barnet

Hmmm ... where's this? Hyde Park Barracks?

Yes! - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyde_Park_Barracks,_Sydney. "From 1887 to 1979 law courts and government offices were based at the Barracks." Previous to these plans, from 1848-1886 it was "a place for the friendless female" - www.migrationheritage.nsw.gov.au/exhibitions/friendlessfe...

" ... Shortly after 1 o'clock Mr. Clarke [the Minister for Justice] left his office, for the purpose of inspecting the new additions and alterations at the Hyde Park Barracks. The only portion of the work Which is now nearly completed is that connected with the new offices for the Examiner of Patents, the City Coroner, and the Inspector of Weights and Measures. These offices hare been constructed in the line of buildings adjoining the Immigration Depot, and formally known as the Sheds, and used as barracks for the unemployed some time ago. The change which has been wrought is very striking', and the work done is exceedingly creditable to those who have had it in hand. As one enters the premises the first offices to be seen are those which will be used tor tho Examiner of Patents. The first is the Examiner's prívate room, with a small waiting-room adjoining. Then there is a public room, and a room for exhibiting inventions adjoining those first mentioned. After the Patents Office will be the Coroner's Court room, and the various rooms for the jury, clerks, and the Coroner himself. These offices will, no doubt, bo found very convenient for their purpose ; and the Coroner's Court, which is provided with a dais for tho Coroner, and also jury and clerks' boxes, & c., already present an excellent appearance The offices east of the Coroner's private room are to be used by the Inspector of Weights and Measures. Mr. Clarke inspected tho whole of the premises in a very careful manner, and expressed himself well satisfied with the progress which has been made. The new structure now being built at the rear of the Immigration Depot for the Equity Court-room has been begun, and various alterations are now in process of being made in connection with the new offices of the Curator, Master in Lunacy, and other departments. Mr. Clarke hopes that the Coroner's Court and other offices thereto adjoining, will be ready for use by the beginning of next month, but it is hardly likely that the Equity Court and offices in the main building will be ready for occupation before the month of November. ... "

From SMH 18/8/1887 p.8, col.3 - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/13659113

that plan appears to be signed by James Barnet.

See also ...

What fun! To get that height and distance from the NEW lighthouse, the photo must have been taken from the OLD one. Looking west, Sydney Harbour in background. c.1883 See www.flickr.com/photos/state-records-nsw/3793505443/ and www.flickr.com/photos/state-records-nsw/3793505537/ More - www.lighthouse.net.au/lights/nsw/Macquarie/Macquarie.htm#...

All those knobs in top hats - I wonder if one of them is the architect James Barnet - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Barnet . Perhaps the fellow with the pale topper and big nose?

Isn't it a great photo! I think you're right about it being taken from the old lighthouse. I've replaced this with a larger version to see if we can see a bit more of that face you have pointed out...the shadows on the cheekbones look similar don't they?

Thanks, State Records NSW, the large version shows astonishing detail, but I can't make a match yet.

Second thoughts - I would say that is a definite match. Here is another portrait of him - www.sydneyarchitecture.com/ARCH/ARCH-Barnet.htm. I wonder who the others are? A Premier, various Ministers, hangers-on, and children. The photo-op for NSW pollies is nothing new!

Wonderful very old photo.

I don't know if this is relevant, but the Sydney Morning Herald for Thursday 24 November 1870 had an article about the need and responsibility for insurance of wool bales stored in these warehouses. trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/13208517

Later by Charles Kerry -

Spot the differences! -

trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/108197538 - the Evening News, 12th September, 1877...per this item, a new warehouse/store was built in the gap between the Talbot Stores and the building next right in 1877...

trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/70592536 - the Australian Town & Country Journal, 24th June, 1876...this illustration shows the gap still there...

trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/70457651 - the Australian Town & Country Journal, 12th February, 1870..two of the Blackwall Stores were extensively damaged by fire in February 1870...but they appear to have been rebuilt within 6 months or so...

14 years later...I spent a few days trying to establish the construction dates of the stores seen here...there's a little bit more info available on-line now...but not much...

The Blackwall Stores were owned by entrepreneur and political figure Edward Flood (1805-1888)...all the other stores seen here appear to have been owned by George Talbot (1802-89) and his son Paul (?1826-87)...both Flood and the Talbots ran stevedoring and wool pressing operations...they weren't wool brokers (the guys who bought and sold wool)...their main business involved pressing wool into smaller bales so it took up less space and then loading it onto the wool clippers...at the time pressing wool ('dumping') was something of a specialist operation and only a relatively few establishments had the large hydraulic presses which were required...

Edward Flood's Blackwall Stores were built between ca. November 1863 and mid 1865...

The first part of Talbots' stores (north of the Moore's Stairs passageway) appears to have been built in the later 1850s (completed by ca. 1858)...the second part (south of the passageway) appears to have been built in ca. 1863. I'm less certain re the next building...but it appears to have been built for the Talbots in ca 1867-68. From 1872 thru to the later 1870s it was used as a bond store and known as the New Bond.

I've put links to my various sources here
www.flickr.com/photos/193158484@N02/53810270223/
www.flickr.com/photos/193158484@N02/53810660685/