drygoods

One of my favourite images of Sydney. I discovered this image at PHM about a year ago when researching an exhibition I was working on. I still loving looking at all the details captured in it. Amazing to see these images of Sydney during that period and return to the spot they were taken to see how the city has changed.

It's probably worth mentioning that Peapes was a classy men's store which lingered on for many years, probably due to it's proximity to the later-to-be-constructed Wynyard railway station ramp. The actual direction of this photo is looking SSW, 'down' George Street towards Town Hall and away from Circular Quay.

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Sydney's older buildings and structures. , and we'd love to have this added to the group!

Between December 1899 (when the electric trams began in George St.) and 1904 (electric street lighting, not evident in this photo). Peapes (& Shaw) had an earlier store across George Street at No. 324 (that all rhymes!) -

Eghads! One man without a hat!-)

Ok, what is it about this snapshot that is distinct from so many others? Yes, the endearing vintage look is appealing as is the interesting unfolding of the ‘dance’ event. But it’s really just some guy sweeping up in a hardware store. —- that’s exactly right - it’s not a kissing couple on a foggy Parisian boulevard or a busy street corner in New York. You really don’t need a professional master photographer to create beauty. —— the hues are fabulous in this indoor flashbulb that exposure. The two gestures are so wonderfully choreographed. And most of all it’s the solid structure of the picture. Look at the harmonious diagonal lines created by his leg, broom stick, bar edge, her leg. And how everything fits into where it should be so casually. Nice photo

Thank you for the kind comments! Mary Lloyd Johnson carried her camera everywhere, capturing local events and people. She has captured our local history like no other person.