hordern

Thanks Mr Hall for the date Saturday 13 February 1897. A bit of Troving reveals that Mr Samuel Hordern and family were on board and were given an enormous send-off, including special FAIRLIGHT and MANLY ferries (with the photographer on board?), the Parramatta steamer PHEASANT (seen alongside here?), the Enterprise Brass Band, etc etc. What fun! Full report in SMH 15/2/1897 p.4 Col.6 -"Farewell to Mr Samuel Hordern" - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/14088801 Worth quoting -

" ... FAREWELL TO MR. SAMUEL HORDERN.—On Saturday afternoon a successful send-off was accorded to Mr. Samuel Hordern, who, with his family, left by the P. and O. mail steamship China on a trip to Europe which will probably extend over about seven months. Many of the employees of Mr. Hordern's extensive establish- ment went down to the wharf to await the de- parture of the boat, while others secured a posi- tion among the crowd on the adjacent point, while not a few took advantage of the special 4 o'clock trips of the Fairlight and Manly, to accompany the China as far as the Heads. The managers of the various departments of Mr. Hordern's em- porium chartered the Parramatta steamer Pheasant (Captain Mance) for the occasion, and a large company assembled on board before 2 p.m., including Messrs. J. Lumsden (principal manager), T. T. May (general business manager), H. J. Barlett, C. H. Catley, D. Curtin, and T. Caddy. Mr. H. T. Everett, as secretary to the demonstration, carried out the necessary arrange- ments satisfactorily, and ample refreshments were provided by Mr. T. W. Helmore, of the Masonic Hall. The Enterprise Brass Band, which had also been engaged, provided music during the afternoon. Leaving the Floating Jetty at 2 o'clock the Pheasant ran down as far as Watson's Bay, and thence back to Balmain, and steamed up to the China just as the anchor was being weighed and the Commodore was towing the liner into position for a start. As the floating village moved slowly ahead past Macquarie Point, the Pheasant's passengers gave three hearty cheers, the band playing " Say Au Revoir, but not Good- bye." Mr. Hordern waved his acknowledgments, and then the members of the band and the em- ployees on the Pheasant vied with each other in a vigorous rendering of " For He's a Jolly Good Fellow." Between Bradley's and Watson's Bay many yachts, centreboards, and other sailing craft were passed, and the China was soon between the Heads and gracefully bowing to the long swell of the ocean. The Pheasant, with a good press of steam, managed to keep well abreast of the vessel, and, possibly by way of encour- agement to the homeward-bound voyagers, " A Life on the Ocean Wave " was given. " Auld Lang Syne " was subsequently sung with hearty goodwill, and the China went full speed ahead on her course, speedily leaving her diminutive escort behind. ... "

And another quote from the same article -

"... DEPARTURE OF THE R.M.S. CHINA,—Saturday was a gala day at the Circular Quay. The afternoon was beautifully fine, and the novelty of seeing the magnificent passenger steamer China leave for the old country attracted a crowd that exceeded anything ever seen before on a mailboat sailing day. Not only was the eastern side of the quay a con- tinuous stream of traffic, but on Fort Macquarie Point there were scores of private carriages and buggies, each with from two to half a dozen occupants. Such a scene has rarely, if ever, been witnessed there, even in the old days when, to see a regatta, people would congregate in thousands. The pride of the P. and O. line looked exceedingly handsome. She is a stately ship, and well de- served all the expressions of admiration passed upon her. Leaving the quay she was drawing 24ft. forward and about a foot more aft, but even at that draught her appearance was light. She loads down close to 30ft. when at an extreme, so that it can easily be imagined how her gracefully modelled hull would lift itself above the water line, and in the trim she left she certainly presented a grand sight. It was just 4 o'clock when she got away, followed by several steamers crowded with friends of those on board, some of them giving a " cock-a-doodle " on the road down, bands playing, and every one of the escorting steamers a perfect blaze of handkerchief-waving. A prettier sight or more enthusiastic send-off was never accorded a liner. Yesterday a wire from Gabo gives her as passing at 7.30 a.m., a speed of nearly 17 knots. She is on her way to Hobart. ... "

adb.anu.edu.au/biography/hordern-samuel-3916

pellethepoet Thanks for the right Samuel Hordern - I had trouble finding his bio.

Full description of the CHINA's features - including mention of gun platforms and possible use as an armed cruiser - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/9391608 .

What a SPECTACULAR building! And look! No cars on the streets at all!! WHY?!? Shame it had to go, I guess. I never even got to visit it :(

It was poss taken on a Sunday, and in the morning by the look of the shadow.

Now World Square

Was used by NSW Institute of Technology (now UTS) for business and law school from 1967-1984. in the end It leaked in some of the classrooms when it rained, and had non-functioning lifts in the middle of the staircase. Still good memories of the Brickfield Hill building though.

The copper on point duty is working hard!

As I am using this photograph as an illustration for an article about redescribing the photographic collections, I wondered why isn't this photograph geotagged. I discovered that among the geotagged pictures from Powerhouse Museum's collection presented here in Commons, there is one (earlier, it seems to me) from almost the same viewpoint, which actually is positioned in a wrong place (at the corner of George Street and Wilmot street), whereas the scene is from the corner of George Street and Liverpool Street. Google's Street View proves it nicely, as the two buildings on the right side of the photograph are still existing.

Great! These discoveries were so exciting to make. Greetings from the other side of the globe.

My advice is that this picture was taken after 1926.

I think the date is exactly 1930, probably late March. The banner on the Central Courthouse Hotel mentions a Fete (see note), and a quick Trove search produced this from the SMH 4/3/1930 with the matching dates and location - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/16630464?searchTerm=mari...