1913
In 1913, W.D. & H.O. Wills (Australia) Ltd opened a new tobacco factory on a 35-acre site in what was then the rural outskirts of Kensington. The complex was named Raleigh Park — a nod to Sir Walter Raleigh, often credited with introducing tobacco to Europe.
The first factory building, designed by the architects Halligan & Wilton, anchored what would grow into a sprawling industrial and social precinct. Alongside production facilities, the site eventually housed the Raleigh Park Social Club — an extensive sporting complex built for factory workers, with tennis courts, bowling greens and playing fields.
The factory would operate on this site for the next 72 years, becoming one of the best-known employers in the eastern suburbs.