Edwin Klein

 Mr. Edwin Klein was an unusual man. He was self educated having had only three years of schooling during his life and he became a self-made millionaire.

Klein worked as a shop assistant and carpenter before buying land around Shellharbour where he worked as a builder. He believed everyone should own a home and built houses as cheaply as possible, at times advancing the deposit as an interest free loan enabling the client to get a bank loan.

Klein’s building apprentice and local identity Russell East recalled Klein's unorthodox approach - hammering in screws to save time and laying a thin layer of concrete in bathrooms over formwork floors reinforced with wire from old bedding.

On one occasion, Russell jumped from one section of the floor of a new building to another and went straight through it. Mr. Klein told him sternly that he was never to jump on the floors as he may go through them.

Klein also made his own house paint out of animal fat and lime. This was cheaper than buying it from the store.

During his years at Shellharbour, Edwin Klein lived in a corrugated iron shack, only building a house for himself shortly before he left the Village.

In 1957, Klein purchased the historic Governor’s residence Hillview at Sutton Forest for 3000 ounds. Hillview was built in the 1850s and owned for a time by Sir Henry Parkes who bought the property as a country residence for early State Governors.

Hillview had 51 rooms however Klein chose to live in the small cottage next to the main house. Klein attempted to turn the estate into a home for the elderly however, this soon failed with residents tiring of his many and various rules, including his regulations on snoring.

Klein was a keen gardener and worked on landscaping Hillview from sunrise to well past sunset, sometimes working by the light of torch. Klein largely left the historic house alone and on his death, cupboards were found stocked with utensils, glass wear and china bearing the Governors crest.