FIRST HOUSE ON CULHAM WITH GROUP OF PEOPLE ON HORSEBACK

The land was part of the Culham Estate that Samuel Pole Phillips and Edward Hamersley owned in partnership from 1839. They set up a horse breeding partnership with Hamersley organising the business from Guildford and Phillips the horses at Culham. Culham was the name of the Phillips' family home on the Thames in England. Samuel James Phillips took over management of the property and became heavily involved in local community affairs. S.J. Phillips was commonly known as 'Squire' Phillips. The family were leaders in the community and through marriage and business interests were associated with the influential families in the colony. There have been four houses on the site; the first a cottage known as 'Shepherds Hut', then a larger mud brick house was built beside the Toodyay Brook. A two-storey house was built alongside the mudbrick house with George Henry Hassel as the contractor. Finally, another house was built incorporating the 'Shepherds hut'. (from inHerit entry for Culham Homestead, State Heritage Office)