macquarie street.

Macquarie Street runs north from Parramatta Road. At this point and up to Albion Street it is to the east of what was once White’s Creek (now piped) and so is within Annandale. At Albion Street it does a small dog-leg and crosses the creek line into Leichhardt. Only the portion within Annandale is covered here.

The Rate Book for 1907 indicates that at that time all lots on the east and west sides of the street were occupied by houses, with the exception of No. 17.

One of Annandale’s earliest buildings is to be found in Macquarie Street. It is Annangrove Cottage* which was built by the Johnston family in the 1830s. It is now embedded in the structure of the commercial building located on the north-east corner of Macquarie Street and Parramatta Road and its presence is evident from the roof line and chimney.

*For the history of Annangrove House and its occupants see AURA Volume 1 The Early History of Annandale at pp33ff; da Cruz, 1930s Annandale at page 48; and da Cruz, 50s Annandale at page 16.

No. 1

Inconsistent numbering in Sands makes it a little difficult to be certain about the history of the buildings presently in Macquarie Street.

What is now No. 1 was probably built in the late 1920s or early 1930s and first occupied by a grocer and possibly also a fruit mart. It was a grocery in 1935 but thereafter its use is hard to track, though plainly it has housed businesses up to the present day.

east side.

No.1 A SE (corner Albion Lane)

This quite substantial building, which extends along Albion Lane, probably dates from the 1920’s when it may have been occupied by a furniture factory. While it bears the marks of a small factory or workshop, its use since that date and up to its prior use is difficult to determine.

No. 17 SE (corner Albion Street)

This is the one building along Macquarie Street about which things can be said with confidence. It was built soon after 1905 and from at least 1907 housed a grocery with a series of female proprietors.

It appears to have ceased to house any business and to have reverted to a residence in the late 1930’s.