48 Cambridge Street

48 Cambridge Street just hit the market.  The campaign is being run by Di Jones who write that it is "set on one of Paddington's finest streets, renowned for its elegant architecture, this grand 1890s Victorian Italianate terrace blends classical finesse with creative design." Not bad.  Although I think the 1890s sells it short, from my research it was built c.1888/1889.  This is out of the 1889 Paddington Council rate book, the group 46 through 52 were built by the same firm (Allum Bros.) and in 1889 the council charged rates for dwellings at 48 through 52 and just for land at 46.  I really liked how, despite a contemporary renovation to the main living room area, the original decorative corbels (photo below) still flank the arch from the entrance hall - they are classics.

Now can we answer the question 'who's been sleeping in my house?'.  We'll have a go.  The Sands Directory is a great place to look, here is the link we have previously posted to 1894.  As you can see Captain Robert Mailler lived here, and with Sydney being such a martime centre back in the 1800s I am pretty sure we will be able to discover something about him on trove ... and I am not to be disappointed.  Hundreds of articles on the good captain ...

One of them reminds us of the house's name - "Perim" in the death notice for the Captain back in 1895 at the ripe old age of 81.  A lot more of his life story is revealed in an article on his wife Agnes who lived to be 103.  Captain Mailler apparently held the mail contract to New Zealand "until the wreck of his vessel" which was the 'William Denny'.  More on the boat here and here, apparently you can dive the wreck it is just off Auckland.

In other 'who's been sleeping' links this house was also owned by Rebecca Cooper, the old Paddington landlady that was featured in the ABC tv documentary who owned over 100 Paddo terraces back in the day.  We'll post a feature on Rebecca in the coming weeks.

"Horseshoe" Collins

Another Captain of the Australian XI on Cambridge Street?  Looks like it.  Not a resident but an alumni of Glenmore Road Public School (see the article below).  Collins captained Australia to an Ashes series win in 1924/25 and before that won a NSWRL Premiership for Eastern Suburbs in 1911.  "Horseshoe" earnt his nickname on account of his luck and his proclivity for gambling (he was also handy at winning the toss).  In later life he became a bookie.  More of his life in his Australian Dictionary of Biography entry here.

On the corner of Sutherland Street and Cambridge Street.

Well the street map would've looked a little different if Paddington Council had got its way back in the day.  We've already learnt the Council was trying to get Cambridge Street to link up with New South Head Road.  The article below from the Evening News of 6 September 1895  explains that they were trying to reclaim a portion of the infamous quarry to link up Sutherland Street to Cambridge Street (rough illustration above).  I wish they did it, would be a great shortcut to the Four in Hand!

a postcard from Cambridge Street ...

So I haven't come across many postcards of Cambridge Street.  In fact, I think this is the first.  It is probably very familiar to any parent of a school age child as you get this in the pack from Glenmore Road Public School.  It is also the image on the fund raising tea towel - be sure to buy yours at the 130th school celebrations in September.

We did a bit on the history of GRPS a little while ago, click here for more on that.

Enjoy the school holidays!

Cambridge Street lane

The above photo shows the Cambridge Lane street sign at the top of Cambridge Street.  We can accurately date this street sign to between 45 to 64 years old, due to the 'City of Sydney' markings on top.  As mentioned previously, Paddington Council was absorbed into City of Sydney council in 1949 and then the northern part of Paddington was then split out of Sydney and into Woollahra Council in 1968.  You can find quite a few of these Sydney signs around but I haven't seen a Paddington Council version anywhere although we will keep looking.

Sensational accident.

A sensational accident on Cambridge Street? Well maybe not if you asked the horses.  The above article is from the SMH of 24 January 1906.  A four wheeled waggon piled high with furniture and pulled by two horses got a little out of control coming down Cambridge lane.  Despite applying the breaks and trying to take the corner the horses and waggon took the 30ft shortcut over the retaining wall to Glenmore Road where I guess White's is today.  The horses "were not very seriously injured" but the furniture was smashed to bits.

Glenmore Road Public School turns 130.

1883 + 130 = 2013.  So the good folks at Glenmore Road Public School will be celebrating the 130th at the annual school fete - lock in the date of September 8th.  As part of those celebrations I hear they will be chasing up any old stories or photos of the school.  Send some through if you have them.  Contact details here.  We will also try and dig up some stories ...