Pyrmont Post Office facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pyrmont Post Office (former) |
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Former Pyrmont Post Office, 2019
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| Location | 148 Harris Street, Pyrmont, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Architect | Government Architect’s Office under Walter Liberty Vernon |
| Architectural style(s) | Federation Free Style |
| Owner | Australia Post |
| Official name: Pyrmont Post Office | |
| Type | Listed place (Historic) |
| Designated | 22 June 2004 |
| Reference no. | 105510 |
| Official name: Pyrmont Post Office | |
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Designated | 22 December 2000 |
| Reference no. | 1440 |
| Type | Post Office |
| Category | Postal and Telecommunications |
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The Pyrmont Post Office is an old post office building in Pyrmont, Sydney, Australia. It is located at 148 Harris Street. This building is very important for its history and unique design. It was designed by the New South Wales Government Architect’s Office, led by Walter Liberty Vernon.
Today, the building is owned by Australia Post. It is recognized as a special heritage site. It was added to the Commonwealth Heritage List on June 22, 2004. It was also added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on December 22, 2000.
Contents
A Look Back: The History of Pyrmont Post Office
Pyrmont's Story: From Industry to Modern Life
Pyrmont was once quite separate from early Sydney. Its first developments were mostly about industries along the water. Shipyards and stone quarries brought many workers to live there. However, people with more money usually lived elsewhere.
The opening of the Pyrmont Bridge in the 1850s helped the area grow. More industries and people moved in. Big businesses like Colonial Sugar Refinery (CSR) and wool storage places came to Pyrmont. New bridges and power stations also helped Pyrmont become a busy industrial area. This continued until after World War II.
Most homes in Pyrmont were for working-class families. Over time, new industries even replaced some houses. After World War II, many of these big industries closed or moved away. Since the 1970s, Pyrmont has slowly changed. Many old industrial buildings have been torn down or turned into new spaces.
How Australia's Mail System Grew
Australia's first official mail service started in April 1809. Isaac Nichols, a merchant in Sydney, became the first Postmaster. Before this, ship captains delivered mail, but it wasn't always safe or reliable.
In 1825, the government in New South Wales created its own Postmaster General's Department. Before this, mail was managed from Britain. By 1828, the first post offices outside Sydney opened in towns like Bathurst and Parramatta. By 1839, there were forty post offices. More opened as people settled new areas.
During the 1860s, postal services grew even more with the railway network. In 1863, the Postmaster General said it was important for postmasters to live in the same building as the post office.
The first telegraph line in NSW opened in 1858. Telegraph offices needed special equipment. They couldn't just be in a local store. Post and telegraph services became one department in 1870. New offices were then built to handle both.
In 1881, the first telephone exchange opened in Sydney. The telephone system also spread to country areas. The Post Office was in charge of public telephone exchanges. This made it a key part of community communication.
Between 1865 and 1890, the Colonial Architects Office built and maintained many post and telegraph offices. These buildings came in different styles. Construction continued under Walter Liberty Vernon from 1890 to 1911.
After Australia became a federation in 1901, the Commonwealth Government took over postal services. Later, in 1975, the Postmaster General's Department was replaced. This led to the creation of Telecom and Australia Post. In 1989, Australia Post became a self-funded business. This meant they started using smaller, shop-front style post offices.
For a long time, post offices offered many community services. These included mail, banking, and telephone services. The town post office was often a central meeting point. It was usually built in a key spot, close to other public buildings.
The Pyrmont Post Office Building
The first post office in Pyrmont opened in April 1852. It was a small "sub-office" for the growing Pyrmont/Ultimo area. By the 1850s, big industries were changing Pyrmont. Ship building and quarrying brought many workers. This led to a need for more services. The Pyrmont Bridge, built in 1858, also helped Pyrmont grow.
From 1871, Pyrmont Post Office offered money orders and a savings bank. This showed it had become a more important "official" office. As the population grew in the 1870s and 1880s, people asked for a new Post and Telegraph Office. Pyrmont didn't have its own telegraph office. About 1000 telegrams a week were delivered to the area. This showed a clear need for a local office.
A temporary post office was in Harris Street for some years. In 1882, the local politician, Francis Abigail, asked for a better building. A shop and home in Union Street was rented. Frederick Lassre became the postmaster. The first Postmistress, Elizabeth Fleming, served from 1853 to 1881. Her son, Charles Fleming, continued as Postmaster until 1896.
People kept asking for an official post office in the 1890s. By 1899, a site was found. The new office was designed by New South Wales Government Architect Walter Liberty Vernon. It was built using leftover Pyrmont sandstone from other big buildings. These included the General Post Office and Customs House.
The new post office cost £4,347 to build. The Minister for Public Works, Edward William O'Sullivan, opened it on January 19, 1901. The building had two floors and a basement. The basement had the kitchen, dining room, laundry, and bathroom. The ground floor had the main office and one bedroom. Three more bedrooms were on the first floor. It served as Pyrmont's post office for many years. It is still an important part of the town center.
In the 1950s, the building was updated. The main entry door was moved. Post boxes were added. In December 2009, the building became a branch of the Bendigo Bank.
What the Pyrmont Post Office Looks Like
The Pyrmont Post Office is at 148 Harris Street, on the corner of Union Street. It faces Union Square. It was built in 1901 in the Federation Free Style. It is a two-story building made of rough and smooth sandstone blocks. It also has a basement.
The roof is complex and covered with Marseille tiles. Three sandstone chimneys rise from the roof. The Union Street side has a large arched entry on the ground floor. Above this arch is a balcony with two columns on the first floor.
