l'histoire de faux

Fake ageing - like fake French - confounds me. I can understand why the perpetrators descend to this. The are scrabbling around for an ambience on which to hang their narrative. This is Albion Place in the CBD, which runs from George Street through to Kent Street, between Bathurst and Liverpool Streets. It has been an access-way since 1834. Melburnians call them "laneways", and create wonders, which are abuzz with bustling citizens. Real folk: meeting, chiacking, guffawing, spending. Here in Sydney we create a dead-zone, of use to some of the people, some of the time. So, what is faux here? Specifically, the three wall signs which are all for Black Country businesses back in the United Kingdom. The Walsall FC team are known as "The Saddlers" because of the proliferation of that sort of venture, in that area, in the second half of the 19th century. Whether applied new, or touched-up, the signs are shockers. Fairbanks, Lavender and Sons are listed in the 1900 edition of Kelly's Directory of Staffordshire as harness manufacturers. Handford-Greatrex and Co. Ltd. have an extensive listing in the same directory: "Coach, saddle, bridle and harness leather; goods specially prepared and packed for export". Bedstead and fender makers, S.F. Turner, had their works in Dock Lane, Dudley. The business was established in 1840 and is remembered today for the safes they made, with many examples surviving. What does history - real history - tell us about Albion Place? I'll tell you Thursday: need to get the story straight in my head; and need more photos to show you.

To close, here are two images of George Street close to Albion Place. On the left is an 1873 image, in which you can see the spire of Christ Church St Laurence in the distance. On the right,a similar angle but totally different view, as you would expect. But,you can still see the spire. What do I hear you say? Can't be! George Street has a different incline. Indeed, they chopped off the top, and filled in the bottom. Cross my heart ...

Getting a feel for early Sydney

The Glover cottages are located on an artificial rock shelf on the east side of Kent Street. The 1820s cottage was built by Thomas Glover, the mason responsible for much of the fine craftsmanship on the government buildings commissioned by Governor Macquarie, and is said to be one of the first terrace style buildings in Sydney. Much of the adjacent rock shelves were quarried for buildings in early Sydney, like The Lord Nelson..

Apropos of time standing still

One of the venues for SAG, the Society of Australian Genealogists, is in Lower Kent Street. I catch the 207 bus from the end of my street, which gets me to York Street outside Wynyard Station. From there I hoof it (avec cane!) through a maze of underground passages and cycle paths (bless Clover Moore's little cotton socks!) over to Kent Street. I have not yet been able to walk past "Cava", without a coffee and croissant, warm but otherwise plain. Today's course was "Researching and Understanding the Convict Sytem in NSW". Which was quite ironic, as whilst sipping my coffee, I was in The Rocks, where the convicts were tossed in those first turbulent days of the colony.