This weatherboard and galvanised iron cottage was constructed between 1914-1917. The ‘Wallarah Coal-mining Company’ built this cottage to house its mineworkers.
The Johanson (they were known as Johnson) family lived in this house with ten children. Parents, Alex and Lily. Children; Joyce, Muriel, Esma, Kathleen, Lila, Clare, Nola, Alec, Cecil and Clyde.
Probably because there were so many girls in the family they had ‘the best dress up dresses in town’. Kathleen was a magnificent pianist and played often at home on a Sunday morning practicing songs for her next performance. In 1964 the coal company ‘Coal & Allied’ subdivided some of its land. The Company determined that this house and land would be purchased for 400 pounds by Mrs L A Johanson.
Clyde and Betty lived in the house after Mrs Johanson died and then sold to the SP Bookie Ted. Ted then sold the house to people who installed a railway carriage in the backyard. The exterior of the house was cement rendered and aluminium windows installed.
The house was purchased by Mr & Mrs Mc Gregor, rented for a number of years.The house has been resold since and is being restored to its original condition.