[1] George Oakes purchased the land in 1857 when he was a member of the Legislative Assembly representing Parramatta, but it was not until 1871 that plans were drawn up for a house on the site.

During the 1860s Oakes had spent a considerable time overseas, but by the early 1870s he returned to his Australian interests including politics.

Mansfield's 1871 drawing of the front elevation of the house for George Oakes is titled "a first class residence in Macquarie Street".

On 10 August 1881 after leaving Parliament House, Oakes was knocked down in Elizabeth Street by a steam tram and died a few hours later.

After his death ownership passed to his son Arthur, a medical practitioner and was let, first from about 1882 to 1884 to politician William Adams Brodribb and then from about 1887 to 1889 to the Warrigal Club, much favoured by squatters when visiting from the country.

For many years this part of the city remained comparatively peaceful but by 1952 this had changed and while Dr Bell continued to use the house for consulting rooms he and his wife no longer resided there.

Instead the Society met in a number of different venues and was eventually provided with rooms in the Department of Education building in Bridge Street.

In 1941, forty years after its foundation, the Society acquired its own premises in a former wool store in Young Street.

After very lengthy negotiations and when the AMP Society had eventually acquired all of the other sites in the area bounded by Phillip, Young and Bridge Streets the RAHS finally had to move.

"Wickham House" was available for purchase and was acquired for the RAHS by the AMP Society, substantially on an exchange basis for the Young Street premises.

[1] In order to make the house suitable for use by the Society, restoration and construction work was carried out, under the direction of Barry Swain of Peddle, Thorp & Walker.

It was officially opened by His Excellency the Governor-General of Australia, Sir Paul Hasluck, Patron of the Society, on 12 November 1971.

[1] Since its acquisition by the Society much work has been carried out to maintain and enhance this important and now rare example of the town houses which once graced much of Macquarie Street.