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Dictionary of Sydney

The Dictionary of Sydney
McCormack, Terri

The Dictionary of Sydney was archived in 2021.

McCormack, Terri

Author

Terri McCormack is a consultant historian

Allen, George as Author

Balmain Power Station as Author

Benevolent Society and Asylum as Author

Bondi rock carvings as Author

Broughton, Thomas Stafford as Author

Chapman, Michael as Author

Chinese Garden of Friendship as Author

Chinese New Year as Author

East Timorese as Author

Egan, Daniel as Author

Fisher, Henry as Author

Flood, Edward as Author

Goold, Stephen Styles as Author

Green, James as Author

Hero of Waterloo hotel as Author

Hill, George as Author

Holden, John Rose as Author

Hosking, John as Author

Indonesians as Author

Josephson, Joshua Frey as Author

Kelly's Bush as Author

Long Bay prison as Author

Macdermott, Henry as Author

Malaysians as Author

Manning, William Patrick as Author

Merriman, James as Author

Moore, Charles as Author

Oatley, James as Author

Owen, Robert as Author

Parramatta Gaol as Author

Renny, Walter as Author

Riley, Alban Joseph as Author

Rouse Hill Estate as Author

Speer, William as Author

Spence, Thomas as Author

Sutherland, John as Author

Sutton, John as Author

Sydney City Mission as Author

Thornton, George as Author

Thurlow, William as Author

Tibetans as Author

Williams, John as Author

Wilshire, James Robert as Author

Woods, John as Author

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Allen, George

Stepson of a convict, George Allen became the colony's first locally trained lawyer, and a pillar of society.

Balmain Power Station

Originally supplying the inner-west with electricity, this icon of Balmain's industrial heritage ultimately gave way to demand for waterfront property.

Benevolent Society and Asylum

The Benevolent Society, and the asylum (and later hospitals, clinics and aged care centres) it ran, provided care and sustenance to Sydney's poorest from the 1820s. Although it was founded under the auspices of the Colonial Auxiliary Bible Society, it gradually became a secular, independent non-profit organisation.

Bondi rock carvings

Aboriginal people, like later arrivals, found Bondi an attractive place, with its abundant nearby fresh water, fish and rocky shores full of shellfish. On the rocky platforms are huge carvings of fish, sharks, whales and people, thousands of years old.

Broughton, Thomas Stafford

A tailor by trade, Thomas Broughton became rich and successful and was an early Mayor of Sydney.

Chapman, Michael

Irish-born businessman Michael Chapman rose from small business to become an alderman, mayor and parliamentarian.

Chinese Garden of Friendship

Built on the site of the NSW Fresh Food and Ice Company, the Chinese Garden was a Bicentennial project, opened in 1988.

Chinese New Year

A Chinese community and family festival for over a century, Sydney's Chinese New Year celebrations now include entertainment by Australian and Chinese performers, Chinatown markets, shopfront decorations, dragon boat races, and a stunning Chinese New Year Parade, featuring floats inspired by the different Asian communities who celebrate the Lunar New Year

East Timorese

After the Indonesian invasion of East Timor in 1975, many East Timorese fled to Australia, and a majority settled in Sydney. Further waves of East Timorese came after the 1991 Dili massacre, and during the conflict after the 1999 referendum on independence. A majority of the community is of Chinese descent, with 40 per cent identifying as Timorese. The community has maintained diverse religious and cultural practices as well as the languages of Tetum, Hakka and Portuguese.

Egan, Daniel

A currency lad, born in the colony, Daniel Egan rose from boatbuilder to parliamentarian.

Fisher, Henry

A settler who made a success in business, Henry Fisher also dabbled in local politics.

Flood, Edward

Born the illegitimate son of a convict, Edward Flood rose to be rich and successful through his own efforts in business and was both Mayor of Sydney and a minister in the colonial government.

Goold, Stephen Styles

A painter and glazier who rose to Mayor and member of Parliament, SS Goold was also a deeply religious man.

Green, James

Painter, glazier, oil and colour merchant, James Green was a good lodge man and an alderman on the Sydney City council for over a decade.

Hero of Waterloo hotel

Built in 1844, the Hero was linked to tales of smuggling and press-ganging in Millers Point's maritime past, but its history is more commercial than criminal.

Hill, George

Butcher, innkeeper and racing man as well as Mayor and parliamentarian, George Hill was a Sydney success story.

