Thursday 8 July 2010

Then & Now - Martin Place, the solemn end


Located, as it is, on a glistening harbour and founded, as it was, by convicts, Sydney is a fairly hedonistic place with a populace so laid back as to be nearly comatose. However, there is one section of this city that is solemn and takes my breath with every step.


Martin Place acquired its status in the 1880s when our civic fathers built the third version of the colony's General Post Office (GPO). Sir James Martin had been the State Premier three times and then became the Chief Justice. At that point Martin Place only had the 'solemn' end, the section from Pitt to Castlereagh being called Moore St (named after Sir Charles Moore, the Lord Mayor) and the section from Castlereagh to Macquarie still occupied by offices and tenements.

The solemn bit came with the installation of the Cenotaph on Anzac Day 1927. The road became a pedestrian plaza in 1971.

7 comments:

Lois said...

I love it when you post old pictures with your new ones Julie!

Unknown said...

I love the story that is told. I never understand the British way of thinking though, "lets send our convicts from our wet cold island, to a wonderful island paradise!"

Just saying!

Jim said...

I always love looking at how much things have changed from the old shots to the new shots. You've done well to capture it from every angle.

Dan said...

The pictures are very beautiful!

Joan Elizabeth said...

I particularly like the angle of the top shot. I love the buildings along Martin Place, so beautifully formal.

Bill said...

Great comparison of the then and now pictures. Even in the 'then' shot were a few people.

Bruce Caspersonn said...

Terrific post, makes my pulse quicken, really!