John Bridge Woolstore

John Bridge Woolstore
John Bridge Woolstore
	John Bridge Woolstore, 64 Harbour Street, Sydney
Location	64 Harbour Street, Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates	33°52′42″S151°12′13″E / 33.8783°S 151.2036°E
Built	1889
Built for	John Bridge & Co
Architect	William Pritchard or his son Arthur Pritchard (attrib.)
Architectural style(s)	Victorian Free Classical
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name	Post Office Stores
Type	State heritage (built)
Designated	2 April 1999
Reference no.	608
Type	Post Office
Category	Postal and Telecommunications
Builders	Stuart Brothers
	Location of John Bridge Woolstore in Sydney John Bridge Woolstore (Australia)

Last updated December 10, 2024

The John Bridge Woolstore is a heritage-listed former warehouse located at 64 Harbour Street, in the Sydney central business district, in the City of Sydney local government area. It was probably designed by either William Pritchard or his son Arthur Pritchard, and was built by Stuart Bros. in 1889. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.^[1]^[2]

History

This former wool warehouse was designed in 1889 for John Bridge & Co and constructed by Stuart Brothers. John Bridge & Co was one of the leading wool and grain businesses of Australia. The building was used as a woolstore until it was acquired by the Commonwealth Government in 1914, for use as a Postmaster-General's Department stores branch. Its designer was probably William Pritchard. A perspective drawing published in The Freeman's Journal in April 1889 bears the Pritchard name (the initial is missing, so it is not known whether it was William or his son Arthur, who was also an architect). The building is often likened to the enlarged Mort & Co wool warehouse designed at Circular Quay by the Blackets (or by John Horbury Hunt when he was in Blacket's office). Like the Harbour Street warehouse, the Mort building had a roof of sawtooth truss construction with south-light glazing to provide excellent light in the top floor, conventionally the wool sale floor. Hunt claimed that he introduced this roof form into Australia. Interestingly, Blacket & Son designed a wool warehouse for a Jonathon Bridge in 1882. It also had a sawtooth roof. In 1977 the former John Bridge warehouse was converted to offices. In 1989 the internal structure of cast iron columns and heavy timber girders was demolished and the whole converted to its present hotel use. In 1992, the ground floor was converted to a licensed tavern.^[2]

Description

Designed in the Victorian Free Classical style, the building addresses both Harbour Street and Factory Street in a distinguished planar design. The storey levels are marked in the orange-brown walling by projecting bands, and the angles of the facades and the window reveals are quoined, with cream bricks. The arches of the openings are laid in red bricks. The parapet is rendered as a panelled entablature. The great thickness of the perimeter walls at ground floor level signifies the difficulty encountered in traditional loadbearing construction as building heights increased. Internally the seven levels of the old building were gutted and in 1989 replaced by a concrete structure; the only original structural elements now visible are re-positioned in the ground-floor restaurant in the south end. The cruciform-section cast iron columns have distinctive saddle-form capitals and stiffening rings, and the heavy timber girders support timber joists.^[2]

It is now part of a modern hotel development (now Holiday Inn Darling Harbour) which extends to Little Hay Street to the south.^[2]

Heritage listing

The John Bridge Woolstore was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register (as the Post Office Stores) on 2 April 1999.^[1]

Significance

The former John Bridge Woolstore has historic significance for its association with John Bridge & Co, one of the leading wool and grain businesses for which it was built. Now part of the Holiday Inn Darling Harbour (formerly Furama Hotel), it is a rare example of a large fine Victorian period woolstore beautifully built in polychrome brickwork. It is a superbly-scaled element in the streetscape. It is representative of a period of development which saw many warehouses constructed around the piers, wharves and goods railway sidings of Darling Harbour. The small display section of cruciform cast-iron structure retained from the original structure has scientific significance.^[2]

Related Research Articles

Pyrmont is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia 2 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Sydney. It is also part of the Darling Harbour region.

Ultimo is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is adjacent to the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Sydney west of the Darling Harbour area, and is bordered by Pyrmont to the north, the Sydney CBD and Chinatown/Haymarket to the east, Broadway and Chippendale to the south, and Glebe and Wentworth Park to the west.

