vernon

Happily Johnson's Corner is still there in all its 'blood and bandages' glory, at the NW cnr of George and Grosvenor streets. GoogleMapsStreetView - goo.gl/maps/TLS5z4AfWzu

... On the 5th of December 1911, an application was lodged with the City Council to demolish all seven buildings on the corner of George and Grosvenor Streets in conjunction with the proposed road widening. The widening also required the demolition of the northern adjoining buildings on George Street. The Chamber of Commerce Building was officially opened in December 1912. The Chamber occupied the first floor and various commercial tenants leased the upper floors. James Johnson, who had previously occupied the Hordern Building and later the Douglas Building with his drapery store, was the first tenant in the ground floor of the Chamber of Commerce Building. The outfitting, tent making and drapery business remained at the site until 1981. The firm was also known as Johnson's Overalls, with a range of chef's and stewards' clothing and equipment. Due to this long association with one tenant, the building has become known as the Johnson's Building, and the group of three buildings including the Commercial Building (231 George Street) and the Brooklyn Hotel (229 George Street) is now referred to as the Johnson's group. The corner is known as Johnson's Corner. The Johnson's Building, Commercial Building and Brooklyn Hotel (229-235 George Street) were part of the new commercial streetscape which emerged under the guidance of [Walter Liberty] Vernon. The Brooklyn Hotel and former Chamber of Commerce Building/ Johnson's Building were built in 1912, while the Commercial Building (231 George Street) was constructed later in 1913-1914 for the NSW Government as office space. ... ...

From - www.shfa.nsw.gov.au/sydney-About_us-Our_heritage_role-Her...

So the photo is 1912-13, as the Commercial Building is not there yet. Trying to find out via Trove when Mr Johnson's shop opened exactly ...

That stretch of George Street in late 1899, showing previous buildings (at left) before road widening -

Proposed to be demolished by architect Harry Seidler as part of his adjacent development. Glad he lost that fight.

Opened in 1906. Clock Tower and office building facade added in 1921, www.sydneyarchitecture.com/cbd/cbd7-003.htm

Leonard Patrick Vernon, b. 1894 at Grove Park South, Wrexham, was the son of Captain W H Vernon. The family home in 1911 was at 26 Brighton Grove, Rusholme, Manchester. Leonard Patrick Vernon attended Manchester University in 1913 reading Banking, he was a member of the University OTC 1913 to Sep 1914. He was, in some capacity as a Clerk, connected with the National Provincial Bank of England. He enlisted in the ranks of the 20th (University and Public Schools) Battalion Royal Fusiliers on 3 Sep 1914. Subsequently commissioned into the Royal Welch Fusiliers, he was promoted to Temporary Lieutenant in 12th Battalion RWF on 20 Jul 1916, [London Gazette 29896 dated 9 Jan 1917]. Awarded his MC as a Lieutenant. He was killed in action with 10th Battalion RWF defending the gentle, fire swept, rise of Infantry Hill (Hill 100) on the Somme on 18 Jun 1917. Leonard Patrick Vernon may have had two sisters, one named Grace.//

RWF Museum is looking to find all its lost soldiers of WW1. Help us bring our boys home. rwfmuseum1@btconnect.com

Help piece together the Life Stories of more than 8 million men and women who made a contribution during the First World War at www.livesofthefirstworldwar.org/