203-205 Albion Street, Surry Hills facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 203-205 Albion Street, Surry Hills Cottages |
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The cottages, pictured in 2011
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| Location | 203-205 Albion Street, Surry Hills, City of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1840 |
| Built for | George Hill |
| Architectural style(s) | Colonial Georgian |
| Owner | Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia |
| Official name: Cottage | |
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 443 |
| Type | Cottage |
| Category | Residential buildings (private) |
| Builders | George Hill (No 203) |
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The 203-205 Albion Street, Surry Hills Cottages are two old houses in Surry Hills, a suburb of Sydney, Australia. They are special because they are "heritage-listed," which means they are protected for their historical importance. These cottages were built in 1840 by a man named George Hill. Today, they are owned by the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia. The cottages were added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999.
Contents
History of the Cottages
Let's look at how these cottages and the land around them came to be.
Early Land Grants
In 1792, Governor Phillip set the first boundary for the Sydney settlement. The area where Surry Hills is now was outside this boundary. It was thought to be good for farming. So, land was given to military officers and free settlers.
One of the first land grants in Surry Hills was in the 1790s. Captain Joseph Foveaux received about 42.5 hectares (105 acres). Commissary John Palmer received about 28 hectares (70 acres) and later another 8 hectares (20 acres) nearby. Palmer called his property George Farm. In 1800, he also bought Foveaux's farm.
Palmer supported Governor Bligh during a time of trouble called the Rum Rebellion. When Palmer returned to England to give evidence, his money situation became difficult. This forced him to sell his land.
The Land is Divided
The sale of Palmer's large estate in 1814 was the first time the land in Surry Hills was divided into smaller pieces.
Here are some important dates for the cottages:
- 1814: Isaac Nichols bought a large piece of Palmer's land, over 2.4 hectares (6 acres).
- 1833: Nichols' land was divided and sold. George Hill bought the part where the Albion Street cottages now stand.
- Around 1840: George Hill built the first cottage at 203 Albion Street.
- 1844: The cottage at 203 Albion Street was advertised for rent. It had six rooms, a separate kitchen, a servant's room, a well, and a garden.
- 1845-1850: The second cottage, at 205 Albion Street, was built next door.
- 1918: The cottages were drawn by an artist named Hardy Wilson.
- By 1969: The original front porch (verandah) had been changed.
- 1971: Woolloomooloo Rentals bought the property. It stayed empty for a few years.
- Late 1977: The cottages were bought by McCulloch and Taylor. They planned to turn them into a restaurant called Taylor's Restaurant.
- Early 1978: Work began to restore and rebuild parts of the cottages. They received money from the Heritage Office to help.
- 1979-1980: More restoration work continued, including adding a new back verandah and making changes inside for the restaurant.
- 1996: Taylor's Restaurant closed. The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia bought the cottages. They changed the use from a restaurant to offices.
- Mid-2002: The front verandah railings were removed for security reasons.
What the Cottages Look Like
The cottages at 203-205 Albion Street are a pair of simple houses. They were built separately in the 1840s. Later, in the 1850s, they were joined to look like one building.
Main Building Features
The main part of the building has two single-story cottages. They are made of old sandstock bricks. They have a corrugated steel roof. Both cottages have stone-paved porches (verandahs) at the front and back.
They have special windows called 12-pane double-hung sash windows with shutters. The front doors have a Georgian style with a semi-circular window above them called a fanlight. Even though they were built separately, they were later connected to form a row of houses.
Other Buildings
At the back of the property, there is a two-story brick kitchen building. It used to have a shingled roof. A modern glass and steel structure connects the main cottages to the kitchen building.
There are also two smaller buildings:
- A brick and weatherboard laundry and storage room.
- A timber shadehouse or gazebo.
Why They Are Heritage Listed
The cottages at 203-205 Albion Street are very important to the history of New South Wales. They show how Surry Hills grew after the large Palmer Estate was divided in 1814. They are great examples of the first houses built in the area. They are also part of a special group of old buildings in Surry Hills that show the Colonial Georgian style.
The cottages were added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999, because they meet several important standards:
Historical Importance
These cottages help us understand the history of Surry Hills. They show how the area developed after the big land sales in 1814. They are examples of the very first houses built there. They are also part of a group of old Georgian-style buildings that are still standing in Surry Hills.
Beautiful Design
The cottages still have many features from the Georgian style. These include:
- Sandstone floors on the verandahs.
- Original fireplaces.
- Old doors and sash windows with shutters.
- One original staircase.
- Semi-circular fanlights above the doors.
They are good examples of a simple Colonial Georgian building style. They are still mostly in their original condition. They also show a common old building style called "storey and a half" cottages, which stopped being built after about 1860. The front verandah screens, even though they were rebuilt, are now rare features from that old time period. The cottages also make Albion Street look special and fit well with other Georgian buildings nearby.
Research Potential
These cottages can teach us a lot about the past. They have a good chance of showing us old items buried in the ground. They can also help us learn about how buildings were made a long time ago.
Rarity and Uniqueness
The cottages are good examples of simple Georgian-style buildings. They are rare in Surry Hills. They are part of a small group of Georgian buildings that have survived in the area.
