Campbell's Stores facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Campbell's Stores |
|
|---|---|
Campbell's Stores, pictured in 2014
|
|
| Location | 7-27 Circular Quay West, The Rocks, City of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1850–1861 |
| Architectural style(s) | Victorian Georgian |
| Owner | Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority |
| Official name: Campbell's Stores; Old Metcalfe Bond (Campbells ); Campbells Store | |
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Designated | 10 May 2002 |
| Reference no. | 1536 |
| Type | Warehouse/storage area |
| Category | Maritime Industry |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
The Campbell's Stores is a very old warehouse building in The Rocks, a famous area in Sydney, Australia. It was built between 1850 and 1861. This building used to store goods from ships coming into Sydney Cove. It faces a small bay called Campbells Cove.
In the 1970s, ships stopped using Sydney Cove as much. So, Campbell's Stores was changed into restaurants and bars for tourists. It is also known as Old Metcalfe Bond or Campbells Store. The Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, a government group, owns the building. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 2002 because it is so important.
A company called Tallawoladah Pty Ltd now leases the building. They spent a lot of money (about $32 million) to fix it up between 2015 and 2018. New restaurants started opening there in 2019.
Contents
How Campbell's Stores Began
Who Was Robert Campbell?
Robert Campbell was born in Scotland. In 1798, he went to India to work with his brother. Their business, Campbell and Co., sent goods to Sydney. Robert Campbell came to Sydney in 1798 with more goods.
He bought land at Dawes Point, which looked over Sydney Cove. He started trading and became known as a smart and honest merchant.
Building the First Wharf
By 1801, some of Campbell's warehouses were ready. He also built a stone wall and a small wharf. People say it was the first privately owned wharf in Australia. In 1802, Campbell and his wife, Sophia, moved into Wharf House. They dug out vaults (underground rooms) in the sandstone rock to store goods.
John Lewin's painting from 1808 shows the jetty (a pier for ships) and a two-story storehouse.
Land Grants and Business Changes
Governor Lachlan Macquarie liked to give land to settlers who built important things. So, in 1814, Robert Campbell was given land near Sydney Cove. This was because he had built "several large and expensive Buildings."
In 1807, Campbell became a magistrate. He supported Governor Bligh, who was later removed from power. This caused problems for Campbell's business. He had to go back to Britain for trials. When he returned in 1815, his business was in trouble. He later received money from the government for his losses. By 1825, he had built more warehouses along the water's edge.
The Campbell Family Business
In 1828, Robert Campbell senior made his sons part of the business. His son, John Campbell, took over the business by 1830. They also got equipment for the wharf, like a hydraulic pump and a crane.
In 1836, the business faced money problems. Campbell's Wharf was even put up for sale. But the family managed to keep it. Robert Campbell senior still owned the land. In 1841, he asked to make his wharf bigger so ships could unload at low tide. This was approved. Over the years, Campbell's Wharf grew as more land was added from the water.
Financial Challenges and New Stores
In 1843, Robert Campbell senior borrowed money using the wharf as security. This might have been to help the business during a tough time. The family had to renew this loan many times. They only got full control of the wharf back in 1877 after a court case.
Robert Campbell senior died in 1846. He left his property to his children. In 1845, records showed a house, stores, a warehouse, and a wharf on Campbell's Wharf. The older stone stores were built in the 1820s.
Between 1851 and 1852, five new stone stores were added. These are the first five parts of what we now call Campbell's Stores. By 1858, these five warehouses were being used. Soon after, more parts were built. A photo from 1856-1860 shows ten parts built, with an eleventh being started. By 1861, there were eleven parts in total. These were all two stories high.
Robert Campbell junior died in 1859, leaving his brother John in charge.
Tenants and Changes
Many different businesses rented space at Campbell's Wharf. These included sugar companies, shipping agents, and storekeepers. A photo from 1870 shows the eleven parts of the completed warehouse.
Even in 1875, an old cemetery from the 1790s was still visible behind the store. It had a tombstone of a marine who died in 1792. In 1875, Campbell's Wharf was described as having a large landing area and 22 strong stone stores.
In 1876, the Australasian Steam Navigation Company (ASN Co.) wanted to buy Campbell's Wharf. Their old wharf was too small. They bought Campbell's Wharf for a large sum of money. They wanted to extend the wharf into the harbour.
