industrial annandale
young street.
Young Street runs north from Parramatta Road to Hutchinson Street, though it is interrupted by the White's Creek Viaduct adjacent to Piper Street as pictured* below.
Most of the lots along Young Street were created in the 1870's subdivision of the suburb. Like much of the rest of Annandale, development along Young Street was at best patchy until the 1890's. The subdivision created smaller lots than originally surveyed along most of Johnston and Annandale Streets and this is reflected in the nature of much of the housing found here: largely workers cottages and single fronted terrace houses. However, lost were consolidated to accomodate several large industrial concerns and the street has the usual scattering of old groceries and other shops.
* Photo is circa 1890's and was taken from around Piper Street looking south-east across Annandale. It was sourced from the Local Notes website and attributed by them to The Water Board. Young Street runs across the photo and under the viaduct as the first street visible after the creek. The line of terraces towards the top of the picture is along Annandale Street. Another shot across the viaduct and Young Street looking north-east can be seen here on Pinterest.
east side.
No. 2/5 (formerly 138 Albion Street)
This building is situated between Albion Street and Parramatta Road and is probably at the rear of the site which is now No. 1/5 Young Street but was once No 138 Albion St.
The current building is of relatively recent construction, probably 1950’s or 1960’s. With No. 1/5, the site was probably 1st occupied by a produce merchant in the early 20th century. Reginald Cooper, boot maker and repairer was a long term occupant from 1915 until the 1940s.
No. 1/5SE Cnr Albion Street (formerly 138 Albion Street)
The history of this site up to about 1950 is linked with that of No. 2/5 Young St (see above). However, in 1950 this part of the site on the corner of Albion St seems to have had an independent existence as the site of J Woolcock, metal spinners and the Argo metal works. The current building may date from this time.
No. 81
This fine old store was built in about 1891 when William Francis established a butcher's shop. A succession of proprietors ran the butchery until the 1940’s at which time it transitioned to a mixed business which operated into at least the 1950’s.
No. 101 (rear on Young Lane)
This large former factory building (with adjoining building fronting Young Lane pictured below) housed a saw manufacturer. The current building (which has been modified upon conversion to apartments) may date from the 1st few decades of the 20th century.
TH Chapman, saw maker, operated at the site from the 1890s. For many years the firm also had premises in Annandale Street.
The business bore a series of names (TH Chapman; Thomas H Chapman; Premier Saw Company) and operated at the site into at least the 1950’s having survived a large fire in April 1936 reported in the press of the time.
No. 139
The current car repair business at this site is typical of many businesses that once operated in Annandale in that it is located in premises at the rear of a residence that fronts the street.
The current car repairers occupy a building at the rear of the older house on Young Street. The workshop building was probably constructed in the early 1930’s and was occupied from about 1932 by Godfrey Hat Blocks Pty Ltd which, as the name suggests, made hat blocks. A search of the web reveals that Godfrey’s hat blocks are now highly collectible.
No. 153
The large store on the site was completed in 1893 (as the facade records).
For many years from the 1890’s (even before the building was completed) up to the 1930’s various members of he Williamson family traded at this address as grocers, wood, coal and fuel merchants, dress makers and drapers.
In the early 1930’s the site passed to RPA King, confectioner and during the 1940’s and 50’s Harold Casey ran a hairdressing and tobacconist business here.
Nos. 157-159
While now apartments, the industrial facade remains. Thomas L Lake and Max Lake had each traded here as a “dealer” from 1915. However the facade may date from the 1920s or 1930s when Henry S Brown, box maker and later the Crown Box Co operated at the site.
WJ George, carrier occupied the site in the 1950s.
No. 251 SE Cnr Arguimbau Street
This corner store was probably built in 1905 when William Porter opened a grocery. A series of subsequent proprietors operated the grocery into the 1950’s.
west side.
No. 2A
Based on its architecture the current building may date from the 1920’s. For much of its early life this small factory building probably formed part of the various manufacturing businesses conducted at No.2 Young St (see below).
However from about 1945 it appears to have operated on a stand-alone basis and was occupied by the Supreme Plating Company, electroplaters who remained at the site until at least the 1950’s.
