Evansdale
Queens Park NSW
Evansdale, located in the Sydney suburb of Queens Park, is a two-storied terrace built in 1886 for William Evans, his wife Emily and family.
Evans was a painter and was responsible for the original decoration of the interior. The house was occupied by the Evans family, 1886-1924, then the Brennan family, 1924-1981, and finally by Brian Jack Barrow, 1981-2024.
Brian Barrow (1946-2024) was a master decorator, his skills being highly sought after by Sydney’s leading interior designers like Leslie Walford and George Freedman, and he consulted on the decoration of historic properties. When he purchased Evansdale it was in a poor state, so Barrow set about restoring Evans’ original decoration and adding his own touch, transforming the painted finishes and adding furnishings and furniture to produce sumptuous High-Victorian interiors. The resulting interiors depicted in these photographs are a legacy to Brian Barrow’s immense decorative skills and understanding of historic interiors.
The interiors of Evansdale were photographed after Brian Barrow died and prior to sale of the contents at auction in December 2024.
Photographer: Nicholas Watt
Date Photographed: July 2024
Original image format: born digital
Credit line: Gift, Estate of the Late Brian Jack Barrow, 2025. Caroline Simpson Library, Museums of History NSW. Photo © Nicholas Watt
Documenting NSW Homes
Documenting NSW Homes
Recorded for the future: documenting NSW homes
The Caroline Simpson Library has photographically recorded homes since 1989
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