Before the sale was final, the Campbell family had to clear up some old loans. The ASN Co. was allowed to extend the wharf. They built a new, longer wharf and planned a new road. They used strong wood like turpentine and ironbark for the wharf. They also built a seawall from stone.
By 1878, the stores were called "The Metcalfe Bond and Free Stores." They kept this name for a long time. In 1879, the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company leased part of the wharf.
Some of Campbell's land was sold off. In 1880, a piece of land was sold to the City Council to make George Street North wider. The ASN Co. also sold "Campbell's Garden" in 1881.
The ASN Co. rented out the Metcalfe Bond Stores to many different businesses. In the early 1880s, J Upward was the owner of the "Metcalfe Bonded Stores."
In 1884, the ASN Co. decided to build new offices and stores. They did not knock down Campbell's Stores. Instead, they made them bigger. Plans from 1887 show that the Metcalfe Bond now had three floors instead of two. This meant each part had three rooms.
By 1886, the ASN Co. was having financial problems. Buying Campbell's Wharf and rebuilding it had cost a lot. They joined with another company to form the Australasian United Steam Navigation Company. This new company did not need Campbell's Wharf. In 1887, they offered to sell Campbell's Wharf to the government. The government bought it for a large sum of money.
Government Ownership
On 28 October 1887, the government officially bought the wharf. The government then knocked down most of the other buildings. Only the Metcalfe Bond stores were left.
The government leased the land to other companies. In 1901, the Sydney Harbour Trust took over the stores. They kept the Metcalfe Stores and did not knock them down. They even did small repairs.
Over the 1900s, more changes happened. In 1932, a fire damaged the northern part of the stores. This part was later rebuilt. In 1958, the southernmost part of the Metcalfe Stores was removed. This was to build the Overseas Passenger Terminal for large passenger ships. This left ten parts of the building.
Shipping activities moved away from Sydney Cove. The area became more for tourists. In the 1970s, Campbell's Stores was taken over by the Sydney Cove Redevelopment Authority. This group changed the stores into restaurants. In the mid-1980s, more work was done around Campbell's Stores for the Australian Bicentenary celebrations. In 1998, the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority took control of the area.
What Campbell's Stores Looks Like
Campbell's Stores has eleven parts, called "bays." Each bay has a pointed roof (gable fronted) and is three stories high. The building is long and narrow. When it was built, it was very close to the water.
The northernmost bay (Bay 11) is made of different materials. It was built later, around the 1890s. The other ten bays (Bays 1-10) look very similar. They are about 8.1 meters wide and 15.8 meters long. They have openings on both the front (east) and back (west) sides.
The ground floor is now concrete. The second and third floors are made of timber boards. The roofs are covered with slate. Bays 1-10 are made of sandstone up to the second floor, with brick above. The first five bays were built in 1851-52. These are now Bays 6-10. Three more bays (Bays 3-5) were finished around 1858. The last three bays were done by 1860.
One of the southernmost bays was knocked down in 1958. This was to build the Overseas Passenger Terminal. This left two bays (Bays 1 and 2) and the remaining eight. The building steps up towards the south. When first built, it was only two stories high.
Inside the building, there is a hydraulic hoist and a gas engine. These are important old machines.
- Style: Maritime Georgian
- Stories: 3
- Outside Walls: Sandstone (Bays 1-10) up to Level 2, with brick above. Bay 11 is brick.
- Roof: Slate with lead capping.
- Floors: Concrete on the ground floor, timber boards on Levels 2 and 3.
How is the Building Now?
As of 2006, the outside of the building was in fair condition. There were some cracks in the walls. Inside, some sandstone walls on the lowest level were in bad shape. Many changes have been made inside, which have damaged or covered up original parts.
The Campbell's Stores site is important for learning about its past. It might have old things buried underground from earlier times. Some old timber parts have been removed and stored safely.
Changes Over Time
Between 1882 and 1887, the third floor was added to the stores. This new part was made of brick. Around 1895 or 1915, another bay was added to the northern end. In 1958, the southern bay was demolished for the Overseas Passenger Terminal.
