Historic Images of Sydney's Catholic Cathedrals : 13

We continue our series of historic photographs commemorating the bi-centenary of Saint Mary's Cathedral (1821-2021).

In our previous articles, we posted photographs illustrating the stages of the construction of the present Saint Mary's Cathedral :

1871              1882             1883             1886

1887              1890             1892             1895

1896               1901             1902            1910

When the Cathedral was commenced 1867-68, a definite footprint of the building was laid-out, extending from Prince Albert Road southward to where the remnant of Old Saint Mary's remained.  Step by step, the cathedral was constructed until in 1900 it was raised to its completed state on the 1868 footprint.  

The photograph was taken circa 1905 from Prince Albert Road.  As the building of the new Cathedral progressed, professional photographers were regularly taking images of the stages of construction.  It was an imposing sight which attracted much interest.  From illustrated magazines of those times, residents of Sydney and beyond knew what the completed the design for the building would look like, even though the building process would take an indeterminate length of time.

Trundling along the road and flanked by horses and carts is a cable tram.  This tram route from Edgecliff to Darling Harbour via King Street had been opened in 1894.  The view may be compared with the previously-published image circa 1895, shewing the Cathedral in a less complete state.

Click on the images for an enlarged view.

AMDG

NOTES

The photographs in this series are taken from a variety of sources, some in online Archival collections, some from books, some original images in the editor's collection.  They are presented here in a "modernised" digital form, and with as much detail of the structure of the Cathedrals enhanced in order to make them more accessible to a new generation of Australian Catholics. The original images on which these digital renderings are based are held by the State Archives of NSW and Special Collections of the State Library of NSW.  Please do not reproduce these unique images without permission.