William Street: Faces and facades

Being a creature of habit, I wander the alleys and lanes of eastern Sydney, then happenchance has me passing Berkelouw's Book Store on my way home. Resistance is futile, so I find myself lumbering up the stairs to the third floor where all the second-hand books are stashed on shelves, with ladders to assist the vertically challanged. A quick check: yes, only $17.00 so within my budget. And as I opened it, a cascade of newspaper clippings from 1996 fluttered down. Ooo I love it when someone has cared enough to stash their 'findings' within. I am not far into it yet, but I gather the Royal Commission of 1908 which widened the lower portion of Oxford Street, also proposed the widening of William Street by resuming properties on the southern side. These photographs were taken prior to that work commencing. All the photographs of people and places in this book were taken between 10th and 19th June, 1916. The location is William Street and its surrounding lanes. The book was published in 1982.

Standing at College Street, lookin up William Street towards Kings Cross. The opposite direction to my lead photograph.