Painted decoration from Richmond Villa

Richmond Villa is an early Australian colonial house standing in Kent Street, Sydney.

Since 1978 it has been the head office of the Society of Australian Genealogists. The house was originally located at the back of Macquarie Street, facing the Domain near the NSW Parliament. It was built in 1849-1851, designed by Colonial Architect Mortimer Lewis (1796-1879) as a private residence for himself – but never occupied by Lewis who became insolvent in 1849.

In 1975, when plans were developed for building additions to Parliament House, it was found impossible to retain Richmond Villa on its original site and a decision was made to relocate the building to a new site. This painted plaster panel was salvaged from the house during the process of dismantling, when it was exposed above a doorway in one of the principal rooms on the ground floor of the house.