On the Harris Street side, the ground floor has two large arched windows. The first floor has four sash windows. All windows have many small panes in their upper sections. The building's design shows features of the Federation Free Style. These include the arched windows, the mix of rough and smooth stone, and the multi-pane windows. Walter Liberty Vernon was famous for this style. The building stands out and helps make the area special.
The building has decorative stone bands between floors and below the roof. The main entry arch is smooth with carved ends. Some smaller square windows have thick stone tops. All window frames are painted white.
The first-floor balcony is on the building's corner. It has a sandstone balustrade and two thick sandstone columns. The ground-floor entry porch is behind the main arch. It has modern red tiles and two doors. One is an old four-panel door, and the other is a modern glass door for the bank.
The basement is still split into two parts. One part was for the post office, and the other for the postmaster's home. The post office side has staff facilities and toilets. The home side has a kitchen, dining room, and storage. The walls are mostly painted stone. Some original details like picture rails and wide skirtings remain.
The ground floor has the main retail area at the front. Behind the counter is a mail room and post box area. An office and storage room are in the old residence space. The ceilings vary, with some plaster and some corrugated iron. Many original door frames and some skirting remain. The retail area has modern fittings. Three chimneys are still there, though some are hidden.
The first floor is empty now. It used to be the postmaster's home. It has three bedrooms, a bathroom from the 1950s, and a storage room. Original doors and windows are still present. Two fireplaces with cast iron grates are also on this floor.
There are two stairs in the building. The main stair is carpeted and connects all three levels of the old residence. It has polished timber posts and balusters. The other stair goes to the basement.
The building has brass letters saying "Pyrmont Post Office" above the first floor. There is also an "Australia Post" sign on the Harris Street side.
The area around the post office has many two or three-story buildings from the 1800s and early 1900s. The building faces Union Square, which has trees and flowers. There is a war memorial and seating in the Square.
A small metal shed is at the back of the property. The back yard is paved and fenced.
Building Condition and Changes
As of 1996, the building was still a post office and was in good shape. It looked very much like it did when it was built. The entrance was changed a little in the 1950s. As of 2000, the outside of the building was in very good condition. The site might also hold important clues about its past uses. The Pyrmont Post Office is mostly in its original form. It still has its important features, like the sandstone outside, the large arched entrance, and the stone roof details.
The building was finished in 1901. In the 1950s, the front entry was changed. Post boxes were installed, and the current entry door replaced an old telephone booth. This is likely when the basement was also changed.
Some parts of the building show moisture damage and wear and tear. However, the outside is in very good condition. The back yard is paved, so there isn't much evidence of other changes since the building was first constructed.
Why Pyrmont Post Office is a Heritage Site
The Pyrmont Post Office, built in 1901, is important for many reasons. It shows how Pyrmont grew into a major industrial area of Sydney. Building a permanent post office at that time showed that the area was becoming well-established. Its location on a main corner, facing Union Square, makes it a key part of the streetscape.
As of 2000, Pyrmont Post Office is important at a State level. This is because of its history, its beautiful design, and its value to the community.
The Pyrmont Post Office is connected to the first post office from 1852. It shows how the Pyrmont/Ultimo area developed. Its construction reflects the population growth in the late 1800s. The Post Office also helped bring better communication services to the community. The building has been used as a post office for almost a century. Its unique shape shows how hard it was to design new buildings in already busy parts of Sydney. It also shows how workers' living conditions improved in NSW.
The Pyrmont Post Office is beautiful because it is a great example of the Federation Free Style of architecture. Its design and location make it a local landmark. It is also linked to the NSW Government Architect's Office under Walter Liberty Vernon. He was a very important designer of the Federation Free Style. The building is also important to the Pyrmont community's sense of identity.
Australian Commonwealth Heritage List
Pyrmont Post Office was added to the Commonwealth Heritage List on June 22, 2004, because it met these standards:
- Criterion D: What it shows about its time
The building's design, with its special windows, different stone finishes, and roof details, clearly shows the features of Federation Free Style architecture.
- Criterion H: Important people involved
The building is also important because it was designed by the New South Wales Government Architect, W. L. Vernon.
New South Wales State Heritage Register
Pyrmont Post Office was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on December 22, 2000, because it met these standards:
- It shows the history of New South Wales.
The post office is linked to the first office from 1852. The new, larger building in 1901 shows how Pyrmont grew. The community needed better services and asked for a new post office. It was also key to improving communication services in Pyrmont/Ultimo. The building was used for its original purpose for almost 100 years. Its unusual shape shows how challenging it was to build new structures in already developed areas. The residence in Pyrmont included a laundry and kitchen. This was different from earlier post offices, where these facilities were often separate. The building was designed by Walter Liberty Vernon's office.
- It shows great design or technical skill.
Pyrmont Post Office is a clear example of the Federation Free Style in NSW. Made mostly of sandstone, it looks beautiful in Pyrmont's historic civic area. Its design is similar to other important post offices like those in Cooma and Burwood. It is part of a group of buildings in Pyrmont Square. This group forms a key part of the Pyrmont urban area.
- It is important to the community.
The Pyrmont Post Office was built after local people asked for better services. It has been the center of communication in Pyrmont for almost a century. It is a key part of the civic area. Because of this, it is important to the Pyrmont community's sense of place.
- It could provide historical information.
The site has the potential to offer archaeological information about its past uses.
- It is rare or uncommon.
Pyrmont Post Office is mostly in its original form, which is rare for post offices in NSW. Its unusual architectural shape also makes it uncommon.
- It shows the main features of its type of place.
Pyrmont Post Office is a strong example of the Federation Free Style. It is one of many post offices designed by the NSW Government Architect Office under Walter Liberty Vernon.
