Wednesday 5 March 2014

Then & Now - Cnr Clarence and Margaret Streets

Background
Back in 2009, scrummaging through the trove on the top floor of Berkelouw's in Paddington, I unearthed "Cazneaux's Sydney 1904-1934", being a collaboration between Philip Geeves and Gael Newton, both admirers of the photography of Harold Cazneaux (1878-1953). There are 62 B&W plates in the book, with a facing page from Geeves telling the history of the scene. I will share with you the images which resonate with me.


Plate 13. St Philip's from Margaret Street

It would seem that the only constants are the church, and the gradient of the corner. This is the intersection of Margaret Street, and Clarence Street, facing north. The period is between 1908 and 1910. The laneway on the left was Clarence Lane, which, created in 1888, disappeared in the 1982 redevelopment of this city block. The only building which seems to have survived is St Philip's, which is barely visible between the trees. A good thing, I grant you. The trees, not necessarily the being hidden.

Note the gradient in both images. To the left, Margaret Street drops away considerably toward Darling Harbour (previously Cockle Bay). Show you this in the next post in this series. Prior to 1887, Margaret Street was called Wynyard Square North.

6 comments:

Jim said...

It does look very different now.

Joe said...

My goodness how everything has changed Julie. Look forward to some more before and afters.

Julie said...

Yes, it is utter change, isn't it. But it has been just over 100 years, and this was a very poor part of colonial Sydney.

Joan Elizabeth said...

So different. I really like the way you seek out tee comparisons.

diane b said...

That is so much fun to see the difference over so many years. As you say thank goodness for the preservation of churches to be able to use as a reference point.

Bruce Caspersonn said...

How are you going Julie? Camera not broken?