Haymarket Post Office facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Haymarket Post Office |
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Haymarket Post Office, 633–635 George Street, Sydney
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| Location | 633–635 George Street, Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1927–1928 |
| Architect | E. Henderson |
| Official name: King George Hotel (former) and Haymarket Post Office | |
| Type | state heritage (complex / group) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 615 |
| Type | Post Office |
| Category | Postal and Telecommunications |
| Builders | H. W. Thompson Ltd |
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The Haymarket Post Office is a special building in Sydney, Australia. It used to be a post office and is now listed as a heritage site. This means it's an important part of history and needs to be protected.
The building is located at 633–635 George Street in Sydney. It was designed by an architect named E. Henderson and built between 1927 and 1928. A company called H. W. Thompson Ltd did the construction. The Haymarket Post Office was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999.
Contents
A Look Back: The History of the Building
Early Days of the Land
The land where the Haymarket Post Office stands today has a long history. It was first given to John Dickson and James Blanch in 1831. Over the years, the land changed hands many times. In 1889, it was owned by Michael McMahon.
The building at 635 George Street was once a hotel called the Mercantile Hotel, and later the British Lion Hotel. The building next door, at 633, had different shops over time.
The Government Buys the Land
The Australian Government wanted to build a new post office in the Haymarket area. They had been looking for land since 1909. Since no one offered to sell land, the government decided to buy the property at 633–635 George Street in 1912. The shops on the site stayed open until 1926, when they were taken down to make way for the new building.
Building the Post Office
Plans for the new post office were drawn up in 1924 by E. Henderson. He was the main architect for the Australian Government at the time. Construction started in 1927, and the post office officially opened in 1928. J. F. Fountain was the first postmaster in charge.
Changes and Tenants Over Time
Soon after it opened, there were some small issues. In 1932, there were problems with the building's lift. It turned out the lift was being overloaded or misused.
The building was designed so that parts of the upper floors could be rented out. The Chinese Consulate General, which is like an embassy for China, rented the second floor for a very long time, from 1932 until 1973.
Over the years, different parts of the building were changed to fit new needs. For example, in 1939, the Wireless Branch of the Posts and Telegraphs Department used some space. This happened while the main General Post Office was being built.
Expanding the Post Office Services
As more people used postal services, the main General Post Office in Sydney became too crowded. This meant some departments, like the engineering section, moved to the Haymarket Post Office in 1944. By 1946, most of the building was used for postal and telegraph services.
To handle the growing demand, the post office needed even more space. After a lot of planning, the building next door, which was once the George Hotel, was bought. It was then connected to the Haymarket Post Office building.
The Sale of the Building
In 1991, the government decided to sell some of its post office buildings. The Haymarket Post Office was one of them. Since then, the building has been owned by different people.
What the Building Looks Like
The former Haymarket Post Office is a five-story building. It's built in a style called "Interwar Free Classical." This means it looks grand and uses design ideas from old Greek and Roman buildings.
Outside the Building
The front of the building is divided into three main sections. The ground floor has rectangular openings for entries. The windows on the first, second, and third floors are set back inside arched shapes.
Between the second and third floors, there are decorative bronze panels. A decorative ledge, called a cornice, separates the third and fourth floors. The windows are made of steel and can be opened outwards.
The roof is flat, but it has a large opening on the south side. This opening, called a lightwell, was originally designed to let light into the main postal area on the ground floor. It still helps light up the upper floors today.
Inside the Building
On the ground floor, there was a large public area for postal services. The first, second, and third floors were used for offices. The fourth floor even had a small apartment.
A lift is located in one corner of the building. A staircase made of a special material called terrazzo wraps around the lift. There's also a small basement for storage, which gets light from special concrete-framed windows on the pavement.
The building is made of strong reinforced concrete. Many of the original steel windows are still there, as are some of the tall, polished timber doors. Some of the decorative wall plaster also remains. However, most of the original marble and wooden fittings have been removed. The apartment on the fourth floor is mostly still as it was, except for the kitchen.
How the Building Has Changed
- 1927: The new post office was built.
- 1932: Walls were added on the first and third floors.
- 1934: More walls were added on the third floor to divide a rented space.
- 1935: More private post boxes were added.
- 1938: A wire guard was put over the main skylight.
- 1948–1951: Openings and stairs were added to connect the building to 631 George Street next door.
- 1993: A bar and gaming room were built on the ground floor.
Why This Building is Special
The Haymarket Post Office is very important to the history of New South Wales. It's special for several reasons:
Historical Importance
This building is significant because it's the only large post office built in inner Sydney during the "Inter-war period" (between World War I and World War II). It shows how important the Haymarket area was for business in Sydney. It also gives us information about how housing was provided for post office staff.
Architectural Style
The Haymarket Post Office is a great example of the Interwar Free Classical style. It's believed to be the only post office built in this specific style. The architect, E. Henderson, used classic design elements like arches, bronze panels, and iron grilles beautifully.
Connection to the Community
The building has a strong connection to the Chinese community in Sydney. The Chinese Consulate General was located here for 40 years, from 1929 to 1973. This shows that Haymarket was a central place for the Chinese community during that time.
What We Can Learn from It
The site of the post office has the potential to teach us more about the early history of the area. There might be old remains underground from its very first uses.
Unique Features
The Haymarket Post Office is a rare example of a grand post office from the inter-war period built in the Free Classical style. The lift inside is also a unique example of an old-style lift with brass mesh and polished wood. The main postal hall, where people would go to send mail, is one of the very few original ones left.
Representing Growth
This building also represents how much the postal and telegraph services grew between World War I and World War II. The fact that they had to expand into the hotel next door shows how busy and important these services became.
