Ascot house and its owners
John Thomas Smith (1816-1879), politician, publican and landowner, was born on 28 May 1816 in Sydney, son of John Smith, a Scottish shoemaker, and his mother Elizabeth nee’ Biggs, he was Educated at W. Capes school. He was apprenticed at 14 to Beaver & Co, Builders and joiners, but in 1833 his indentures were cancelled, he began service as a bank clerk under the colonial storekeeper, In June 1827 he sailed for Melbourne and in September became assistant teacher to the Church of England Aboriginal station (Botanical garden site in Melbourne) on the Yarra River on a wage 40 pounds a year.
Smith soon became storekeeper to J. Hodgson and husband to Ellen, daughter of Irish Catholic Michael Pander, a pioneer publican who encouraged his son-in-law to enter the trade. In July 1841 Smith took over the Adelphi’s Hotel, Flinders lane, from his brother-in-law Robert Brettagh, and in 1844 became licensee of St John’s Tavern Queen Street, in place of Brettagh. The behaviour of the Adel phi’s customers aroused much criticism but Smith disclaimed responsibility; he was probably managing St John’s Tavern at the time.
The publicity had not prevented him from winning the election of Bourke Ward on the First Melbourne Town Council in December 1842. He was a councillor for the rest of his life,’ a Whittington of south’ one councillor said, John Thomas smith was elected lord mayor of Melbourne, seven times between 1851 and 1864. To Top
In 1845 Smith built the Queen’s Theatre Royal, Melbourne’s first theatre next to St John’s tavern in Queen Street Melbourne; it held 1200 people and was the first home of George Coppin’s professional company. Smith attempted to make it safe for gentlefolk by reserving the dress circle for them, prohibiting smoking and putting street lamps in pot-holed Queen Street. In 1854 he leased the building to Charles Young for 300 pound a week. He lived in Queen Street in 1850’s in an elegant three-storied brick house; his last house was in Mount Alexander Road, Moonee Ponds. In the 1840’s Smith was looking for a weekend retreat, he found it in the first land sales in the Moonee Ponds/Ascot Vale area in 1847. He purchased 58 acres from the Crown between the Moonee Ponds creek and Ascot Vale Road for a sum of 118 pounds.
Ascot house was built in 1860; it was a substantial two-storied Italianate villa built on the side of hill. From the front façade it looked like single story house and formerly had a driveway to Mount Alexander Road. The upper level is stuccoes in the Italianate manner with niche by main entry but in other areas plainly treated in the fashion of mid Victorian period. The veranda, extended to approximately twice its original width, has cast iron columns and laceworks with unusually restrained balustrade using quatrefoil motifs.To Top
Four Bedrooms, ballroom, French room and music room. Down stairs were a billiard and smoke room as well as a library and kitchen with servant rooms. The lower level is principally of bluestone with brick dressing although there are over painted face brick addition and east facing windows. Later rear additions, includes interior fire surrounds, ceiling rosés, silverware, furniture, and early majolica fireplaces. The bluestone and brick building was tastefully furnished, there was panelling of exquisite workmanship and treasures from many parts of the world. Outside orchards and extensive flower gardens surrounded the house. There were spacious lawns and gardens, planted with rare shrubs and flowers. Smith’s House was the setting for much hospitality and entertaining and what an ideal setting it was.
In the First Legislative Council elections in 1851 Smith became member for north Bourke, and from may 1853 represented Melbourne, but failed to win Central Province in 1856. In 1856-59 he represented Melbourne in the Legislative Assembly. He sat for Creswick in 1859-61 and for west Bourke in 1861-79. He was minister of mines in J.A. McPherson’s ministry from September 1860- April 1870 and in 1862 Smith was elected to first Essendon City Council. As councillor, mayor and politician, Smith was lampooned and criticized by press, especially by his political opponent launch Ian Mac Kinnon and by Edward Wilson of the Argus, who preferred the independents and regarded Smith as a representative of the publican interest with questionable tactics.