Darling Point is a harbourside eastern suburb of Sydney, Australia. It is 4 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of Woollahra Council.

Queensland Primary Producers No 4 Woolstore is a heritage-listed warehouse at 16 Skyring Terrace, Teneriffe, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1930s to 1940s. It is also known as Commercial House. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

Goldsbrough Mort Woolstore is a heritage-listed warehouse at 88 Macquarie Street, Teneriffe, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was built c. 1933 by Stuart Brothers (Sydney). It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

Winchcombe Carson Woolstores is a heritage-listed warehouse at 54 Vernon Terrace, Teneriffe, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by architect Claude William Chambers and built in 1910-11 by Stuart Brothers of Sydney who extended it in 1934. The woolstore was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

Australian Mercantile Land & Finance Woolstores is a heritage-listed former warehouse now apartments at 34 Vernon Terrace, Teneriffe, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Designed by Robin Dods of Hall and Dods, the first woolstore was built in 1912 by Walls & Juster and the second was built in 1922. They were added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

Teneriffe Village is a heritage-listed warehouse at 110 Macquarie Street, Teneriffe, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1955 to 1957. It is also known as Dalgety & Co. Ltd No 3 Woolstore, Queensland Primary Producers, No 8 Woolstore, and Paddys Market. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

The Ultimo Sewage Pumping Station is a heritage-listed sewerage pumping station located at William Henry Street in the inner city Sydney suburb of Ultimo in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. As a result of the construction of an elevated roadway along William Henry Street, the pumping station now fronts Pyrmont Street, with vehicles being required to enter via Quarry Street, then turning right into Pyrmont Street.

The Hydraulic Pump Station is a heritage-listed former hydraulic power station and now bar at 17 Little Pier Street, Haymarket, City of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was built from 1889 to 1891. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

The Old Bushells Factory is a heritage-listed former Bushells Tea factory and warehouse, now used as shops, offices and an art gallery, located at 86–88 George Street in the inner city Sydney suburb of The Rocks in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. No. 86 was designed by Walter Liberty Vernon; and both buildings were built from 1886 to 1912. It is also known as the Old Bushells Factory and Warehouse; Bushells Place; Bushells Warehouse and Bushells Offices; and Health Commission Building (Bushell's). The property is owned by Property NSW, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 10 May 2002.

The Metcalfe Bond Stores is a heritage-listed former bond store and warehouse and now shops and offices located at 68–84 George Street in the inner city Sydney suburb of The Rocks in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was built from 1912 to 1916. It is also known as New Metcalfe Bond Stores. The property is owned by Property NSW, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 10 May 2002.

The MSB Stores Complex is a heritage-listed former warehouse and gas manufacturing plant and now offices and storage located at 2–4 Jenkins Street in Millers Point, Sydney, Australia. It was built from 1844. It is also known as Maritime Services Board Office and Store and Australian Gas Light Company Stores and Offices. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 18 April 2000.

The Oswald Bond Store is a heritage-listed former wool bond store and now offices at 1–17 Kent Street, in the inner city Sydney suburb of Millers Point in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by A. L. & G. McCredie and built by J. R. Locke. It is also known as Hentsch's Bond Store. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

Dalgety's Bond Stores is a heritage-listed former warehouse complex and now commercial building located at Munn Street, in the inner city Sydney suburb of Millers Point in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was built in 1875. It is also known as Munn Street Bond Stores. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

Hinchcliff House is a heritage-listed former wool store, hostel for homeless men and university campus at 5–7 Young Street, Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The southern section was built c. 1860, while the northern section was built in the 1880s. It is also known as Hinchcliff's Woolstore, Ozanam House and EF House. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

The Royal George Hotel is a heritage-listed pub located at 115–117 Sussex Street, Sydney, Australia. It was built in 1903. The adjoining former Cuthbert's Patent Slip building, assumed to date from 1869 and also heritage-listed, has also been incorporated into the hotel complex in recent decades. The hotel now operates as the Slip Inn.

