Willandra, Ryde

Willandra is a Colonial Georgian house in the Sydney suburb of Ryde. It is listed by the New South Wales Heritage Council as a place of historical significance. It was built by James Devlin in the early 1840s and has been associated with several prominent people. During the 1970s it was in danger of being demolished but it was purchased by the Ryde City Council with the assistance of the Federal Government and has been restored. It is now used by two local community groups.

Devlin family

James Devlin was born in 1808 in Sydney. His father was Arthur Devlin, an Irishman who was a leader in the 1798 Rebellion and was captured and exiled to Australia in 1805. His mother was Priscilla Squire, the daughter of James Squire, who was a brewer near Ryde. James’s father died when he was only 12 and his mother remarried. His stepfather was Thomas Small. At the age of 14, James became an apprentice wheelwright and remained in this trade for much of his life. In 1831 he married Mary Ann Hartigan and the following year they had a son James (see photo below). In 1833 Mary died in childbirth and the baby, John, died the following day.

Ryde

Coordinates: 50°43′38″N 1°09′42″W / 50.7271°N 1.1618°W / 50.7271; -1.1618

Ryde is a British seaside town and civil parish, and the most populous urban area on the Isle of Wight, with a population of about 32,250, reducing to 23,999 at the 2011 Census. It lies on the north-east coast. The town grew in size as a seaside resort after the villages of Upper Ryde and Lower Ryde were merged in the 19th century. The influence of this era is still strongly visible in the town's central and seafront architecture.

As a resort, the town is noted for its expansive sands, which are revealed at low tide, making its pier necessary on the wide beach for a regular passenger service. Ryde Pier is a listed structure, and the fourth longest pier in the United Kingdom, as well as the oldest.

History

In 1782 numerous bodies of men, women and children from HMS Royal George, which sank suddenly at Spithead, were washed ashore at Ryde. Many were buried on land that is now occupied by The Esplanade. A memorial to them was erected in June 2004.

Ryde (disambiguation)

Ryde may refer to:

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