Edwardstown had already begun to see the land divided up, growing quickly in businesses along South Road, and homes being built for the the employees needed. The promise of the Adelaide to Willunga railway coming through Edwardstown in 1913 saw large land holders seeing a greater profit in subdividing and selling, rather than farming or leasing it.
Ascot Park had some some very interesting owners even before it was named and subdivided. .
In 1909 the land section 87 and 86 was owned by W. and E. Ackland, of Ackland Chaff Mills fame and they sold it whole to a Mr Rounsevell. This gentleman was very wealthy, well known, connected to the 'best of high society' in Adelaide, and a member of Parliament in South Australia. He had bought large tracts of land, and had many interests in farming land throughout the State. On Marion Rd, in what is now South Plympton, he had a large Hereford breeding farm. He was connected with Mr Pine, whose land was bought by Mrs Emma Johns, an interesting dairy farmer who also bred cattle on this land in the 1920s and 1930s. Mr Rounsevell leased out part of the land to E. Ryan and sons. After the sale, this lease became a well publicised court case to work out who owned what and when. The case eventually went to the High Court of Australia. The Ryans lost the case, their lease and their farming land.
Within a couple of years the land had been sold onto Mr R V Wilson who also was a man of means, with many interests in South Australia, and also a member of Parliament. He became Sir Reginald Wilson in January 1926. This gentleman named the area Ascot Park after Ascot in England, and believed the name would create a similar type of area for people in South Australia - for a 'similar type' of people like in England. On his advertisements regarding the auction of the land, he also asked for someone to tender for the building of the railway, which he had included in the plans, as well as a railway station.
The latter caused many a letter to the newspapers as people protested at the site. They all mentioned the lack of road or track from either Sweetmans (Daws) Rd or Marion Road. They told of the flooding problems and of the many drains cut in an effort to curb the bad flooding of that particular area. Wilson, however, was not a man to bend, so the station was built exactly where he had chosen.. The Railway Station was opened on what was now called the Brighton line, on the 7th April, 1914.
For the building of the railway, he managed to get Mr Joseph Timms to take on the contract, and on the day of the auction, Timms brought the first train out to Ascot Park Railway Station himself. Then proceeded to buy over 50 lots.. Joseph Timms was himself a very wealthy man and well known as the man who entered a partnership with Henry Teasdale Smith - they won many contracts to build rail lines in Australia, including the line from Adelaide to Willunga.
The auction sale day was very successful, especially with the men mentioned involved and soon the farmland became smaller blocks, with the plans also including a number of small parks throughout the 'village'. 479 allotments were up for sale in 1912 but the sale did not eventuate until 1913, after the rail line was down and the land around was drained.
The Edwardstown Soldiers Memorial Recreational Grounds were mentioned in the sale as being a big attraction for those wanting to buy in the area.
Two Churches are in the area. 24 Fifth Avenue, has the Ascot Uniting Community Church and New Apostolic Church is at 39 Wolseley Terrace.
There was a Catholic church and school in Wood Street which was built to catch the 'overflow' of the time After World War 2 there was the 'Baby Boom Period". This plus the huge influx of migrants created a need for more churches and govt buildings such as schools to be built.
The Wood St premises were demolished a few years ago, and replaced with a row of 2 storey box like structures.
The land from Allison to Wood was another sale. The shopping centre on the block on Marion Road between Wood and Clifford Sts was built on the site of some old shops. The style of the chemist shop on Cnr of Wood and Marion Rd is a lovely and honest art deco revival style of the 1950s. Beautiful curved windows and the house attached at back with its part flat roof.
Part of the plans for Ascot Park were a number of small parks. Two survive. First Avenue in 2019 has been redone and is disabled friendly.
The second park is fairly new as it is on the land which was part of the 6th Avenue Scout group.
At one time there was a piece of land in Nelson/Wood St area which was used by soccer players until they were banned for not wearing shirts!!! It seems that some migrants became excited during the games, or hot, and didn't think anything of shedding their shirts. Much like the bricklayers of the day. But neighbours disapproved. Those were the times! Even some games were not allowed to be played on Sundays.
Ascot Park, especially from 1st Avenue to 4th Avenue, has changed so much over the past decades as the older homes are quickly disappearing and being replaced with flats, units and box like 'houses'. Along Railway Terrace from Daws Road to 6th Ave housing are disappearing at an alarming rate. There are still a number of wonderful homes with gardens back and front, some dating from the turn of the century - ie c1900 ,others of the late 50s and early 60s with their unusual architectural shapes and flat roofs. Some of the Art Deco Revival homes still manage to hang on, although there was one beautiful home which is being re-modelled into what looks like a box structure instead of curves and colour.
One last interesting note - Ascot Park School is not in Ascot Park!