Since then, Campbell's Stores has been changed at least twice. The biggest change happened in the 1970s. The building was changed from a warehouse to a place for tourists. This was one of the first big restoration projects in Sydney. Damaged sandstone was replaced. A service tunnel was built along the back of the building. The work done in the 1970s has mostly stayed the same. Some repairs have been done to the stonework since 1996.
Recent Upgrades (2015-2018)
From 2015 to 2018, the building had a big upgrade. The main goal was to make it better for visitors and to protect its history.
- Removing New Parts: They took away things added in the 1980s that didn't fit the old look. This included shade canopies and a glazed area at the north end. Inside, old kitchens, lifts, and stairs were removed. This makes the building look more like it did in the past.
- Fixing and Protecting: The old sandstone building was carefully fixed. They repaired cracks and replaced roof slates. This work helps protect the building's history.
- New Uses: The building was updated for new restaurants, cafes, and bars. This allows more people to visit and enjoy its history. A new canopy was added outside for people to sit under. This keeps the building useful for future generations.
Why Campbell's Stores is Important
Historical Significance
Campbell's Stores is very important to the history of New South Wales. It is a great example of a mid-1800s warehouse. It is the only one of its kind left on the shores of Sydney Cove. This area was once the main place for trade and shipping in Sydney.
The building is a famous landmark in The Rocks. It is easy to spot from Sydney Harbour. It reminds people of what Sydney was like in the mid-1800s.
Campbell's Stores is linked to the Campbell family. They were one of the first and most important free immigrant families in Australia. The stores are part of a group of wharves and stores that started in 1801. That's when Robert Campbell built Australia's first privately owned wharf.
Later, the building was connected to the Australasian Steam Navigation Company. This was a very important shipping company. It was also linked to the Sydney Harbour Trust, a government group formed after the bubonic plague scares in 1901.
Campbell's Stores was used for storing goods for over 120 years, from 1851 to about 1970. Different companies rented parts of the stores.
The changes to Campbell's Stores show how Sydney's shipping business changed. Building the first five bays showed economic growth after a tough time in the 1840s. Adding six more bays showed more growth after the gold rushes of the 1850s. The ASN Co. adding a third level in the 1880s showed more confidence in Sydney's economy.
When the building was changed into restaurants in the 1970s, it showed a new way of saving old buildings. It also showed how Sydney Cove changed from an industrial area to a tourist spot.
The building's design, shape, and materials make it beautiful. Its simple design shows its original purpose. The repeated gabled bays and window openings create a nice rhythm. The use of sandstone, brick, and slate makes it look strong and high-quality.
Campbell's Stores is a rare example of an old warehouse style. The gabled bays, special beams (cathead beams), hoists, and loading doors show how old warehouses worked. The bars on the windows and the separate rooms show how secure bonded warehouses needed to be.
Social Importance
Campbell's Stores is important to the community today because it helps with tourism. People in Sydney and tourists from all over the world see it as a famous historical place. Its location in a popular tourist area and its use as restaurants make it well-known. Many ferry commuters see it every day.
Learning About the Past
Campbell's Stores can teach us more about early shipping in Sydney Cove. It can also help us understand how warehouses worked in the mid-1800s. We can learn about how technology for moving goods changed over time.
The old hoisting equipment, like the hydraulic hoist and winches, shows how industrial processes worked there. These machines are rare examples in Sydney. They show how big and efficient the operations were.
The original parts of the building from before 1885 are very important. The old industrial machines, like the hydraulic hoist, are also very significant.
Unique and Rare Features
Campbell's Stores is a rare example of a mid-1800s warehouse in Sydney. It is the only one of its kind left on Sydney Harbour. The collection of old goods-handling equipment from the late 1800s is also very rare. It offers a special chance to compare different types of machines.
Showing Key Characteristics
Campbell's Stores shows how Sydney Cove developed as a trading port. It is a good example of the stone warehouses that used to be common around Sydney Harbour. The changes to the building show how warehouses grew larger in the late 1800s. They also show the work of the Sydney Harbour Trust.
The materials and construction show what mid-1800s warehouses were like. It helps us understand how goods were lifted and stored in the 1800s. The hydraulic hoisting equipment and winches show the technology used for lifting goods. The winches made by Hudson Brothers show the kind of machines made by Australian companies back then.
Images for kids
-
Campbell's Wharf with the ASN Co building in the background, pictured in 2007.
.jpeg)
