BOOTH HOUSE
44 Bridge Street, Sydney
Map Gallery
From the City of Sydney archives
Click on the maps to get a better view
Francis Webb Sheilds Map of Sydney, 1844
In April 1843, the Council appointed a Committee to enquire into the paving, draining and cleansing of the City. Among their recommendations was that a general survey of the City should be “minutely and accurately taken” in order to facilitate the reforming and repairing of streets and providing drainage for them. In September 1843, Francis Webb Sheilds Sheilds surveyed the City during 1844 and completed the map in February 1845. He made a tracing of the map in August 1845 for the NSW Colonial Government.The plan covers the area within the original 1842 City of Sydney boundaries.
Trigonometrical Survey of Sydney, 1855-1865
During the summer period in the four years from 1849, water was rationed in the City of Sydney, and public criticism of the City Council’s inability to provide adequate water supplies resulted in a number of investigations carried out by both the Council and the Legislative Council. Following the recommendations of the Legislative Council’s second Select Committee, the City Council was abolished in October 1853 (until 1857) and three Commissioners were appointed to exercise municipal functions.The Survey was undertaken by the City Surveyor’s Department of the Council, starting while the Commissioners were in office, as part of a push to expedite water, sewerage and drainage services.
Young Street was still Elizabeth Street and Loftus Street was still Castlereagh Street.
Blocks west of Macquarie Street to what is now Young Street.
Young Street was still Elizabeth Street and Loftus Street was still Castlereagh Street.
Doves Plans of Sydney, 1880
Doves Plans of Sydney were executed by H Percy Dove, a surveyor, and published in 1879-1880, apparently as a bound volume. Each sheet is annotated to show the nature of premises (bakehouse, stable, finance agency etc) and sometimes construction details (verandah, passage). Circled numbers are used to show the number of storeys of each building. Names of owners or occupiers are also often indicated.
It shows that Castlereagh and Elizabeth Streets used to run right down to the water - now Young and Loftus Streets - and the house on the Booth House site is marked - the home of Dr Eichler.