107–109 George Street, The Rocks

107–109 George Street, The Rocks is a heritage-listed building in the inner-city suburb of The Rocks in the City of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was built during 1860 and is also known by the names of its former and current tenants, including Rockpool Restaurant and William Blue Dining. The property is owned by Property NSW, an agency of the Government of New South Wales, and was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 10 May 2002. The building is a commercial venue that has served many purposes over its long history, from a public house and bakery to retail shops and, most recently, a restaurant. The site has a deep history that predates the current building. It was part of the first hospital grounds from 1788, and by 1790 a prefabricated hospital replaced the earlier tent hospital. By 1800 there were three structures in use for the hospital, and the subject site lay between the most northerly hospital building and the assistant surgeon's house. By 1812 some small, single-storey buildings occupied the site, possibly store houses for the hospital. In 1816 the new Rum Hospital opened in Macquarie Street, the original hospital on George Street was demolished, and the site became a government stone quarry. The land was later granted to Mr Broughton, who appears to have given it to his wife, Elizabeth. The Broughtons erected a dwelling and a shop in 1832 or 1833. In November 1841 the land was subdivided into four lots, with Lot 1 becoming 109 George Street and Lot 2 becoming 107 George Street. The auction plan shows a shoe shop on Lot 1 and a structure marked as Mr Bradley's house and shop on part of Lot 1 and along the street frontage of Lot 2. Broughton sold Lot 2 (no. 107) to John Donohoe in 1842, who immediately erected a single-storey wooden bakehouse with a timber shingled roof. Donohoe appears to have purchased both lots, as he is indicated as the owner in 1845 on the rates records. In 1854 Patrick Freehill purchased Lot 2 and in 1856 Lot 1. Freehill erected a bakehouse and store to the rear of his two properties during 1857. The stone store with timber shingles was three storeys and contained ovens and stables; the lower sections of walls still remain. In 1860 P. Freehill erected a four-storey (including basement) building on both lots. The southern half of this building was described in Sydney Municipal Rate Books of 1863 as a public house constructed of stone walls and slate roof. Freehill retained the rear store and bakehouse of Lot 1 but conveyed the public house known as "The Shipwrights Arms" to Reverend P. Young in 1868. Freehill mortgaged his property to the Bank of New South Wales in 1874, and in 1876 the "Official Insolvency Assignee Alfred Sandeman" conveyed the property to the Bank. The premises remained a hotel called "The Shipwrights Arms" until 1900, when the name changed to the "Chicago Hotel" with Margaret Riley as licensee. Nos. 107 and 109 George Street were resumed by the Government in 1901, and these buildings survived the demolitions that occurred around the area because of their substantial nature and relatively young age. Around 1910 the hotel on 109 George Street became a fish shop and later a café. 107 George Street was a clothes shop between 1900 and the early 1920s, initially run by Mrs K. Symonds and then W. H. Kent and Co. After that it became a hairdresser. By the 1960s, 107 George Street contained a laundry and a museum with residential apartments in the upper levels, and 109 was a restaurant known as The Rocks Push. The building has undergone extensive remodelling during the last half of the 20th century. In 1978 the Rocks Push Restaurant expanded into 107 George Street, requiring extensive renovations including the removal of the party wall between the two properties. In the same year the central section of the top floor sandstone George Street façade was reconstructed due to structural failure.

