qvb

The hole in the ground which was to become the QVB was there in this 1894 painting by Arthur Streeton "Fireman's Funeral' - www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/work/43.1980/ [Edit - new link 29/07/12]

wonderful. thank you PM :)

It is interesting to compare this photo with an earlier one by Henry King taken from exactly the same position (see how the Town Hall lines up with the Cathedral Tower). The building looked a lot better WITHOUT the later Centennial Hall, and the porte-cochère (added 1892, demolished 1934). www.flickr.com/photos/powerhouse_museum/2362659273/

great snap. george street traffic? horse blur. lol

Slightly later -

A cart in front of your camera spoil this view,too much view for a road and sky,try to crop it with your Adobe Photoshop.

Get real victorcltan... Maybe you might suggest the photographer re-shoot it!!

@ spelio and cltan47 - The photographer (Kerry) DID reshoot it ! Here - www.flickr.com/photos/powerhouse_museum/2666191773/ and here - www.flickr.com/photos/powerhouse_museum/3023700018/

trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/71385759/5334444 - this pic appeared in the Australian Town & Country Journal on 7th July, 1900 (see 2nd page of link).

Compare with ... 1842 - George St looking north, showing Jewish Synagogue, Police Offices, the Markets, old Burial Ground, now the site of the Town Hall by John Rae - acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=447089 1888 - An old Sydney building: The central police court, George Street, wood engraving print, from photographs by Mr. Charles Potter, Government Printer, Sydney - www.slv.vic.gov.au/miscpics/gid/slv-pic-aab22700

And a couple more -

Robert Russell 'Police Office, George Street' 1836, NLA



From Joseph Fowles 'Sydney in 1848', including this interesting description -

" The Police Office, which forms the subject of one of our illustrations, was erected for a Market House, from the design of Mr. Greenaway[sic], and as far as its exterior is concerned, is certainly creditable to the Colony. The Portico on the south side or front, with four Grecian Pillars supporting a pediment and roof, forms the entrance, with doors leading into the Courts on either side.
The building surmounted by its Cupola and Lantern rising from the centre to a considerable height, forms a conspicuous object, visible from all parts of the City, and the Country for many miles round. The internal arrangements however, are both unsightly and incommodious, and anything {page 58} but realize the anticipations formed by the external appearance of the building. ... ...
... The old Police Office was the building now used as the General Post Office, the present one not having been appropriated as such until about the year 1830. It is in contemplation to make some alterations and improvements in the interior of the present building, and we must confess, not before they are required, for it can hardly be expected that a building {page 59} erected for a Market House, and used for some time as a store, should be at all suitable for its present uses. "

Evidently Francis Greenway originally designed the building as a BUTTER MARKET - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/13540611 .

Through the 1880s the Sydney Corporation were trying to redevelop the markets, but the Police Court / Office was a Government building out of their control. See - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/13540354 (1882)
trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/28348772 (1887)

I am not (yet) sure when the building was demolished, but maybe this photo had something to do with the argy-bargy? I think it may be c.1883 like the Farmers and Waterloo Stores photos.

beachcomber australia A better version of your Fowles broken link ... 1848 - The Police Office, Sydney, copper-plate engraving from drawing by Joseph Fowles, engraved by F. Mansell - artsearch.nga.gov.au/Detail.cfm?IRN=142157

beachcomber australia Re your note: I think it is wood-blocking. I don't think the briefly used stone paving would show that diagonal pattern, which is also apparent in the wood-blocking near the Waterloo Stores - acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=421527.

"Asphalte bricks" were laid in a portion of George Street in 1880 [see last entry]. - trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/13487643/1425625


George Street around 1880, showing stone paving prior to woodblocks.
(Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority collection).

As noted over at the Waterloo Stores post - www.flickr.com/photos/state-records-nsw/6870585934/ - the wood-blocking was completed on this section of George Street between Market Street and Park Street (this view is looking north-east from Park Street) in October 1882.

So, if it's stone paving the photo would date from 1880 to before October 1882. If wood-blocking it would date October 1882 +

pellethepoet Great stuff! I find it difficult to distinguish between woodblocks and cobbles. The woodblocks are evident in various patterns in this photo of 04/10/1889, just to the left -