William Alfred Leopold Crowle | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1880-12-12)12 December 1880 |
| Died | 6 December 1948(1948-12-06) (aged 67) Kurraba Point, New South Wales |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Other names | W.A. Crowle |
| Occupation | Businessman |
William Alfred Leopold Crowle (known asW.A. Crowle, 12 December 1880 – 6 December 1948) was an Australian businessman and philanthropist. He was known for his job as animporter, as well as his contributions to architecture and charitable endeavours. His signature phrase was "Once Upon a Time", which he used as the name for one of his residences atKurraba Point and ahalfway house for troubled young men inRyde.
Born inAlbury,New South Wales,[1] Crowle worked as an electrician inTasmania and a bicycle mechanic inAdelaide before becoming a car importer inSydney.[2] He then travelled to the United States to learnelectrical engineering and worked underThomas Edison.[3] As an importer, Crowle introduced Australia to theWurlitzer organ,Frigidaire refrigerators, andCitroen cars.[4]
In 1923, Crowle moved into the Wyldefel mansion at 10 Wylde Street,Potts Point, originally built in 1887. The property featured an extensive art collection obtained by Crowle during his international travels.[5][6] The bathroom alone cost £3,000 to develop and was considered "one of the most beautiful in Australia", featuring coloured windows fromBelgium, a marble fountain and light fittings manufactured in Paris, and anaquarium built into the walls, open to outside light.[7] Crowle and his family lived there around six months of the year, spending the rest of their time travelling overseas.
The property and its terraced waterfront gardens became a popular destination in the decades that followed. Many parties were held there, often as fundraisers for various causes. A Wurlitzer organ was installed at the property and recitals were held live to air on2FC and2BL.[8][9] During the Christmas season, Crowle would have children fromSurry Hills (then aslum in the midst of therazor gang era) brought to Wyldefel by theSalvation Army to be fed, entertained and given presents by "Santa Claus."[10]
During this era, Wyldefel was also the residence of Italian Consul-General Marchese Agostino Ferrante di Ruffano and his wife.[11] Several receptions for visiting Italian dignitaries were held there.[12][13] In an account of one such evening in honour of visiting sailors from theItalian cruiserArmando Diaz, theSydney Morning Herald recounted that "lights were switched on in the gardens, and many of the guests [...] lingered to admire the lovely effect of the beautiful old garden starred by clusters of lights against the background of the harbour at dusk."[14]
In 1935, Crowle decided to transform Wyldefel's terraced gardens into a series of sloped apartments to be named Wyldefel Gardens. He funded the redevelopment with an auction of his art collection[15] and also by turning the main mansion on the property into aguest house.[16]
Inspired by a design Crowle had seen in Germany, Wyldefel Gardens featured 20 apartments arranged in four steps with roof gardens for all – except for the waterfront apartment, which Crowle reserved for himself and named "Once Upon a Time." The property also featured a gas-driven clothes heating system[17] and a shared lawn withgazing ball,tennis court and aswimming pool.[18][19]
In 1940, theRoyal Australian Navy announced their intention to reclaim land along Wylde Street in order to facilitate access to their new base atGarden Island. This meant that Wyldefel Gardens would lose the lower waterfront section of the property, the remaining apartments would lose their water views to Navy buildings, and Crowle's "Once Upon a Time" apartment would need to be demolished.