National House is a heritage-listed former warehouse and bank branch and now pub located at 75 York Street, on the corner of King Street, in the Sydney central business district, in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It now operates as the Hotel CBD. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

121–127 Sussex Street is a heritage-listed former warehouse and now commercial office building located at 121–127 Sussex Street, in the Sydney central business district, in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was built during 1850. The property is owned by Property NSW, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

139–153 Sussex Street is a heritage-listed former warehouse and now hotel located at 139–153 Sussex Street, in the Sydney central business district, in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was built from 1850. It is also known as Warehouses (former) and Shops/Warehouses. The property is owned by Property NSW, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

References

1 2 "Post Office Stores". New South Wales State Heritage Register . Department of Planning & Environment. H00608. Retrieved 13 October 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence .
1 2 3 4 5 "Former John Bridge Woolstore Facades". New South Wales Heritage Database. Office of Environment & Heritage . Retrieved 11 December 2018.

Attribution

This Wikipedia article was originally based on Post Office Stores , entry number 608 in the New South Wales State Heritage Register published by the State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) 2018 under CC-BY 4.0 licence , accessed on 13 October 2018.
This Wikipedia article was originally based on Former John Bridge Woolstore Facades , entry number 2424224 in the New South Wales Heritage Database published by the State of New South Wales and Office of Environment and Heritage 2018 under CC-BY 4.0 licence , accessed on 20 August 2018.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[nswshr-608-1] 1 2 "Post Office Stores". New South Wales State Heritage Register . Department of Planning & Environment. H00608. Retrieved 13 October 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence .

[shi-2] 1 2 3 4 5 "Former John Bridge Woolstore Facades". New South Wales Heritage Database. Office of Environment & Heritage . Retrieved 11 December 2018.

[1]

[2]

v t e Sydney central business district historical attractions
Government buildings	Anzac Memorial Central Local Court House Chief Secretary's Building Clarence Street Police Station (former) Customs House Department of Education Building Department of Lands Building Downing Centre First Government House General Post Office Government House Hay Street Nos. 181–187 Haymarket Post Office Health Department building (former) Hyde Park Barracks Hyde Park Obelisk Parliament House, Sydney Registrar-General's building State Library of NSW Supreme Court of NSW Banco Court Greenway Wing Old Registry Wing Sydney Cenotaph Sydney Mint Sydney Water Head Office (former) Treasury building (former)
Commercial buildings	AMA House APA building AWA Tower Australian Hall Bathurst Street (Nos. 107–109) Bulletin Place warehouses Burns Philp building Challis House CML building Corn Exchange Erskine Street Police Station George Street No. 341 No. 343 Nos. 348–352 No. 354 GIO building Grahame's Corner Hawken and Vance Produce Exchange Hinchcliff House Hong Kong House International House John Bridge Woolstore Judges House, The Kyle House Liner House Metters Building MLC Building National House New South Wales Club building Perpetual Trustee Company building Pinnacle House Public Trust Office Qantas House Queen Victoria Building Red Cross House Royal Automobile Club of Australia building Sir Stamford Hotel State Savings Bank building Strand Arcade Sussex Street Nos. 121–127 Nos. 139–153 No. 161 Nos. 163–169 Sydney School of Arts building Trades Hall The Sydney Club Transport House Trickett's Hotel (former) Trust Building Wales House York Street No. 22 No. 73
Residential buildings	History House Phillip Street Terraces Young Street Terraces
Churches and other places of worship	St Andrew's Cathedral Christ Church St Laurence Great Synagogue St James' Church St Mary's Cathedral Pitt Street Uniting Church St Stephen's Church
Pubs and hotels	Arthouse Bristol Arms Crown (pub) Dundee Arms Grace George Hollywood Hotel CBD Metropolitan Royal George Skinners Sussex
Transport infrastructure	Central railway station St James railway station Martin Place railway station Museum railway station Pyrmont Bridge Railway Square road overbridge
Cultural institutions and parklands	Australian Museum Capitol Theatre Hyde Park Justice and Police Museum Macquarie Place Park Royal Botanic Garden State Theatre Sydney Conservatorium of Music The Domain
Other significant historical features	Darling Harbour Carousel HMAS Sydney I – SMS Emden Memorial Little Hunter and Hamilton Street Precinct Man O'War Steps Sharpies Golf House Sign Sydney Town Hall Tank Stream