soon,
Sylvia and Eric met in secret and she convinced him that Roy was a violent and
dangerous man, who won’t hesitate to use a gun.
They continued the affair even as the Fergusons moved to
Brisbane. Despite telling Eric that she was in an unhappy marriage with a man
she feared, Sylvia agreed to finally legally wed Roy in 1953.
But Sylvia and Eric were still in contact and soon decided
to plan Roy’s murder so they could run away together and she could have her
husband’s fortune. They sought the help of Ernie Hamilton, a friend of Roy’s
who knew Sylvia’s affair. Ernie agreed to the plan for 1,000 pounds.
On the night of the murder, Sylvia gave Eric and Ernie
access to the Hamilton house, while Roy had been sleeping. Their home
companions Thelma and Wally Gray woke up at 1:30 a.m. to Sylvia screaming for
help as Roy had been hit.
However, Sylvia, who had never been discreet with her
affair, admitted to the murder plan during the investigation. She told the
police Ernie was blackmailing her but the judge would hand a guilty verdict for
all three attackers.
Sylvia was sentenced to 10 years whilst Eric and Ernie were
in prison for three years.
Former owners put in winning bid at Hamilton house with history
SARAH WEBB MAR 22, 2021
A grand-old Brisbane estate that was once at the centre of a shocking murder has been snapped up for $2.25 million at auction by one of the home’s previous owners.
The four-bedroom abode at 2 Grays Road, Hamilton, made headlines in the 1950s when socialite and former barmaid Sylvia Joyce Clare Ferguson was convicted of killing her wealthy husband in their bedroom, resulting in a life sentence, and nothing short of a scandal in the blue-chip suburb.
But while the home, on a 607-square-metre block with unobstructed views of the Brisbane River, entered local folk lore for all the wrong reasons, the chequered past proved no match for its stunning vistas and location on Saturday, with a previous owner splashing the most cash to buy it back.
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