By his marriage and business, he had put himself beyond respectable society, yet he had great desire to return to acceptability.To Top
In politics he was conservative, he generally supported the government of the day and up held ‘ Law and order’ at all times. He was one of die-hard group that opposed the reduction of the miner’s license fee in 1853. As Mayor he reacted to Eureka up-rising by enrolling special constables to protect Melbourne, he presented a loyal address to Governor Hotham, and called a public meeting which was taken over by supporters of the diggers.
He voted against the secret ballot, but favour of gold being part of property free hold, for state aid for churches and denominational education. In 1859 he went to England to present a civil address of congratulation to Queen Victoria on the marriage of the Princess Royal. He dined at Windsor Castle but was disappointed when he did not get knighthood, unlike many mayors of British Isles and despite testimonials signed by; Bishop Perry, Supreme Court judges and the Speaker of Legislative Council of Victoria among other dignitaries.
Mac Kinnon and others had told scandalous tales to British Government, hinting that his wealth was derived from sources even less pure then the sales of intoxicating liquors.
Smith was a well-known figure in white hat, white shirt frills and smoking a cutty pipe. Despite his political conservatism, he was considered a ‘ man of people’. Shrewd, energetic and able, as magistrate he was both kind and just. His personal generosity was great, and his charity work active. He instigated in 1848 campaign for a Benevolent Asylum and helped the Melbourne Hospital, the Central Board of health and the Lunatic Asylum.
He gave financial and moral support to eight- hour day movement in the mid 1850s. He was a prominent Freemason under the Irish Constitution and remained active in the Church of England for many years. John Thomas Smith died of cancer on 30 January 1879 at Flemington and was buried in the Anglican section of the Melbourne General Cemetery. Smith estate was value for probate at 42,000 thousand pounds; he owned property such as Ascot House and stations on the Darling River, New South Wales, and in the Warrego District, Queensland. To Top
After his death, his widow Ellen, bequeathed most of eastern half of the estate to her son, John Smith and the 'swamp paddock', below Myron Crescent, to another son (the architect) Sydney Smith. Meanwhile the western part was subdivided for the coming land boom in the 1880, (between ascot vale and mount Alexander roads; the remaining land, on the creek side, being sequentially sold off after 1910(a small area containing Sydney street had gone to H.J.Pannifex earlier).' Ascot House' lost its gateway to Mount Alexander Road (the gates going to Queens Park and were later replaced by the current war memorial scheme in 1920's) prior to the estate's sale, in 1909. Presumably much of the present house exterior may be attributed to architect, Sydney smith, whilst smith's use of Charles Laing and David Ross may suggest their hands in the first stage and the Smith family sold Ascot House to Arthur Fenton in 1909.
Mr.
Arthur Fenton was born in Stafford shire, England, in 1860 and emigrated
to Australia, in sailing ship 'Newcastle' in 1875.He establish as Alfred
Fenton and Sons, china and glass Emporium in Melbourne, on the Bourke
street site now occupied by Myers. He was president of Essendon operatic
society for many years and was an active Rotarian. He represents the Ascot
Vale ward as a councillor for 28 years from 1915 and was mayor of Essendon
in 1918-19 and again in 1929-30 and 1930-31 and president of North
Suburban Club for 23 years. He
and his wife established ' Ascot House in bank street as one of district's
first reception in about 1929.
Flinders lane importer, local councillor, collector and catering suppliers, Arthur a Fenton, acquired ' Ascot House' in 1909 subsequently, after a period of leasing, ownership was followed by Carlton restaurateur, Jimmy Watson; both owners running 'Ascot House' as a reception centre in 1940's. Bank Street East was renamed to Fenton Street after Arthur Fenton died in 1947 and Ascot House was bought and renovated to hold to the traditions of the past under the ownership of Mr. and Mrs. C Watson until sold in the 1978. To Top
Mr. Arthur Patinyotis emigrated from Greece in 1952 and started to run catering and restaurateur in 1960s. Ascot house was in derelict state went Patinyotis family brought in 1978 and spend lot of money to get it to state to run weddings and receptions there.