Crowle's solution was to transport "Once Upon a Time" acrossSydney Harbour, brick-by-brick, and re-establish it atKurraba Point.[20] The front of the property featured a quote fromGoethe: "Live peaceably with all so shalt thou lead a happy life thyself." As the new location was adjacent to theKurraba Point ferry wharf and the steep steps leading up to Kurraba Road, Crowle also installed a series of quotations on plaques for commuters to read as they hurried up and down, including: "If short my span, I less can spare to pass a single pleasure by. An hour is long if lost in care - they only live who life enjoy."[21]
In 1944, Crowle opened ahalfway house for young men at 74-76 Belmore Street,Ryde, which he also named "Once Upon a Time."[22] The project, also known as the "W.A. Crowle Boys' Welfare Home" or simply the "Crowle Home", was embarked upon by Crowle in collaboration withChrist Church St Laurence and theChildren's Court as an alternative to incarceration.[23]
Described as a "'New Deal' for delinquents", the experimental endeavour was administered by Christ Church St. Laurence's J.R. Maykin. Residents were allowed to attend a cinema unescorted one night a week, to spend Sunday afternoons freely, to receive mail without censorship, to have free access to their parents and also visits from girlfriends. Boys were also placed on controlled diets with white tablecloths and English cutlery for all meals, and given employment in the home's vegetable and poultry farms for which they were obliged to put savings aside. Maykin toldThe Sun:
I have given the boys the 'freedom of the city', as it were, but fatherly discipline is the watchword at all times... The boys are not being treated as rich men's sons. The institution has taken on the very serious task of making men healthy in mind and body - out of youths who have never had a chance to amount to anything in life.[24]
Above the door of the property was an inscribed quote from Crowle: "What's good in good if there is not a little bad to overcome?" Other quotes featured throughout the property included "Experience is the name men give to their mistakes", attributed toOscar Wilde, and "Success is always a lonely job."[25]
In 1945, several residents threw a party at the house to mark the retirement of Magistrate F. Grugeon, who had sentenced them to "Once Upon a Time" residence in the Children's Court. Grugeon attended in person and was presented with a gift briefcase. The unusual occasion was documented inThe Sun, who quoted an anonymous 17-year-old resident:
If anyone had tried to tell me 12 months ago that I'd be standing here making a presentation to a magistrate, I'd have told them they were plain nuts. Between cops and magistrates and child welfare inspectors, I've hardly had a minute's peace for years... This time I got a bit of a break, and along with most of the other kids here, I do appreciate it.[26]
In 1946, Crowle obtained several stones from the ruin of theHouse of Commons inLondon, which had been destroyed duringThe Blitz. He offered to distribute them to universities, war memorials and theAustralian Parliament inCanberra "to enable young people to gaze upon them and absorb some of the history attached to them."[27] Many institutions rejected his offer, and it is not known if any accepted. One of the stones was displayed by Crowle above the fireplace at "Once Upon a Time" Ryde[28] and another, in the form of agargoyle, at "Once Upon a Time" Kurraba Point.[29]
That same year he was also fined £100 for failing to keep proper books in regard to the supply of liquor at Rose's Restaurant, for which he was formerly the proprietor.[30]
Crowle died at "Once Upon a Time" Kurraba Point on 6 December 1948.[31] Three days later, his funeral service was held at Ernest Andrews Chapels inChatswood. Thirty young male residents of "Once Upon a Time" Ryde formed aguard of honour, each wearing white carnations with black ribbons. Reverend C.K. Kenderdine spoke at the service, saying Crowle had built "Once Upon a Time" Ryde "not to make life easy for the boys, but to make it less hard."Wilfrid Thomas, a friend of Crowle's, read theRudyard Kipling poem, "L'Envoi." Crowle was then cremated at theNorthern Suburbs Crematorium inNorth Ryde.[32]
By request of the "Once Upon a Time" Ryde residents, his ashes were placed in an antiquesundial fountain at the house.[33] A newspaper notice in honour of his passing was placed by the localUnited Grand Lodge, revealing that Crowle had been aFreemason.[34] In his final days, Crowle prepared Christmas messages for his friends that began arriving in the mail in the weeks after his death.[35]
In 1952, "Once Upon a Time" Ryde was handed over to the Sub-Normal Children's Welfare Association. It remained in use as a rehabilitative home for disabled children for the rest of the 20th century.[36] In 2000, June Madden published a book about the history of "Once Upon a Time" Ryde, entitledA Home of Distinction.[37] In 2009, the home was passed to a privatedisability service provider named Achieve Australia. It was later developed into apartments, despite protests from locals and Crowle descendants.[38]
Crowle's art collection and belongings were auctioned off at least four more times - in 1959, 1968, 1979 and 1985.[39][40] Amongst the auctioned works wasJohn Finnemore'sThe signing of the treaty of peace at Versailles, 28 June 1919, which is now on display at theAustralian War Memorial.
The original Wyldefel mansion was demolished in the 1960s,[41] but the Wyldefel Gardens apartments remain intact in Potts Point today and are considered premium real estate.[42] "Once Upon a Time" Kurraba Point also still stands and is still an active residence. For many years Crowle's original "If short my span" plaque was hung next to the stairs leading up from the Kurraba Point ferry wharf, but as of 2024 it seems to have been removed and may or may not return. Still visible to ferry commuters is the Goethe quote plaque that Crowle unveiled to dedicate the building, serving as a permanent reminder of his contributions to Australian society.