No. 2 SW Cnr Albion Lane
Before the current factory building was constructed, possibly at around the turn of the last century, an ironworks and then a grocery operated on or adjacent to this site.
It is possible that the current building was built to house Dynason Jam Manufacturers who commenced business at the site in 1895 but it is more probable that it was built for JM Callaghan & Co, sauce and cordial manufacturers (from 1900), Primo Preserving Co (from about 1905) or Matthews Limited, condiment and vinegar manufacturers (from about 1910).
Matthews Limited remained at the site (as condiment, vinegar and essence makers) until the late 1920’s when John Connell Limited began to trade as essence manufacturers.
Clothing manufacturers, Cage Clothing took over the site in about 1940 and remained at the site into the 1950’s. LM Watson, sheet metal workers seem to have occupied part of the site in the 1950’s.
No. 4
This unassuming commercial building may date from the 1930’s when Adshead & Hutton established an engineering workshop at the site.
From 1935 it was occupied by GW Powell, scale makers and importers, from 1940 second hand dealers and from 1945 by the Chinese Industrial Sauce Co., sauce manufacturers.
No. 6 NW Cnr Albion Street
This very picturesque corner store, which retains its awning, dates from about 1890 when George Shooter established a grocery here. Thereafter it operated as a grocery and, later, as a mixed business into at least the 1950’s under a long succession of proprietors, few of whom remained for longer than 5 year. Perhaps the competition from nearby Parramatta Road was too intense.
No. 122 SW Cnr Reserve Street (also 6A Reserve Street)
John E Ross first established a bakery on the site in 1895. The current building may date from that time but, if so, it was probably heavily modified and/or extended in the early 20th century.
Ross remained on the site until about 1910 when Norman Worthington and then Royal & Freshfield (possibly trading as the Annandale Bread Factory) took over the bakery.
Interesting, Ross returned in about 1920 and continued to run the bakery until the early 1930’s when E Hunter acquired the business. Also from that time Blandy & Mason, boot makers, appear to have occupied part of the site. By 1935 Blandy & Mason probably occupied the whole site until in 1940 and through to the 1950’s Tooveys Pty Ltd cake makers occupied the whole of the building.
No. 6A Reserve Street has been dealt with above.
Nos. 124-126 NW Cnr Reserve Street
The history of this building is obscure. While no longer used for commercial purposes and heavily modified, it seems to date from at least the mid 20th century and has the appearance of small factory or warehouse. However, Sands and Wise suggest that the site probably remained vacant until 1950 (which is unusual along Young St). Presumably therefore the current building post-dates 1950. However, its history after that date is not known.
No. 132
da Cruz, “1930s Annandale: A short Walk” at pp 40 - 41 suggests that the building now on this site dates from the early 1930’s and was once the North Annandale Scout Hall. It was previously known as “Annandale Hall”.
A building of that name is listed at the site from 1920, though this may not refer to the present structure. From about 1915, a building known as “Ward’s Hall” was listed as “off” (presumably at the rear of) No. 132. Mr Ward appears to have had a house on the site from about 1910 which probably accounts for the original name of the hall.
No. 176 SW Cnr Collins Street
John R Rolls established a grocery on this site in 1889 and the building probably dates from that time.
It remained a grocery (and later a mixed business) into at least the 1950’s. The most prominent proprietor was Frank Kraushaar who ran the business from about 1910 until the late early 1930’s. A Miss G Kraushaar, possibly a daughter, also ran the store for a number of years in the 1930’s.
No. 178: The Victoria Hotel
The Victoria Hotel has operated here from 1884. For a picture of the pub in the 1930’s, complete with original verandahs and awnings see: da Cruz, “1930s Annandale: A short Walk” at page 39.
No. 260 SW Cnr Booth Street
This prominent building on the corner of Booth Street dates from about 1897 when John Birch opened a grocery here. It continued to operate as grocery or mixed business into at least the 1950’s.
No. 346 NW Cnr Piper Street
This former grocery was probably built in about 1905 when G Lee opened a grocery on the site. It traded as grocery and later as mixed business into the 1950’s.
The shop can be seen in the photograph entitled “White’s Creek Viaduct looking North East along Piper Street from Leichhardt circa 1900” which is reproduced in the introduction to this survey.
