Hyde Park (Sydney), was set aside for public recreation by Governor Macquarie in 1810. Nowadays, it is split in two by Park Street. These two images show Hyde Park South. The State War Memorial was built in the early 1930s.
Yesterday, I discussed the Lyons Terraces, which I have labelled on both images. The Australian Museum was commenced in 1844, but stood unroofed until 1850 due to a saandal about the mismanagement of public funds. So, immediatly there is something askance about the date of John Rae's sketch, which I sourced from the National Library of Australia. Sydney Grammar School commenced in 1830. The Lyons Terraces were constructed in 1841, diagonally opposite the already constructed Burdekin Terraces.
Park Street is an extension of William St which continues up the ridge to Kings Cross. It was named in 1810 by Macquarie. Then it extended only to, but not through, Hyde Park. By 1831, it had crossed the Park to College St. And here is my second issue with Rae's sketch. He does not show Park St, yet shows the Australian Museum. William Street was gazetted in 1834 and named after William IV.
I am not able to reconcile these inconsistencies. Tomorrow, yet another Rae sketch showing another road splicing through Hyde Park. There is a portfolio of Rae sketches at the NLA, most of them dated 1842. |
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7 comments:
Amazing vantage point from up there!
Maybe the date was added by somebody later and not by the artist.
Yes, that could be so, BB. However, surely the National Library would have noted this. All my other dates are coming from the histories of the individual institutions themselves. Today, I will do a search to find out more about John Rae.
What a gorgeous Park!
Hello Sonia. Thank you for visiting. I know you from Letty's blog ...
Wonderful post, Julie.
Thanks, Jim. Glad you like it. I am trying to do a majority of this style per week. But they are time-consuming ...
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