The site of 107–109 George Street, The Rocks, has a history that predates the current building. It was part of the first hospital grounds from 1788; by 1790 a new prefabricated hospital replaced the earlier tent hospital. By 1800 there were three structures in use for the hospital, and the subject site lay between the most northerly hospital building and the assistant surgeon's house which stood on the south-west corner of Argyle and George streets. The hospital store building may have extended over the subject site. By 1812 some small, single-storey buildings occupied the site; these could have been the store houses for the hospital. In 1816 the new Rum Hospital opened in Macquarie Street, the original hospital on George Street was demolished, and the site became a government stone quarry. The site was later granted to Mr Broughton, who appears to have given it to his wife, Elizabeth, as it is her name that is notated on later maps. The Broughtons did not build on the land until 1832 or 1833, when they erected a dwelling and a shop. In November 1841 the land was subdivided and offered for sale; it was divided into four lots, with Lot 1 becoming the present 109 George Street and Lot 2 becoming 107 George Street. The plan for the auction shows that there was a shoe shop on Lot 1 and a structure marked as Mr Bradley's house and shop on part of Lot 1 and along the street frontage of Lot 2. This single-storey, two-roomed shop had wooden walls and a roof of timber shingles. Broughton sold Lot 2 (no. 107) to John Donohoe in 1842, who immediately erected a single-storey wooden bakehouse with a timber shingled roof. It appears that Donohoe purchased both lots, as he is indicated as the owner in 1845 on the rates records, the first year they were collected. In 1854 Patrick Freehill purchased Lot 2 and in 1856 Lot 1. Freehill erected a bakehouse and store to the rear of his two properties during 1857. The stone store with timber shingles was three storeys and contained ovens and stables. The lower sections of walls still remain. In 1860 P. Freehill erected a four-storey (including basement) building on both lots. The southern half of this building was described in Sydney Municipal Rate Books of 1863 as a public house constructed of stone walls and slate roof. Freehill retained the rear store and bakehouse of Lot 1 but conveyed the public house known as "The Shipwrights Arms" to Reverend P. Young in 1868. Freehill mortgaged his property to the Bank of New South Wales in 1874, and in 1876 the "Official Insolvency Assignee Alfred Sandeman" conveyed the property to the Bank. The premises remained a hotel called "The Shipwrights Arms" until 1900, when the name changed to the "Chicago Hotel" with Margaret Riley as licensee. Nos. 107 and 109 George Street were resumed by the Government in 1901; these buildings survived the demolitions that occurred around the area because of their substantial nature and relatively young age. Around 1910 the hotel on 109 George Street became a fish shop and later a café. 107 George Street was a clothes shop between 1900 and the early 1920s, initially run by Mrs K. Symonds and then W. H. Kent and Co. After that it became a hairdresser. By the 1960s, 107 George Street contained a laundry and a museum with residential apartments in the upper levels, and 109 was a restaurant known as The Rocks Push. The building has undergone extensive remodelling during the last half of the 20th century. In 1978 the Rocks Push Restaurant expanded into 107 George Street, requiring extensive renovations including the removal of the party wall between the two properties. In the same year the central section of the top floor sandstone George Street façade was reconstructed due to structural failure. In 1980 the shopfront of 107 George Street, which was remodelled in the 1920s, was reconstructed to match the existing original at 109, which was also restored. After 1985 the original residential entrance doors were removed from both buildings and replaced with fixed glazing, and the paint was also removed from the sandstone façade. The buildings were again extensively remodelled on the ground floor for the opening of the Rockpool restaurant by Neil Perry; Rockpool opened in February 1989. In 2009 the building underwent internal and external conservation works and a replica sandstone carved pediment was reinstated onto the roof. As of January 2019 the tenant was William Blue Dining, a 60-seat student-run restaurant that provides vocational students from the William Blue College of Hospitality Management with the opportunity to learn up-market food and beverage service skills in a live environment. The building was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 10 May 2002.

• 2019

  As of January, the tenant was William Blue Dining, a 60-seat student-run restaurant.

• 2009

  The building underwent internal and external conservation works and a replica sandstone carved pediment was reinstated.

• 2002

  The building was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 10 May.

• 1989

  Rockpool restaurant by Neil Perry opened in February.

• 1988

  Architectural firm D4 Design undertook refurbishment of the ground and first floors.

• 1980

  The shopfront of 107 George Street was reconstructed to match the original at 109.

• 1978

  The Rocks Push Restaurant expanded into 107 George Street; the party wall was removed and the top floor sandstone façade was reconstructed.

• 1910

  The hotel on 109 George Street became a fish shop and later a café.

• 1901

  Nos. 107 and 109 George Street were resumed by the Government.

• 1900

  The hotel name changed from "The Shipwrights Arms" to the "Chicago Hotel".

• 1876

  The property was conveyed to the Bank of New South Wales by the Official Insolvency Assignee.

• 1874

  Freehill mortgaged his property to the Bank of New South Wales.

• 1868

  Freehill conveyed the public house known as "The Shipwrights Arms" to Reverend P. Young.

• 1860

  P. Freehill erected a four-storey (including basement) building on both lots.

• 1857

  Freehill erected a bakehouse and store to the rear of his two properties.

• 1856

  Patrick Freehill purchased Lot 1.

• 1854

  Patrick Freehill purchased Lot 2.

• 1842

  Broughton sold Lot 2 (no. 107) to John Donohoe, who erected a single-storey wooden bakehouse.

• 1841

  The land was subdivided into four lots; Lot 1 became 109 George Street and Lot 2 became 107 George Street.

• 1832

  The Broughtons erected a dwelling and a shop on the land.

• 1816

  The new Rum Hospital opened in Macquarie Street; the original hospital on George Street was demolished and the site became a government stone quarry.

• 1790

  A new prefabricated hospital replaced the earlier tent hospital.

• 1788

  Site was part of the first hospital grounds.

Heritage-listed commercial venue in The Rocks, Sydney, owned by the New South Wales government and leased to restaurant operators.

• Restaurant dining (William Blue Dining)

• Former Rockpool Restaurant

• Retail shops (historical)

• Public house / hotel (historical)

• Bakery (historical)

1. 1107–109 George Street, The Rocks - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2107–109 George Street, The Rocks - Wikidatawikidata.org