History of Deskford

The driving forces behind the latest chapter in the Deskford story are Aileen and Bob’s nine children. It is the Harris family’s lifetime of involvement with older people that has formed the basis of the Deskford philosophy. Years of after school and holiday jobs at Cabrini taught the third generation to respect and value older people from an early age. It became their dream to create a facility where people could age with dignity, independence and security. They witnessed the anxiety of many who – at the most vulnerable time in their lives – were forced to leave the familiar surroundings they loved, because of ill health and began to imagine how they could create a place where that would never be necessary.

Today, Aileen and Bob’s 7th child, William, runs the Cabrini Community and, in consultation with his siblings, is the main driver behind this new concept in Senior’s living.

One wild night in the 1930s, so the story goes, a determined young midwife named Iris Butler refused to allow the flood swollen waters of the Hawkesbury river prevent her attending to one of her patients; a young woman due to give birth to quadruplets. Thanks to Iris, the babies were born healthy and both mother and children survived with no ill effects.

In 1938, Iris (the grandmother of the current owners) bought Deskford House and converted it into a maternity hospital. Deskford House already had a colourful history. According to local legend, it was built by a rich young grazier who unfortunately died the day after receiving thousands of pounds worth of gold coins. Worse, he died without revealing the whereabouts of the money he had hidden for safekeeping and it has never been seen since. Though many have tried to discover this vanished treasure (searching out old wells, blocked up chimneys and locked attics) it remains undiscovered.

Undaunted by the history of Deskford House, Iris set about birthing most of the children born in the Parramatta district there for the next 30 years. She also created a fine reputation as a breeder of racehorses, and French and British bulldogs, claiming the Best Dog award at the Royal Easter Show year after year.

A facility where people can age with dignity, independence and security. In the 1960s “Matron” Butler relinquished control of Deskford to her daughter Aileen Joyce and Aileen’s husband Bob Harris. Aileen was also studying medicine, but she turned her energies to aged care and re-invented Deskford as a convalescent hospital called the Cabrini Community. Cabrini was the name of Aileen’s heroine, Mother Cabrini, founder of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and America’s first Saint. Under Aileen’s expert management, many of the people who had been born in her mother’s maternity hospital came back to their birthplace at the other end of their life.

When deskford house was first built, Parramatta was a thriving community about a day’s ride from Sydney. Now, of course, it is in the geographical centre of Sydney, a mere 20 minutes from the CBD either by train, bus or car.

These days, Deskford is close to all major transport hubs, Westmead Hospital and the University of Western Sydney. It is a short drive from the business and retail centre of Parramatta, combining all the stimulating attractions of city living (shops, restaurants, banks, cinemas, theatre, etc) with the peace and quiet of Parramatta Park, Old Government House and Parramatta River. There are also golf courses, swimming pools, churches of all denominations and leisure centres nearby, some within walking distance, all within a few kilometres.

It is the people and the relationships that make somewhere a good place to live.

Best of all, if you have lived in the Parramatta Westmead area all your life, you can stay close to your familiar stamping ground, able to maintain your network of friends, family, church, clubs, associations, neighbours and shops. Indeed, as you may have noticed, some of the new senior communities have been developed like resorts located in holiday destinations.

Deskford is the opposite. It has been deliberately designed to be part of its local community because, while beaches and views are nice, in the end, it is the people and the relationships that make somewhere a good place to live. And by staying in the local community, as we’ve pointed out previously, your life at Deskford will remain virtually unchanged, apart from the fact that many of the mundane household chores will be taken care of for you. Giving you the added bonus of much more time to take advantage of all the facilities the Parramatta area has to offer.