Gardens were redone to standard that Mr. Smith built them too and then removed shed build by Arthur Fenton, which was used to hire reception furniture from.
0riginal dining set and wall cabinets and bookcases are still used at house. Mirrors and doors and fireplaces and chandelier are the original ones from smith days.
Mr. Arthur Patinyotis was the owner of Chez Lucien a well-known restaurant in Moonee Ponds from 1971 to 1986 before buying into Ascot House, Mr. Patinyotis ran Ascot House for four years on his own. Arthur Patinyotis retired eight years ago and Nick and Anthony Patinyotis sons of Mr. Arthur Patinyotis now run the business.
Each room of the house has been restored. The reception house now sits on two acres and has many period features such as open fireplaces, ornate ceilings, chandeliers and leadlight windows, and boasts original furniture with many pieces imported from England and Europe. The original sitting rooms are now used for pre dinner drinks and photographs for the many weddings it holds, and each room has it own name. There are three reception rooms that are mainly used for weddings on weekends and corporate functions during the week.
The ballroom is the largest room with seating for up to 180 people, the other two - the chandelier room holds up to 80 people and the garden room cater for 50 people downstairs along with the kitchen.
All three rooms have access to the garden area where a gazebo was built to cater for outdoor weddings; as well as a fountain in the front courtyard.
There are so many stories associated with old mansions and Ascot House is no exception. It is believed the Smith family silver was taken to Government House and used by the Duke of Gloucester, who became Governor General in 1934. In the late 1940’s the same silver was locked away in a cellar room, which was then bricked in and remained hidden for many years. After the home had passed out of the hands of both the Smiths and the Fenton families, the collection of silver was discovered and pieces are still used today in the house. To Top
Today receptions and functions are held of every description, for the new Ascot House has gained a reputation extending far beyond the city for its excellent cuisine, a reputation confirmed by Epicurean societies which have dined and wine there, said dining in Melbourne 1989.
Mr. Anthony Patinyotis reported that the main changes to Ascot House under his family were the gardens. John Thomas Smith’s shadow still lives on in Ascot House and the Patinyotis family is still living the reason the house was built.
Statement of significance
"Ascot house" at 50-52 Fenton street, Ascot Vale, was built for entrepreneur and politician, john Thomas smith in c, 1859-60,It is historically important (criterion A) and rare (criterion) as a very early substantial surviving villa residence recalling the first phase in the settlement of area.
It is important for its associations with john Thomas smith and subsequently Arthur a Fenton (criterion G) and as a possible work of noted architect and son of J T Smith, Sydney smith.
The building has aesthetic importance (criterion E) for its unusual cast iron lace work and it further distinguished by the survival of interior fittings and silverware and by it landscaped setting.
Recommendations
Recommendations for inclusion in the schedule to the heritage overlay table in city of Moonee valley planning scheme and for inclusion in the national register.
Research
Chalmers, R.W., The annals of Essendon , V 1 (1850 to 1924)
Aldous, Grant, The stop over that stayed- a history of Essendon, 1988
Essendon History Societiey Journal from 1971 to 2003
Places of Interest-Hume, Moonee valley Regional Library
Patinyotis Family, Ascot House
Butler, G., Essendon Conservation Study, 1985
Essendon city council
Essendon Gazette 1985
Garry Owen (E Finn), the chronicles of early Melbourne (Melb, 1888
J. H. Herington, Witness to things past (Melb, 1964)
Examiner (Melb), Nov 1860; Leader (Melb), 14 March 1863
Argus, 31 Jan 1879, Bulletin, 15 April 1915
G.R. Quaife, The nature of political conflict in Victoria 1856-57
(M.A. thesis, Univ, Melbourne, 1964); CO309/47, 53.
Frost, Lenore, Federation times in Essendon and Flemington - A pictorial record
By Peter Lambert.