Historic images of Sydney's Catholic Cathedrals : 26

 

Construction of the Southern facade of Saint Mary's Cathedral circa 1927.
Image : State Library of NSW.

We continue our series of historic photographs commemorating the bi-centenary of Saint Mary's Cathedral (1821-2021), but take another leap forward by a few years with this dramatic image taken circa 1927.

This photograph, looking north-west, shews the facade of the Cathedral, with its massive paired towers, during the course of construction.  The Western tower is complete in most details, but at that time construction of the masonry at the upper stages of the eastern tower was still in progress.  

A timber platform had been constructed in front of the principal doors of the Cathedral, before the construction of the impressive flight of masonry stairs.  At the upper right corner of the photograph, we can see the timber and slate roof of the nave in the process of construction.  

In our previous articles, we posted photographs illustrating the stages of the construction of the present Saint Mary's Cathedral, to be found at the following links :

1871              1882             1883             1886

1887              1890             1892             1895

1896               1901             1902            1905

1907               1910            1912             1914             

1915               1917            1921             1930

Click on the image 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 image on which this digital rendering is based is held by the State Library of NSW.  Thanks are due to Special Collections of the State Library for undertaking a search to locate this and other rare images.  Please do not reproduce these unique images without permission.