hordern

The cast-iron awnings on both sides of Brickfield Hill / George Street are amazing in this photo. @ PhMC - Anthony Hordern's New Palace Emporium (1905) was not yet built at the time of this picture (except for an older, smaller store further down the street - see note), but it shows up as "before and after" shots here - www.flickr.com/photos/powerhouse_museum/2667018244/

This is one of several pictures of George Street where the tram pylons and wires are apparent, but no trams. Which might help date the photos to December 1899, just before trams started on this route. Unless the trams were on strike . . .

I recently found out that the iron verandah front on the west / right side of George Street was built in 1885 to hold and hide the telephone cables of the rapidly expanding network. " In 1885 a cable support disguised as an ornamental verandah front was erected along the western side of George Street from the G.P.O. to what is now Railway Square. (ref 3'4'5) This is a distinctive feature which can be seen on many photographs. It became the backbone of the network with pole routes branching off at every cross street. The pole route in this section of George Street was replaced by a smaller one carrying only telegraph wires. The cable support was superseded before 1900 but was not all demolished. Shopkeepers had been allowed to use it to support awnings, and where they had done so it was left in place. " Ref.- www.telephonecollecting.org/lightpoles.htm

The poster for the "Grand Commonwealth Fair" occurs in several pictures of George Street, implying they must be contemporary to the event at the Town Hall in November / December 1899. The trams on this part of George St started in December 1899. See other pictures - www.flickr.com/photos/powerhouse_museum/2712341239/ and www.flickr.com/photos/powerhouse_museum/3041763769/

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!

Anthony Hordens now World Square

Museums of History NSW - State Archives Collection Note the water sprayed on the tram tracks to reduce the dust ... photo taken 1899-1900 before the introduction of electric traction to the Pitt Street and Castlereagh Street routes

They must have thought this was colossal for it's time... this pre-dates any real notion of a train network surely?

Highranger It was! In fact the Sydney Railway Company, precursor to the Government operations which surplanted the company was advocating moving the central railway station of the first line closer to the heart of the city as early as 1849. Here is a map of the first planned extension

Before (c.1880) - After (c.1906) -

Interesting article in the SMH of 3/1/1902 (p.3) one year before this photo, describing the progress and the amount of work involved in moving the hill where the cemetery was. trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/14446921 .