Minding the Streets

Lighting Up

Street lights gave visibility and security to the users of Sydney’s streets. In 1841, the streets of Sydney were first lit by gas, provided by the Australian Gaslight Company. Council left it to the private company to provide Sydney’s lighting for the next half-century.

It was a different matter in 1904, when the Lady Mayoress switched on the first electric street lights at Pyrmont Power Station. Sydney Council took on the provision of electricity to both private customers and suburban councils. The function was taken over by the State Government in 1934.

Gas lights

Gas lit the streets in 1841. By March 1843 there were 165 gas lamps in the city. They comprised of 14 Government lights, 11 Corporation lamps, 106 Publicans’ lights, and 34 Private lamps. Most householders still used the cheaper oil lamps. This document, comparing the benefits of oil and gas street lamps, is the first report of the City Council's Lighting Committee. The location of each gas street lamp is given in the document, along with the names of the owners and their businesses. The list includes the colourful and evocative names of the 106 hotels that operated in Sydney in 1843.



























(images: City of Sydney Archives, CRS 30/1/1)

Lighting Committee Report
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Lighting Committee Report
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Lighting Committee Report
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Lighting Committee Report
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Petitioning for a light

Anyone could ask for a light to be installed in their street and in the late nineteenth century, many did. Typically petitioners emphasised the darkness of the street, the inconvenience to residents, and the immoral characters that frequented the dark streets. The petition pictured is one such case. The lighting committee agreed with the petitioners and two public lamps were erected in Sir John Young Crescent, Woolloomooloo.

Transcript of petition:

To the Mayor and Aldermen of the Municipal Council Sydney
The humble petition of the residents of Woolloomooloo Bay

Sheweth That your petitions are desirious [sic] that two lamps may be erected in Sir John Young Crescent owing to its being dark and lonely at night and that many immoral characters are in the habit of frequenting this street for immoral purposes much to the annoyance of persons who pass up and down this street.

Your petitions are of opinion that if the Gas were extended further in this street that it would expell [sic] the annoyance complained of and be a great boon to the public.

Your petitioners humbly pray that this request may be granted.
Dated this 30 day of June 1870.

56 signatures followed.

(image: City of Sydney Archives, CRS 24/8 no.34)

Petitioning for a light
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Petitioning for a light
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Petitioning for a light
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Street corner

Gas lamps were usually placed on street corners and at regular intervals down the street. This one is at the corner of Dowling Street and Reid Avenue, Wooloomooloo, 1912.

(image: City of Sydney Archives, CRS 51/2742)

Street corner
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Standard designs

The City Council has a range of plans for lamp designs. This is a large format catalogue plan of light standards manufactured by W. T. Allen & Company, of London. The sole representatives of the company in Australia were R.C. Boyce & Company. It is unclear whether Council bought lamp standards from this company or whether the City Engineer’s Department used the plan for design ideas.

(image: City of Sydney Archives, SRC)

Standard designs
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Plan of Arc Lamp Post

When the Council introduced electric lights to the city in 1904, it designed decorative lamp posts with an art nouveau motif. This is a plan of the original style of lamp posts.

(image: City of Sydney, City Engineers Department Plans, S4-175/9)

Plan of Arc Lamp Post
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Arc lamps in George Street

This tinted postcard, posted in 1907, illustrates George Street looking north from Bathurst Street. In the left foreground is a blockboy leaning on an arc lamp post. Note also the decorative tram wire posts.

(image: City of Sydney Archives, SRC photographic files)

Arc lamps in George Street
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Plan of the New Arc Lamp Post

Design No.191 for new arc lamp posts and brackets, 1912.




(image: City of Sydney, City Engineers Department Plans, S4-175/8)

Plan of the New Arc Lamp Post
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New arc lamp in action

This photograph shows one of the new arc lamps introduced in 1912 on the corner of Day and Erskine Streets.

(image: City of Sydney Archives, CRS 51/351)

New arc lamp in action
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Modern lighting

A staff member of the City Engineers Department displays one of the new high semi cuffoff street lanterns purchased in 1965. The light fitting could take 250 and 400 watt lamps, was constructed of aluminium with plastic cover and was mounted at a height of 30 feet.

(image: City of Sydney Archives, CRS 268/4754)

Modern lighting
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Changeover

View of Park Street, 20 September 1965, showing the changeover to modern street lighting. A new street lamp is on the left, while on the right an old arc lamp still stands. The T & G Building, with its distinctive tower, can be seen in the distance.

(image: City of Sydney Archives, CRS 48/5006)

Changeover
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Smartpole

Designed by the City of Sydney, the Smartpole combines all the electronic requirements of the modern city. Outriggers support colourful banners that advertise events and festivals happening in the City.

(image: City of Sydney Media Image Library, Photographer: John Marmaras)

Smartpole
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