Statues

Sydney is full of statues, traditional, quirky and modern. Everywhere you look and sometimes in places where you might not expect statues appear.

This statue of Governor Bligh is next to Cadman's Cottage in Bligh and Barney Reserve and was unveiled in 1987 to "restore the proper image of a much maligned and gallant man".

On the back of the statue is a detailed description of William Bligh's life.

To me he looks like he looking out to the harbour as if he is expecting someone.

A Royal Connection

In 1954 a recently crowned Queen Elizabeth visited Sydney and in this little green oasis in the city, she and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh planted 2 trees to commemorate the opening of the Remembrance Driveway. Also later on 16 February the Queen planted a Snow Gum at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

The Remembrance Driveway came about after the Second World War when Margaret Davis, the founding president of the Garden Clubs of Australia suggested that a living memorial to those who had served in this conflict be established.

The Charter of the committee is to arrange planting of avenues of trees and establish groves and memorial parks along the Hume and Federal Highways between Sydney and Canberra.

 

The Plane trees are still thriving in the Macquarie Place. The trees are currently without leaves being a deciduous variety but in spring provide a wide canopy of greenery along with the othe plantings in the park.

 

The Divide

As Sydney developed there were distinct areas which were set out.  The eastern side of  the First Government House, which was on the corner of Phillip and Bridges Street was the Governor's Domain, the south side was occupied by Government buildings and the western side was available for private purchase.

Prominent emancipist traders such as Mary Reiby and Simeon Lord bought land on the western side and conducted their businesses from this area.

In 1803 Simeon Lord began building the large three-storey house by the Tank Stream bridge which became a Sydney institution as much as a residence.

This is the site of today's Kyle House built in 1931.

  

A Fine Example of a Public Convenience

In the northeast corner of this little known open space in Sydney is a fine example of Edwardian civic design, a men's lavatory. Built in 1907 it is an underground structure capped by a metal dome and surrounded by handsome masonry screen walls with Art Nouveau ironwork over the entrance.

You could almost miss it as plants are growing up behind the masonry walls.

 

Above photo is an earlier one found on the internet. Below was taken recently.

It is now decommissioned and filled with sand which will allow for it's removal and re-use in future times.

Early Changes

 

With progress comes a passing of what has been before and Macquarie Place has not been immune to this since it's inception.

 

In 1819, Governor Macquarie commissioned Frances Greenway to design and build a Doric fountain, which was to be located at the western corner of the park. Elizabeth Macquarie was instrumental in the fountain's design and construction, having a large section of its stonework pulled down and rebuilt after its niches were originally omitted. It supplied water to the local residents.

 

 

 

 

Above is a watercolour of the fountain which was demolished to make way for a statue of  prominent businessman Thomas Sutcliffe Mort.

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas Sutcliffe Mort was a  leading Sydney businessman in auctioneering and pastoral finance, owner of the largest commercial dry dock in Australia, a pioneer of frozen meat exports and a founder of the Australian Mutual Provident Society (AMP). He died in 1878 and the statue, by sculptor Pierce Francis Connelly, was erected in 1883.

Thomas Mort was also one of the most prominent Anglican laymen in Sydney. He gave the land for St Mark's Church Darling Point , commissioning Edmund Blacket to design it and contributed generously to its building and upkeep as well as to the building of St Andrew's Cathedral and St Paul's College, University of Sydney.
 
His statue looks towards Bridge St which at the time and still does have the most substantial sandstone buildings in Sydney.

 

 

 

 

 

Eclectic Collections

The various "bits and pieces" in Macquarie Place display an eclectic collection of items from the past.
 
One such item is the John Christie Wright Memorial Fountain.
This modern sculpture commemorates a man  who hailed from Aberdeen Scotland and came to Sydney becoming an art instructor at Sydney University Teachers College in 1914.
 
As a sculptor he was awarded the Wynne Prize for sculptor from 1916 - 1917 before going on to become the Principal of the South Australian School of Art before enlisting in the AIF. 

 The small bronze fountain by sculptor Gerald Lewers completed in 1960 is a memorial to the Scottish sculptor who was killed at Bullecourt, France in 1917 during World War I.
 
A tranquil site in a busy city.

 

Thirsty anyone

This ornate canopy for a drinking fountain was one of eight ordered from Macfarlane's Iron Foundry in Scotland in 1870. They were ordered by Mayor Renny and placed in various locations around the city.

The design was tailored to the city's needs and incorporated the city's coat of arms.

 

 

 

This one was relocated to Macquarie Place in the 1970's.