commissariat

Hmmm - "1/09/1939" was also the day WW2 started, with the invasion of Poland. Just before the demolition of the wonderful Commissariat Stores (1810/12 - 1939). See other views and comments -

It is Circular Quay West - not George Street.. Resumption Map Plan U - gallery.records.nsw.gov.au/wp-content/gallery/darling-har...

Lovely photos!.

Thanks beachcomberaustralia - think you might be right about this one - I thought it looked a bit odd for George St. Here's another view: investigator.records.nsw.gov.au/asp/photosearch/search.as... -AG

For more information about the SS Orient: www.flickr.com/photos/powerhouse_museum/2362703683/ and www.laird-bogstown.com/orient 1.php

Yes, beachcomberaustralia, it looks French to me, possibly 'Pacifique', which means 'peaceful'.

Thanks for that Wardie44B, or 'Merci'. The French steamship "Pacifique" (built 1899) was owned by the M M (Compagnie des Messageries Maritimes - see note on flag) a French state-owned operation. She was 1,938 tons and (probably) operated the Marseilles - Port Said - Mahe - Reunion - Mauritius - Adelaide - Melbourne - Sydney - Noumea route. She was scrapped in 1925. Ref.- www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/mm.htm . The earliest reference to the SS Pacifique in the Sydney Morning Herald is an advertisement for sailing to Noumea at 1pm on Wednesday 15 November 1899 - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/14233925?searchTerm=SS pacifique . This might not be the sailing that was about to happen in this photo, but it is certainly c.1900. The scaffolding in front of the Customs House (they were adding extra floors) also is evident in this photo - www.flickr.com/photos/state-records-nsw/3794327782/ .

Spot the differences! - acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemLarge.aspx?itemID=413341

Yes, a number of differences, beachcomber. What does is signify that the Pacifique isn't flying any flags (well, not the one on top and not the French flag) in the other image?

I can't see very well but I think the rebuilt Fortune of War is at the edge of the photograph on George St. This would mean the photograph is post 1920.

oscella I've replaced this with a larger version; hopefully this helps! AB

The date 30 11 [November] 3? can be seen in reverse in the bottom left corner. The year must be 1939 (thank you beachcomberaustralia) based on articles in the Sydney Morning Herald re the demolition work and also the advertisement for the French film 'La Bandera' on the hoardings. 'La Bandera' ran from 25 November 1939 to 1 February 1940 at the New Savoy. Work on demolishing the 1810 Commissariat Stores began on 5 July 1939. The protest letter to the editor of PC Mowle of Neutral Bay, published 2 November, comments that the demolition of the Commissariat building was complete and that windows and roof slates had been removed from the old Taxation Building. A further article published on 10 November states that the walls were being demolished. See Sydney Morning Herald 25 November 1939 p11, 27 January 1940 p10, 6 July 1939 pp8 and 10, 2 November 1939 p7, 10 November 1939 p6, and 27 November 1939 pp10 and 12. JS

[weeping for the loss of the Commissariat Stores] "La bandera' 1935 - www.imdb.com/title/tt0026095/

beachcomberaustralia have you seen the Darling Harbour resumption maps held by State Records, NRS 19348, 1900-1902, in particular Plan U 'Map of Resumption Area bounded by Darling Harbour, George Street, Bethel Street, Circular Quay, Queens Wharf (Within section 83 and part of section 86)', 12 Jun 1902. I believe this is the same site. Go to Archives Investigator -> Advanced Search -> Record Series ->19348 and browse through the list "Record items in this series" until you find the link to Plan U. When you have the entry for Plan U, click on the link in the 'Images' field to bring up the image of the map. JS