ashton

This is in Clyde Street, Millers Point (street now demolished). The house on the left with the lamp is in this painting by Julian Ashton "Clyde St, Miller's Point " 1901 (AGNSW) - www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/works/5857/ [link updated 7/4/16] Also in this 1893 etching by Livingston Hopkins (NLA) - nla.gov.au/nla.pic-an8538706

Another good find and location identification!

There is an interesting article about the "Doomed streets of Sydney" which has a wonderful description of the people we see in these Rocks photos and the so-called Demolition Books of Sydney City Council. It also has several pictures of Clyde Street which seemed to have been a favourite with photographers and artists before its demolition. scan.net.au/scan/journal/display.php?journal_id=64 Another thing which strikes me about this series by the unnamed photographer, is that the subjects are shown as beautiful, clean, light, almost idyllic - far from the rat infested slums and dark satanic mills. The photographer had a very artistic eye and an interest in recording the commonplace, even the people who lived there. These images do not LOOK like a State Government record !

What can I say, beachcomberaustralia, I'm speechless! You have a good eye for the small details.

The City of Sydney Archives and Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority should be able to help you out with the latest date at which this would have been taken. CoSA & SHFA both have similar images in their collections. The demolitions in the area mainly happened due to the plague clearing in the area in the early 20th century. I would at a guess say that these images were taken between 1900-1910. The street was photographed for the demolition books in 1901 and is image 000/00077 in Archive Pix

I thought this looked vaguely familiar - Julian Ashton "Old houses, Cumberland Street" (AGNSW) - collection.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/results.do?id... ED 14/3/15 updated link - www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/works/5858/

Good find. Do you know what date the Ashton painting was done? It appears to be after the phtograph, as the major house in the photograph is in ruins or demolished in the painting and the tree near the bend in the road at left is much larger in the painting.

I think the photo was part of the series taken in 1901 after the bubonic plague. So presumably the Ashton painting is soon after demolition. It seems the unnamed photographer and Ashton might have known each other, just as with this photo - www.flickr.com/photos/powerhouse_museum/2844602875/ . I am keeping an eye out for other matches.

There are chooks wandering around in the Ashton painting too.

"Plague" album Vol. V, "295 Nos. 95 and 97 Cumberland-street" Digital Order No. a147295 acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/album/albumView.aspx?acmsID=413021&... Thumbnail page 4.

I think the houses are in Princes Street (now the Sydney Harbour Bridge southern approach road), Trinity Avenue is marked in the middle, and the street at front with the loitering gentleman is Lower Fort Street.

You're right beachcomberaustralia - the foreground is Lower Fort Street, though a few of the houses do have access from Trinity Avenue - investigator.records.nsw.gov.au/asp/photosearch/photo.asp...

A nice Harold Cazneaux photograph from the AGNSW collection.

Interesting stuff pellethepoet. I see from Google street view that the steps and ramp are still there (why would they go anywhere?!).

I wonder if this was nearby? - Julian Ashton - "Old House, Trinity Lane, Sydney" (1893) AGNSW - www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/works/3320/