Minding the Streets

Street names

In the nineteenth century, the City Council erected street name signs on the facades of buildings. These were typically placed on corners. This is the corner of Druitt and Clarence Streets, 1914. The street names are attached to Sweeney’s Hotel. Note also the street lamp on the corner and the light above the pub door helping you to find your way.

(image: City of Sydney Archives, CRS 51/629)

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Street directory sign

This is Bridge Street in c.1913. A City Street Directory sign for Bridge Street is attached to the building in the centre (W. N. Beaumont & Co, general electrical and engineering works). It appears to list all the buildings and businesses in the street. Another directory is attached to the building on the right. It appears to be just for the building itself.

(image: City of Sydney Archives, CRS 51/564)

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Dove’s Plans of Sydney, 1879-80

In 1879 Percy Dove produced a series of plans outlining the streets, lanes, buildings and passageways of the city. These plans were utilised by insurance companies, as well as city and government departments. This illustrates a section of Dove’s Plan covering the blocks of Macquarie, Phillip, Elizabeth and Castlereagh Streets bounded by Hunter and King Streets.

(image: City of Sydney Archives)

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Sands Directory

The Sands Directory was first published in 1858 and continued until 1931-32. It provided a listing of people in Sydney: alphabetically, by trade, and by street. This image shows the front page of the street directory section for the 1880 edition. Today, it is an invaluable source for historians when reconstructing the social complexities of Sydney’s streets.

(image: City of Sydney Archives)

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Map of the City of Sydney, 1920

This map showing the main streets in the City of Sydney was prepared by the Department of Lands in 1920. Public and civic buildings are identified in red, parks in green, tramways with a blue line, railways in purple, and ferry routes with a dotted red line. Many of the points and islands are identified with dual names - English and Indigenous. Two items marked on the map (along with the date of publication) give an indication of why the map was produced. The anchorage of the "Renown" near Kirrabilli Point is identified, along with the "Prince's Landing Place" in Farm Cove. These refer to the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) who visited Sydney as part of a Royal Tour of Australian states in 1920. The map was probably produced for visitors coming to the city for the royal parade and other special events which coincided with the Prince's visit.

(image: City of Sydney Archives, map collection)

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Pointing the way

In 1960 the Rotary Club of Sydney organised “Identification Week” to encourage visible street signs and numbers. The City Council participated in “Identification Week” putting up 116 directional signs. This is an example of one of the signs. Rotary campaign director Mr R. Morris (right) discusses the features of the new signs installed at Taylor Square with the Lord Mayor Ald Jensen (centre) and the president of Sydney Rotary, Mr W. R. Hauslaib.

(image: Daily Telegraph, 5 March 1960)

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How about some street lighting?

A cartoon lampoons “Identification Week” and the utility of the new directional signs. The caption reads: “Yeah, marvellous. All we need now is decent street lighting!”

(image: Sydney Morning Herald, 7 March 1960)

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All roads lead to …

Directional sign at Kings Cross near the El Alamien Fountain showing distances to major international cities.

(image: City of Sydney, Media Image Library: 0000\000039)

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