John Stokes, stonemason, purchased this land in 1890 and quarried stone which, according to his daughter, Miss Effie Stokes, was sold to St Joseph’s College. However, changes in the stone colour towards red caused the quarry to be abandoned in favour of areas near the Field of Mars Cemetery. John Stokes then built this house, completed by 1893, using stone from the site. Miss Stokes kept the property until 1979.