Gannon House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gannon House and Shop |
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Gannon House, 45-47 Argyle Street, The Rocks, New South Wales
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| Location | 45-47 Argyle Street, The Rocks, City of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1839–1840 |
| Built for | Michael Gannon |
| Architect | Michael Gannon |
| Architectural style(s) | Colonial Georgian |
| Owner | Property NSW |
| Official name: Gannon House & Shop; Michael Gannon's House / La Renaissance Patisserie | |
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Designated | 10 May 2002 |
| Reference no. | 1548 |
| Type | Other - Residential Buildings (private) |
| Category | Residential buildings (private) |
| Builders | Michael Gannon |
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Gannon House is a historic building located at 45-47 Argyle Street in The Rocks, a famous area in Sydney, Australia. It was designed and built by Michael Gannon between 1839 and 1840. Originally, these buildings were used as homes and stables.
Today, the site is known as Michael Gannon's House. It currently houses an art gallery called Gannon House Gallery and a cafe called La Renaissance Patisserie. The property is owned by Property NSW, which is a government agency in New South Wales. Gannon House was officially added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 10 May 2002, meaning it's a very important historical site.
Contents
History of Gannon House
Early Land Use
The land where Gannon House stands was once part of the first hospital grounds in Sydney. It included the Assistant Surgeon's residence and garden. When the hospital moved to Macquarie Street, the famous colonial architect Francis Greenway lived on the site.
Greenway believed the land was promised to him by Governor Macquarie. However, the government disagreed and tried to get the site back. Greenway stayed there until about 1834. The specific spot where Gannon House is located was just east of Greenway's residence.
Building the Houses
In 1823, Governor Brisbane leased a piece of land, including this site, to a labourer named John Gleeson. By 1830, parts of this land were being sold. In 1838, the land was sold to Frederick Wright Unwin.
Unwin then leased about two-thirds of his land to Michael Gannon in 1839. Gannon was a builder. The lease required him to build houses on the land. Gannon quickly built the two houses at 45-47 Argyle Street between 1839 and 1840. He also had workshops and a timber yard behind the houses.
Changes and Owners Over Time
Unfortunately, Michael Gannon faced financial problems in the 1840s. His property was taken and sold in 1845 to pay off his debts. The Gannon family left the Argyle Street property that year.
The buildings were used for both homes and businesses. For example, in 1858, No. 45 was a boarding house, and No. 47 was home to a bootmaker. By 1865, Gannon's original workshops and stables had been removed. The houses were expanded with new rooms and outbuildings. The original shingle roof was replaced with corrugated iron.
In 1870, William Yeoman bought the buildings. He used part of the site for his own business. Later, in 1885, John Gill, a farmer, purchased the properties. The site became government property in 1903 after a plague outbreak. Since then, different government bodies have managed The Rocks area, including the Sydney Harbour Trust and Property NSW.
Gannon House and Shop are important because they show how Sydney and The Rocks developed in the 1840s. They are rare examples of smaller, yet ambitious, buildings from that time. Their changing uses over the years also tell us about the history of The Rocks.
What Gannon House Looks Like
Gannon House is a two-storey building. It has a wide U-shape, with the front facing Argyle Street. It looks like one building, even though it's made up of two parts (No. 45 and No. 47). This design suggests it was built to be affordable.
A low wall, called a parapet, hides the main roof, which is a hipped roof (sloping on all sides). The back of No. 47 has skillion roofs (single-sloping roofs). The back wings of the building create a small courtyard.
The ground floor is made of stone, and the first floor is made of brick. The inside walls are made of lath and plaster. No. 45 is very well preserved, both inside and out. No. 47 had a major renovation in the late 1800s. Many of the rooms still have their original layout and details, even if they are covered by layers of paint.
- Style: Colonial Georgian
- Storeys: Two floors for both No. 45 (seven rooms) and No. 47 (three rooms).
- Internal Walls: Lath and plaster linings.
- Roof: Covered with galvanised iron and steel, over parts of the original timber shingle roof.
- Construction: Timber-frame inside, stone on the ground floor, brick on the first floor.
Condition of the Building
As of 2001, the site's archaeological condition was partly disturbed. This means some parts have been changed, but there are still valuable historical items hidden in the ground, especially in the rear yards and under the floors. There is a cellar under part of No. 45.
Changes Over Time
A survey in 1858 showed the buildings looked similar, but some outbuildings had changed. A small addition was made to the back of No. 45. By 1865, the workshop and stable built by Gannon were gone. More rooms and outbuildings were added to the back of both houses.
A photograph shows that the original shingle roof was replaced with a new roof of corrugated iron. The windows had multiple glass panes and were protected by shutters on the ground floor.
Why Gannon House is Important
Gannon House and Shop are very important to the history and culture of New South Wales. They show us what buildings, building methods, and the economy were like in the late 1830s and 1840s.
No. 45 is especially important because it's a mostly untouched example of a home from that time. Both buildings (No. 45-47 Argyle Street) are rare examples of a home with an attached "office/shop." This shows how society and business worked in the area back then. Changes to No. 47's shopfront and back also show how the building's commercial use changed over time.
Gannon House and Shop stand out on Argyle Street. They are smaller than some of the grander buildings around them. They are the only buildings left from the 1840s development on this part of Argyle Street. They add to the unique and historical feel of The Rocks.
Gannon House & Shop was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 10 May 2002 because it meets several important criteria:
- It shows the history of New South Wales: The site was part of the first hospital and later a valuable piece of land in Sydney's growing business centre. Michael Gannon built these houses as part of a lease agreement in 1839. The buildings were built for both living and working, showing how people lived and worked at that time. They continued to be used for homes and businesses well into the 20th century.
- It is linked to important people: The site is connected to Francis Greenway, the first Colonial Architect. It was later bought by F. W. Unwin, a well-known businessman. Michael Gannon, a local builder, developed the site and lived and worked there until 1845. The buildings have also been managed by important government bodies like the Sydney Harbour Trust.
- It shows great design and building skills: Gannon House and Shop are rare examples of a home with an attached shop from the early 1800s. They show building techniques and styles from that time, with simple Georgian design and little decoration. The way the buildings are built, right on the street, without a garden, and with an "office/shop," shows how residential buildings changed as land became more developed in the area.
- It is important to the community: Gannon House and Shop have been part of a busy area since 1840. They are linked to the working-class community that lived and worked there. The changes to the buildings show how the area developed from a mixed-use place to a commercial and tourist area.
- It can teach us more about history: No. 45 Gannon House is mostly original. This means it can teach us a lot about architecture, living standards, and the way people lived in the late 1830s and 1840s. The building's materials and finishes offer clues about interior decorations common in working-class homes. The attached shop (No. 47) shows how the area grew as a business centre. The changes to the buildings and the land around them also show how land ownership and development changed. Even though parts of the site have been disturbed, archaeological finds under the courtyard paving can still tell us about the site's early development.
- It is rare: Gannon House and Shop are rare examples of a home with an attached shop built in 1839-40. They are the only surviving part of a group of buildings Michael Gannon built in this area. No. 45 Argyle Street, in particular, still has its original shape and inside layout. While other homes from this time exist, they don't have the same mix of home and shop.
- It shows key features of historical places: Gannon House and Shop are important because they show the growth and business development of The Rocks area. The building's design and use were influenced by its closeness to Sydney's main shipping and business activities. More recent changes to the building show its role in a busy historic and tourist area today.
