Paterson. The Grand Hall at Tocal Agricultural College. Established on the Tocal estate in 1967.
Tocal.
James Webber arrived in the region in January 1822 and applied for a land grant at Paterson. He was granted 2,020 acres which he named Tocal. He later added 720 acres and soon had a total of 3,280 acres. His brother John Webber got a nearby land grant of 3,300 acres which he named Penshurst. Like other pioneers the Webber brothers were fortunate to obtain assigned convicts to provide the basically free labour for them to build up their grand estates. James Webber grew wine grapes, fruit, wheat, corn, tobacco, and ran sheep and cattle. Records for 1828 shows 38 assigned convicts at Tocal including - 13 labourers; 3 tobacconists; 8 shepherds; 2 overseers; 1 shoemaker; 1 stock keeper and 1 servant and others. All were males between the ages of 16 and 63 years. He built a barracks for the assigned convicts and a stone barn was built in 1830 but later burnt down. The barn was needed for drying tobacco. A blacksmiths shop was built 1828. James Webber sold Tocal in 1834 and it was purchased by Caleb Wilson and his son Felix. The perfectly proportioned two storey Georgian residence was built in 1839 for Felix Wilson. The architect of this homestead is now believed to be William Moir. Later in 1867 another architect was commissioned, Edmund Blacket who built many churches in NSW, to build a new stone barn. All joinery is the homestead is Australian red cedar. Felix Wilson planted Moreton Bay Figs to frame his new home. He grew vines and produced wine.
In 1843 he attempted to sell Tocal estate to Charles Reynold but Reynolds leased the estate from Wilson from 1844 to 1871. Charles Reynolds died in 1871 and his son Frank Reynolds took over Tocal and built some new stone structures. By then Tocal covered 5,900 acres and it was still owned by the estate of Felix Wilson. Frank Reynolds then began to buy some sections until the Reynolds family owned all of Tocal in 1907. Frank Reynolds died in 1920 and his sons Charles and Harry ran Tocal mainly as horse stud. In 1926 Tocal estate was sold to the Alexander family - two sisters and two brothers all elderly and unmarried. The youngest Alexander was Charles Boyd Alexander. When he died at Tocal in 1947 with no heirs, it was left to two nieces to occupy provided they were not married. They were the Curtis sisters. He also set up a trust covering Tocal so that it became the C. B. Alexander Training home for destitute and orphan children. In 1963 the Presbyterian Church took over Tocal homestead and the training college. A new chapel was built at Tocal in 1967. The church then got the trustees to establish and an agricultural training college at Tocal with the two Miss Curtis women still having life tenancy of the Tocal homestead. By then Tocal house was on 163 acres. The C. B. Alexander Presbyterian Agricultural College lasted from 1965 to 1969. Then the NSW Department of Agriculture took it over in 1970 with a special act of parliament.
Paterson. The Grand Hall at Tocal Agricultural College. Established on the Tocal estate in 1967.
Tocal.
James Webber arrived in the region in January 1822 and applied for a land grant at Paterson. He was granted 2,020 acres which he named Tocal. He later added 720 acres and soon had a total of 3,280 acres. His brother John Webber got a nearby land grant of 3,300 acres which he named Penshurst. Like other pioneers the Webber brothers were fortunate to obtain assigned convicts to provide the basically free labour for them to build up their grand estates. James Webber grew wine grapes, fruit, wheat, corn, tobacco, and ran sheep and cattle. Records for 1828 shows 38 assigned convicts at Tocal including - 13 labourers; 3 tobacconists; 8 shepherds; 2 overseers; 1 shoemaker; 1 stock keeper and 1 servant and others. All were males between the ages of 16 and 63 years. He built a barracks for the assigned convicts and a stone barn was built in 1830 but later burnt down. The barn was needed for drying tobacco. A blacksmiths shop was built 1828. James Webber sold Tocal in 1834 and it was purchased by Caleb Wilson and his son Felix. The perfectly proportioned two storey Georgian residence was built in 1839 for Felix Wilson. The architect of this homestead is now believed to be William Moir. Later in 1867 another architect was commissioned, Edmund Blacket who built many churches in NSW, to build a new stone barn. All joinery is the homestead is Australian red cedar. Felix Wilson planted Moreton Bay Figs to frame his new home. He grew vines and produced wine.
In 1843 he attempted to sell Tocal estate to Charles Reynold but Reynolds leased the estate from Wilson from 1844 to 1871. Charles Reynolds died in 1871 and his son Frank Reynolds took over Tocal and built some new stone structures. By then Tocal covered 5,900 acres and it was still owned by the estate of Felix Wilson. Frank Reynolds then began to buy some sections until the Reynolds family owned all of Tocal in 1907. Frank Reynolds died in 1920 and his sons Charles and Harry ran Tocal mainly as horse stud. In 1926 Tocal estate was sold to the Alexander family - two sisters and two brothers all elderly and unmarried. The youngest Alexander was Charles Boyd Alexander. When he died at Tocal in 1947 with no heirs, it was left to two nieces to occupy provided they were not married. They were the Curtis sisters. He also set up a trust covering Tocal so that it became the C. B. Alexander Training home for destitute and orphan children. In 1963 the Presbyterian Church took over Tocal homestead and the training college. A new chapel was built at Tocal in 1967. The church then got the trustees to establish and an agricultural training college at Tocal with the two Miss Curtis women still having life tenancy of the Tocal homestead. By then Tocal house was on 163 acres. The C. B. Alexander Presbyterian Agricultural College lasted from 1965 to 1969. Then the NSW Department of Agriculture took it over in 1970 with a special act of parliament.