home "Woodford House" and built the second-storey east wing, primarily to accommodate his Sydney friends and their servants. It became an exclusive retreat for him and his friends. During his time here he bought more land and then owned 90 acres on which he created an orchard and house garden to provide fresh food for his guests. Fairfax had "house and servants" at Woodford. In 1874 an observation was made of the transit of Venus 200 yards to the west of Woodford. Members of the scientific community visited the Fairfax property to observe the phenomenon. Portable observatories were set up in tents for the observations. In 1876 the property was leased or at least in the possession of Mr. Hague-Smith. In 1879 the house was still described as Mr. Fairfax's "commodious residence and large gardens namded Woodford". In Hague-Smith made additions to the kitchen building and opened the property as a guest house: "Woodford House". From October 1881 until 1907 it is said to have been a fashionable guest and function house. Names of clients included George Walker, Arnott, Sir William Patrick Manning and Sir Archibold Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery. On 29 June 1897 (Fairfax losing money in his financial dealings in mining ventures) the property was put up for auction and sold to David Flannery. At this time it was described as a sanatorium with two blocks of land and . 'buildings are substantial...accommodation is large...pleasure grounds and orchard extensive...' Flannery subdivided and sold some of the land. Pre 1902 the railway zig zag at Lapstone was bypassed. A March 1903 inventory of the contents was made, with the rooms named and another made in 1905. Pre 1906 the property was used as a private hospital by Dr. Mark Henry Long. In November 1906 it was sold under the Real Property Act (occupied by Edward Graves). Use as a school From 1907 to 1934 under lessee (and distinguished classics scholar) John Frazer McManamey, it became a significant school, the Woodford Academy, in competition and then in succession to Cooerwull Academy at Lithgow, the other major Presbyterian school outside Sydney, where McManamey had previously taught. John McManamey was a Scottish policeman's son from Wellington, educated at an Anglican boarding school, All Saints' College in Bathurst, then at the University of Sydney, where he lived at St. Andrew's College. At University and College he was enabled to indulge his