postbox

:) "What's in a name?"

That was terrible, hang your head in shame!

I like the way those shadows lead to the bicycle.

Brian Mulligan I'm offaly sorry!

That car's a bit of a tricky one. Maybe a Vauxhall Cresta PB, but I'm not 100% convinced of that.

Museums of History NSW - State Archives Collection Thanks for posting this so quickly.

I was amazed to discover where this handsome and very old building was - at the SE corner of George and Market Streets, in the middle of Sydney. Unfortunately it literally has "Gone to Gowings", with the 1929 Gowings building at 452-56 George St., and the 1929 State Theatre in Market St. there now.

Google Maps Street View - goo.gl/maps/FCkLS1ofPNN2
[ed. - updated 23/10/15]
Gowings - www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/07_subnav_04_2.cfm?itemid=2424014
State Theatre - www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/07_subnav_04_2.cfm?itemid=5045499 and www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/07_subnav_04_2.cfm?itemid=2424031

I am not sure what the old building was called or used for, or its date (c.1830?) - does anyone know? Did it survive into the 1920s, or was there another building before Gowings? It seems to have been unloved towards the end of the C19th - most photographs seem to avoid it.

The view to the right -


"George Street from Market Street" Henry King (PhM)

Aha! Found it! Joseph Fowles "Sydney in 1848" names it as Waterloo Stores -

" At the corner of Market Street, with the front in George Street, stands the "Waterloo Stores," a spacious brick building, erected some twenty years since by Mr. Daniel Cooper; it then stood alone at the corner of the Cattle Market, and was without question the best building in the City, and even in the present day, when the spirit and enterprise of the colonists have caused the erection of many very excellent buildings, it still holds its rank amongst the best. The business of this establishment is conducted by Mr. D. Cooper, Junior, (the son of the above named gentleman) on a very extended scale. Country Stores and Settlers are here supplied with every thing they require: Wines, Spirits, Ales and Porter, Grocery, and Drapery Goods, Slops, and Clothing, Ironmongery, etc., in infinite variety. "

from - www.sydneyarchitecture.com/GALL/GALL-1848.htm (just over half way down).

There is a recognisable illustration (top left) -

It is easy when you have the name. The Waterloo Stores was demolished in 1883 -


"The last of the Waterloo Stores" SLNSW

And John Hunter (Boots - next door} took over the George St frontage and erected another building which was demolished for Gowings. Daniel Cooper had acquired the site in 1821 and started building that year. Ref - SMH 17/10/1928, p.11 - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/16502273 .

So the Waterloo Stores was there from 1821- 1883. I imagine this photo is shortly before the 1883 demolition. What a great big shame, but how lucky that someone had the idea to photograph it.

[Thanks State Records NSW] Between 1887 (James Barnet rebuild) and 1896 (Walter Liberty Vernon additions), see www.sydneyarchitecture.com/ROC/QUA05.htm . See also comments here - and

Note the streets paved with woodblocks. And no trams tracks. Should help us narrow the date further.

Trams were 1899; woodblocking first done in 1887 at Circular Quay - (SMH 16/8/1887, para 8) - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/28350536 . So no closer, except the woodblocks do look shiny and new (they mistakenly used the wrong unseasoned wood and the blocks rotted - letter from John Young in SMH 3/7/1894 - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/13958155 ) And the 'ghosts' imply a long exposure and earlier photographic techniques. I reckon this is a record of the newly completed Customs House and newly woodblocked Circular Quay in 1887. Or not?

beachcomber australia We can practically hear your brain ticking this one over! 1887-1896 is a great start and more than we had. AB

Whirr - buzz - tick - tock - bleep . . . . ! The 1887 date on the building is easier to see on this Henry King photo or the persistent URL at full zoom - from.ph/31441