Asquith

Can you believe Asquith was named after a British Prime Minister? Asquith, nestled in the Hornsby Shire, owes its name to Herbert Henry Asquith, the UK’s leader during World War I. In 1915, estate agents Halloran and Co. subdivided the land. They decided to honour Asquith, and many streets here bear names of British cabinet members. Imagine that connection to a world power across the seas. Asquith wasn’t always a suburb. It started as dense bushland, roamed by Aboriginal peoples for millennia. European settlers arrived later, drawn by the towering trees. These timber-cutters felled giants in massive sawpits, hauling the lumber by bullock teams to the Lane Cove River. From there, it was punted down to Sydney. Once the timber was gone, orchards blossomed, marking a new chapter in Asquith’s story. Some of the first settlers, like Daniel Cody in 1860 and Thomas Salmon in 1874, bought land for around £20 per acre. Other names, like John Wall, Thomas Duffy, and William Stokes, appear on an 1890 government map. Nathaniel James Wall, born in 1881, is believed to be the first European-descent child born in Asquith. Interestingly, the developers initially wanted a railway station. The Railway Department refused, so the developers funded it themselves. This 1915 addition became the last station north of Hornsby. Asquith also had its share of industry. Fowler’s Pottery, originally a brickworks, thrived in the early 20th century, making pipes and building materials. The Depression sadly forced its closure. The council later used its bricks for new foundations. Bullock’s Brick Works, another local business, met a similar fate. Modern amenities arrived gradually. Electricity came in 1926, followed by water mains in 1935. After World War II, a camp for displaced persons sprung up near the current bowling club. In 1948, 75 refugees arrived, mostly from Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia. They lived in army tents, working on local sewage and water projects. The 1950s and 60s saw a housing boom, leading to new schools like Asquith Girls High School, built on land previously owned by the Stokes family, early orchard owners. The County of Cumberland’s 1951 plan designated Asquith as industrial. The iconic Wrigley’s Chewing Gum factory arrived between 1958 and 1960, its globe-shaped water tower a local landmark. This cemented Asquith’s industrial growth, transforming it into the mixed residential, industrial, and bushland suburb we see today. Asquith truly embodies a unique blend of history, from its namesake to its growth.