Royal Australian Historical Society

The building seen here on the NW corner of Macquarie and King Sts was built in ca. 1889-90 on the site previously occupied by the St James parsonage. Just going on various items I've tracked down in the digitised newspapers, the building was originally known as St James Chambers and the St James Buildings...in the earlier 20th century it appears to have been known as The Towers...from ca. 1916 it was known as the Queen's Club Building...I gather it was a mix of residential apartments and professional suits/offices.

There's very little information on the construction of the building in the digitised newspapers...the site was evidently owned by St James Church...in 1889 the site was leased to the Sydney Permanent, Freehold, Land, and Investment Company, who then demolished the old St James parsonage and erected this building in its place...the building work appears to have been in progress from ca. July 1889 thru to mid/later 1890...the architect was Varney Parkes. The building was acquired by the NSW Government in the mid/later 1930s...I gather it survived until the mid 1970s, when it was demolished to make way for the NSW Supreme Court complex, which occupies the site today...

trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/16467645 - the building that occupied the site in the 19th century...for most of its life it was the St James parsonage...

Another view of the St James' Buildings
www.flickr.com/photos/193158484@N02/52410408860/

The 1891 Metropole Hotel -

Looks like the North Shore railway is not quite built - opened 1893. So 1892 ...

City Mutual Life Assurance Office (aka City Mutual Building), NE cnr Bligh/Hunter Sts...built 1892-94www.flickr.com/photos/193158484@N02/52370849751/

Congrats on Explore! ⭐ January 15, 2024

Congrats on Xplore!!

Gutes Foto

Congrats on Explore! ❤📷❤ great image! regards.