page_title: Stead House
section_title: Bethesda Hospital/Stead House (c. 1936–present)
hierarchical_section_title: Stead House / History of the site / Bethesda Hospital/Stead House (c. 1936–present)
caption_attribution_description: English: Lieutenant Colonel Doris Stead
context_page_description: Stead House is a Victorian Italianate residence located at 12 Leicester Street, Marrickville, an inner western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The residence was established as Waterloo Villa in the early 1850s by Archibald Mitchell on part of the 12-hectare grant known as Wain's Farm. Stead House is an excellent example of a remnant grand estate house that is the product of a series of alterations and additions by owner Samuel Cook, manager of The Sydney Morning Herald in the late 19th century and The Salvation Army who purchased the property in 1911, following Cook's death in 1910.
context_section_description: It appears there was something of a hiatus during the late 1930s to the early 1950s in terms of building activity. A new hospital was built in 1955–57 and seemingly the name Bethesda Hospital transferred to the new building with what is now Stead House used as accommodation for staff. It also appears the basement of Stead House was fitted out with a commercial kitchen and laundry to service the new hospital and a link structure built. Following the demise of the Bethesda Hospital in 1973, it appears the name Stead House was given to the subject building in honour of the founding matron of the new Bethesda Hospital, Lieutenant Colonel Doris Stead. Stead House became a hostel for women students and low income earners up until recently, when the economic and fire regulation compliance issues became insurmountable and it was placed on the market. The house was acquired by the Boyce Group and converted into apartments in 2011.
caption: Doris Stead, c. 1955.
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