le ▁here ▁and ▁set ▁up ▁a ▁business ▁as ▁a ▁general ▁merchant . ▁In ▁ 1 8 3 1 ▁he ▁was ▁granted ▁ 6 0 ▁acres ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁bounded ▁by ▁the ▁present ▁Old ▁South ▁Head ▁Road , ▁Bir rell ▁Street , ▁Paul ▁Street ▁and ▁Hollywood ▁Avenue . ▁He ▁must ▁have ▁occupied ▁the ▁land ▁before ▁the ▁official ▁grant ▁because ▁he ▁built ▁himself ▁a ▁substantial ▁two ▁story ▁home ▁on ▁Old ▁South ▁Head ▁Road ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 7 , ▁naming ▁it ▁W aver ley ▁House ▁after ▁the ▁book ▁by ▁his ▁favour ite ▁author . ▁As ▁time ▁passed ▁the ▁house ▁became ▁a ▁distinct ive ▁land mark ▁and ▁gave ▁its ▁name ▁to ▁the ▁surrounding ▁district , ▁which ▁was ▁simply ▁called ▁W aver ley . ▁Le vey ▁established ▁Sydney ' s ▁first ▁permanent ▁theatre ▁behind ▁his ▁shop ▁in ▁George ▁Street . ▁His ▁projects ▁consum ed ▁all ▁his ▁money , ▁and ▁when ▁he ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 7 ▁he ▁left ▁a ▁wid ow ▁and ▁four ▁children ▁in ▁pover ty . ▁In ▁ 1 8 3 7 ▁the ▁house ▁was ▁taken ▁over ▁for ▁a ▁Catholic ▁school ▁or ▁or phan age , ▁but ▁it ▁was ▁demol ished ▁early ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century . ▁ ▁W aver ley ▁Municip ality ▁was ▁proc laimed ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 9 . ▁By ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 0 s ▁tr ams ▁were ▁running ▁to ▁the ▁be aches ▁in ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Sub ur bs ▁and ▁W aver ley ▁became ▁a ▁popular ▁pic nic ▁spot . ▁W aver ley