caretaker, Thomas Rose, a man of "horticultural experience" and two men continued laying out the grounds. The 1890s depression halted work, which resumed in 1897. By 1904 a tennis pavilion and grandstand stood. Other estate subdivisions followed in 1900 and 1911. Today, huge Bay figs (Ficus macrophylla) frame the oval and give some sense of a former landscape estate, although Birch Grove House was demolished in 1967. The house subsequently known as Raywell was built on what was Lot 25, Section 7 of the Birch Grove subdivision, bought by auctioneer and former Mayor of Balmain Albert Elkington in 1882. He sold the property to Duncan Smith in July 1883, who built the house 1883. Smith sold the house in 1885 to produce merchant and commission agent R. William Ainsworth. It became known as "Raywell" during the occupancy of spinster, Rachel Cole Wells who lived there from 1888 to 1928. Raywell was purchased by Margaret Euphemia (Pheme) and Catherine (Kate) Lycette in April 1930 who resided here with their husbands George and Norman and other members of the family over the following years. During their ownership, the slate-roofed dwelling was painted a maroon colour. There was a large Morton Bay Fig tree on the side of the house, hedge along the front fence and ornamental palms in front of the verandah. The front and back verandahs were tiled and when the house was extended at the back (sometime prior to 1945) the back verandah was converted to a passage with a bathroom at each end. The garden at the back of the house extended to the waterfront. The Lycett family retained ownership until 1960. It was later converted to flats at an unknown date. In 1979 discussions were held proposing the demolition of Raywell. An Interim Heritage Order was placed over the property on 7 September 1979. In 1980 a new owner purchased the property and supported the making of a Permanent Conservation Order which was gazetted on 1 May 1981. The item was transferred to the State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. The new owner also set about restoring the property and converting the units back into a single residence. The expansive restoration project included restoring existing fireplaces, windows, architraves, skirtings and doors, restoring the north and east verandah and cast iron balustrade, replacing the stair with new cedar staircase following original location, enlarging the northern window in bedroom