Holden, John Rose

Arriving in New South Wales as a soldier, John Rose Holden became a respected businessman and politician, before returning to England.

Hosking, John

A businessman who married into the Terry family, John Hosking became the first mayor of Sydney.

Indonesians

Indonesians arrived in Sydney in great numbers after the dismantling of the White Australia policy in the 1970s, and with strong community organisations have added richly to Sydney's cultural and culinary life.

Josephson, Joshua Frey

Son of a German-born convict, JF Josephson became a successful musician, lawyer, investor, and patron of the arts, as well as a municipal and colonial politician.

Kelly's Bush

Part of the Woolwich Peninsula and originally home of the Wallumedagal clan, Kelly's Bush was saved from development by an unlikely coalition of middle-class women and communist union leaders in an action that saw the imposition of the first Green Ban.

Long Bay prison

Now a vast correctional centre, encompassing many institutions, Long Bay prison complex was originally designed by Walter Liberty Vernon, to further the penal reform ends of William Neitenstein. It included both men's and women's prisons, and over the century since it was built, has been called a range of names, and implicated in successive reforms of the system.

Macdermott, Henry

Arriving as a soldier with the 39th Regiment in 1827, Henry Macdermott decided to stay, and built a business and a reputation as a radical politician.

Malaysians

From transported convicts to pearl fishermen and food hawkers, Malaysians have long had ties with Sydney. Today they form a prominent part of the daily fabric in the cultural and business life of the city.

Manning, William Patrick

Mayor five times, Sir William Manning was one of Sydney's most prominent Catholic businessmen, during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Merriman, James

A self-made man of business, James Merriman was Sydney's Mayor three times.

Moore, Charles

Irish-born, Charles Moore arrived in Sydney as a draper, and rose to public office as Mayor and a member of parliament.

Oatley, James

Sydney-born, James Oatley made his money as a publican, and then devoted himself to public affairs, as an alderman, mayor and parliamentarian.

Owen, Robert

Landowner, solicitor, judge and politician, Robert Owen was a foundation councillor of the City of Sydney, as well as a member of both houses of New South Wales Parliament.

Parramatta Gaol

The third gaol built in Parramatta, Parramatta gaol's changes over the years reflected changing philosophies of correction.

Renny, Walter

Showy and hospitable, Walter Renny was a painter and decorator who rose to be mayor of Sydney.

Riley, Alban Joseph

a successful businessman and an advocate of the Saturday half-holiday, draper AJ Riley became a free trade politician and all-round public man, until business troubles ended his career.

Rouse Hill Estate

Built on Dharug land, Rouse Hill Estate was established in the 1810s, and held by the same family until 1993. Extensive gardens and agricultural buildings surround the house, which was added to over the years, though the original land was sold off. The house and gardens remain, now preserved by the Historic Houses Trust as a museum.

Speer, William

Irish-born businessman William Speer was mayor of Sydney in 1864, and a parliamentarian by 1869. Speers Point at Lake Macquarie is named after him.

Spence, Thomas

Scottish-born Thomas Spence was one of the many builders on the Council of the City of Sydney.

Sutherland, John

A carpenter by trade, John Sutherland became a local politician, mayor and parliamentarian.

Sutton, John

Builder John Sutton rose to alderman and mayor.

Sydney City Mission

Appalled by the poverty he found in Sydney when he arrived in 1860, Benjamin Short founded the Sydney City Mission in 1862. While some of the problems it addressed changed over the years, the Mission's work for Sydney's most vulnerable people continues in 2009.

Thornton, George

The son of a convict, George Thornton became powerful in municipal and colonial politics.

Thurlow, William

A free settler who built a legal practice, William Thurlow was mayor of Sydney in 1851 and 1852.

Tibetans

From the first recorded arrival of a Tibetan in Australia in 1973, the Tibetan community has grown in size and organisation. Many Sydney Tibetans are refugees and exiles. Tibetan political, cultural and religious organisations work for freedom in their homeland, cultural survival and language education in Australia and Buddhist worship.

Williams, John

An eminent lawyer who was Crown Solicitor of New South Wales for over two decades, John Williams was also a mayor of Sydney.

Wilshire, James Robert

Sydney's second mayor was a prosperous tanner with radical views.

Woods, John

A businessman who became Mayor of Sydney in 1865, John Woods was also important in the development of the Manly area after moving to Fairlight in 1880.