cashmere takes its name from sir john cracroft wilson's farm, which originally occupied the present suburb. wilson was born in kashmir and named his farm after kashmir (cashmere is an early british spelling of kashmir). in 1979, the house wilson built for his indian workers became a function centre known as "the old stone house". the building has been significantly damaged and restored twice, following a fire in 1971 and earthquakes in 2010 and 2011.