crescentparklets

Museums of History NSW - State Archives Collection This was at the conjunction of York and Clarence Streets and the Bradfield Highway about two hundred meters from St Philip's Church and Church hall. Now sadly lost under the Western Distributor; happily St Philip's remains!

John Cowper Thanks for placing this fountain! AB

Museums of History NSW - State Archives Collection To see a shot of the light/fountain in situ have a look at this acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemLarge.aspx?itemID=194208 and this acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemLarge.aspx?itemID=190271 I just hope St Philip's Church got their fair share of the revenue from the advertising between the parklet and the church -- but I rather doubt it JC

John Cowper Thanks John.

The building on the left, formerly Lawsons Auctioneers, is still there in Cumberland Street. The North Shore Line (up to the bridge) and the City Circle Line (around to Circular Quay) both run under Cumberland Street immediately infront of this building.

It would be interesting to try to identify the 'gardeners' - the gentleman with the gray moustache looks a little like Dr Bradfield ... but that's just a guess. Come on, this should test us!

John Cowper Good idea! I've replaced this with a larger version. I think you've picked JJC Bradfield. From this photo below we know that (third along) the woman is Mrs Davidson.
AB

Well the gentleman either behind her or to her right may well be the Minister. Would they have involved people from the Town Hall - ie the Lord Mayor, Lady Mayoress, or the Town Clerk and his wife perhaps?

The article by Dr Bradfield in the SMH Supplement of 19/3/1932 (under "Lighting Arrangements") mentions - "The parklets are planted with silky oaks, red bottle brush, ficus hillii, with a Moreton Bay ash, a distinctive eucalypt in each for shade, also two rosemary bushes, planted by Rosemary Game and Rosemary Budge." trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/28034317 I wonder if those are the Rosemarys? Rosemary Game was the wife of the NSW Governor, but I am not sure who Rosemary Budge was.

Museums of History NSW - State Archives Collection Have you got any other pictures of this event - or other activities with the same cast? John

Interested in this word "Parklets". Online Macquarie Dictionary (free trial ! ) could not find it; nor Merriam Webster. I wonder where it came from?

beachcomber australia Wikipedia has an entry for 'Parklet': "A parklet is a small urban park, often created by replacing several under-utilized parallel parking spots with a patio, planters, trees, benches, café tables with chairs, fountain(s), artwork, sculptures and/or bicycle parking." AB

She's very well dressed ... can we identify this lady?

Museums of History NSW - State Archives Collection Thanks! I thought "parklet" was a modern Californian term, but I see now it was current in 1931 - SMH 21/8/1931 page 10 - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/16827482 . I came across Bradfield's own description of his Bridge for a SMH Supplement on 19/3/1932 which is interesting reading. He uses the word parklet under the section 'Lighting Arrangements' to describe these plantings - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/28034317 . John Cowper I think it might be Mrs Davidson, wife of the Minister for Works !

The parklets from the air on 31/8/1937 -