George Street 1912 at Grosvenor Street

Original

Today (Google)

The old Brooklyn Hotel, disdained by the late Harry Seidler who wanted to tear it down as it offended the minimalist bareness of his Grosvenor Place tower behind, seen here on its opening day as Johnsons workwear. George Street was being widened then, which accounts for the (now long-gone) late-Federation-style/pre-WW1 rebuilds. There's a chap unloading chairs off a wagon in Grosvenor, and signs in the windows advertising their specialities. (The original Brooklyn Hotel was actually next door, down George Street, but became the pub when Johnsons moved out.)

Newtown Toll Gate 1870 on City Road

Original

Today (Google)

City Road going to the New Town on the outskirts of Sydney, with a toll gate for those travelling to the southern regions. There were only so many ways out of town in those days, and all had similar toll gates, staffed by keepers and their families, till about the mid 1870s.

 

This pic was a lot of fun to restore as the original is barely legible. But I was able to extrapolate a lot of details from the bare elements, and we've ended up with a pretty authentic result.

Bondi South 1895

Original

Today (Google)

The Fletcher Street steam tram terminus, before the line was continued to the beach. This is my old neighbourhood, though this pic is a bit earlier than when I was there. As the sun is coming from the north, it must be about noon here, and as everyone is dressed up but travelling singly, I assume this is probably workers returning from the Saturday half-day.

Identifying a Syer - The Fruit Seller 1883

Original

Today (Google)

This is another candid shot by Charles Syer. While there's no information about it, we can deduce some precise points. There are stacks of woodblocks behind the seller, obviously prepared for street laying. There is something that looks like the top of a tower at left, and a warehouse-looking building at right. We know that Syer took a few pictures around Circular Quay in the early-mid 1880s, which is when a lot of its reconstruction took place. So taking that as a starting point we can triangulate the scene, like this...

Dawes Point Battery 1924

Original

Today (Google)

Before the Harbour Bridge was put through, the fort had been converted to a repat training centre, but its original structure was still intact...

Pitt Street 1875 at Market Street

Original Archival

Today (Google)

Now the Pitt Street Mall and Westfield, here it is in mid-Victorian times as Sydney is just beginning to boom and is yet to get most of its large monumental buildings. On the corner is a butcher, with open-air windows as there's no air-con or refrigeration, and carcasses hanging in the summer heat, with just some canvas he's strung across the front to shade from the afteroon western sun. Given how much horse manure was in the streets too, these people must have had very strong olfactory insensitivity.

Pitt Street 1873 Town Hall

Original Archival

Today (Google)

Taylor's second-hand furniture shop, with the Town Hall clock tower behind.

Circular Quay 1883

Original Archival

Today (Google)

This is one of Charles Syer's candid snaps. No information seems to exist about this photo, but as an historian we can draw a few clues...

George Street 1883 King Street

Original Archival

Today (Google)

South from King Street. Both buildings, on the left and nearest right corners, still exist, though gutted from the originals here.

Town Hall 1871 George Street

Original Archival

Today (Google)

Actually, it's George Street at Bathurst looking north, before the Town Hall was built.

Bent Street 1858

Original Archival

Today (Google)

West from Phillip Street, on the left is the garden of Campbell House (pre-Union Club), then Bligh St with Creswick Club on the corner, with the larger Australia Club beside it. Straight ahead is the back of the Surveyor-General, and up on the hill is the Observatory. Colorisation can turn up details that are missed in b&w, like here I found that Harrington Street in the Rocks has been demolished and regraded in preparation for becoming an extension of George Street to Argyle, which was never completed.

Glebe 1876 the Friend in Hand

Original Archival

Today (Google)

At Cowper Street, the pub is still there. Honora took over as licensee after her husband passed, and kept it for a few years.

The Rocks 1883 Essex Street

Original Archival

Today (Google)

Another of Syer's candid snaps. Essex Street looking east to George. Over the years, it's been regraded several times which accounts for the extreme difference. But it's the same place and view.

George Street 1882 Haymarket

Original Archival

Modern Street View

I had a lot of fun getting the details right on this one. The buildings shown here are condemned, and the one that replaced them is still there today. The factory at rear is Ah Sing furniture, which is fitting as now the whole area is Chinatown. Originally, Chinese businesses were centred around George St near Circular Quay. When the street was resumed and widened around 1910, most moved to the Haymarket area.

The Great Fire of Sydney 1890

Original Archival

Today (Google)

Castlereagh Street south of Hunter. The fire took out much of the block of substantial commercial buildings through to Pitt, mostly centred around Hosking Place.

George Street 1888 the Volunteer Hotel

Original Archival

Modern Street View

The Volunteer Artillery Hotel, and Cohen's Jewellers, at #190, near Circular Quay. Taken just a couple of years before the disaster.

The Volunteer Hotel Disaster 1890

Original Archival

Modern Street View

George Street near Circular Quay. The building collapsed, probably due to poor construction of additions. A barmaid on a break upstairs was the only casualty.