NameEast House and PalmsTypeResidenceGeolocation[1] DescriptionEdwin Klein was born in 1901 at Parkes, NSW, to parents Albert F Klein and Emma Luhrs. Edwin had two siblings, an older sister Gladys b.1899 and a younger brother Sydney b. 1904.
At 19, he built his first house in the Arts & Crafts style for his widowed mother in Parkes NSW. In the mid-1920s he was offered work in Shellharbour, and between then and the mid 1950's Klein built at least 125 structures in Shellharbour, which was locally called 'Kleinville'.
Klein had a very particular social philosophy, which he displayed in either his philanthropy or distinctive design. His earliest house built in 1926, located on the corner of Towns and Eastern Avenue, uses shell grit mortar.
Klein was a self-taught builder, and his Shellharbour ventures enabled him to purchase the former NSW State Governors 840 square 'Hillview' estate and its furnishings at Sutton Forest in 1958. After he died 'Hillview' was bequeathed to the State of NSW.
This house in Mary Street was built by Edwin for his brother Sydney Henry Ernest Klein c.1926
On 20th April 1928 it was mortgaged to local surveyor Edward Thomas. On 31 December 1929 the mortgage was discharged and transferred from Sydney Klein, to his brother Edwin Klein.
It is believed Edwin Klein lived at this property until he sold the home 18 November 1950 to Clifford Russell Wenham East.
Clifford East was born 1908 to James Russell East and Charity Wenham. In 1932, Clifford married Emily J McDonald.
On leaving school in 1950, aged 15 years, Clifford and Emily’s son, Russell East, undertook his building apprenticeship with Edwin Klein.
Russell became as well-known builder in the area in his own right, and went on to work for Hughes Brothers as a quantity surveyor before setting up his own company.