1800 - 1900

Celebrations and Commemorations (from this time)

Many buildings, plaques, statues and artefacts in museums in The Rocks from this time, remind us of the important role convicts and free settlers played in our history.

Remembering historic places

An early painting of what Sydney town looked like in the pastSource: Sydney from the west side of the cove by George Evans 1802

Sydney Town

By 1801 Sydney had grown into a little town with streets and buildings. Many of the buildings were made of timber and stone. Convicts lived in their own homes in an area known as ‘The Rocks’, some with their families. But it wasn’t just convicts living in the village; local Aboriginal people lived there too. They camped near the convict houses, fished on the harbour, traded goods and food with townsfolk and brought news from further away. After serving their time many convicts became free settlers. Due to the high cost to transport back home to England, many convicts remained in Australia and started a new life.

Cadmans Cottage 1816

Cadmans Cottage is the oldest building in The Rocks, and is an important reminder of what houses were like in the past. It is made of local sandstone and has a roof made of wooden tiles called shingles. The building used to be on the edge of Sydney Harbour, but the edge of the harbour was filled in and now the cottage is further away.

It is believed the building was designed for the NSW Governor by a convict architect called Francis Greenway. John Cadman was a convict who been sent to Australia for stealing. John was freed in 1814 and he soon got a job looking after the Governor's boats as a Coxwain. John lived in the Cottage from 1827 - 1845 with his wife Elizabeth who had also been a convict. The cottage has kept his name ever since even though many people have lived there.

Find out more about John Cadman by looking at his convict record

Did you know? Cadman eventually moved to Manly when John died and opened the first women's swimming baths at Manly Cove.

Cadmans Cottage was built in 1816 - Its the oldest building in The Rocks

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Cadmans Cottage

Click the video to learn more about Cadmans Cottage and John Cadman

Parbury Ruins

Parbury Ruins are the remains of an old sandstone convict's house built in 1820 . The ruins were discovered by archaeologist called Robert Varman who was digging under the ground here. Historical research shows the house belonged to a convict called Hugh Noble. Hugh was born in 1794 and transported to NSW in 1817 for theft. The archaeologists found many artefacts in the ruins, as well as things like an old fireplace and a deep water well. The ruins are an important reminder commemorating how people lived in the past.

Did you know? Hugh Noble eventually moved to Hobart and died in a insane asylum.

Stage 2 students standing in Parbury Ruins, a very important historic place

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Parbury Ruins

Click the video to learn more about Parbury Ruins and the convict Hugh Noble

History Detective Questions 1

An artefact found in Parbury Ruins. It was smashed when they found it, and the archaeologist had to glue the pieces they could find together again.

Can you guess what it was used for?

An artifact from Parbury Ruins- can you guess what it is?

Remembering historic people

Francis Greenway (1777 - 1837)

Francis Greenway, was an architect who was convicted of forgery (illegally copying documents). He was arrested and sentenced to 14 years transportation to NSW. Lachlan Macquarie was the NSW Governor and needed the skills of a good architect to build his growing town. He quickly freed Francis and made him the Government architect. Francis designed many government buildings for Governor Macquarie like hospitals, the Governor's house, Hyde Park Barracks (a convict prison), churches, and a lighthouse called Macquarie lighthouse.

Did you know? From being a favourite architect for the Governor Macquarie, Francis lost his job when the new Governor arrived and he found it hard to get more work. He eventually got some land on the Hunter River but it was marshy and poor. Francis died in 1837 on his farm, and was buried in a small cemetery in a lonely paddock outside East Maitland. Sadly, there is no tombstone or marker over his grave.

Greenway Lane in The Rocks is named after Francis Greenway and is near where he used to live. There is a big plaque on the wall about him, which shows pictures of some of his important buildings.

A portrait of Francis Greenway, a famous convict

History Detective Questions 2

Francis Greenway's picture was on the old paper Australian $10 note.

Design a new Australian $10 that includes your picture. What would, or could, you be famous for? It could be something you can do well now, or even something you dream of becoming famous for in the future. Use the template here to create your design.

Francis Greenway on an old Australian $10 note

Robert Campbell (1769 - 1846)

Robert Campbell was a Scottish trader who arrived in Sydney in 1798. He bought land in the Rocks overlooking Sydney harbour and began a trading business. He had a reputation as a clever trader and businessman. He built stone warehouses and owned lots of ships that caught seals and wales. He bought things overseas and sold then in Sydney. He built the first privately owned wharf in Australia and this place is still called Campbells Cove today. Robert was one of the richest men in NSW and helped Sydney to grow into an even bigger town.

Did you know? On 10th Nov 1796, the first ship Robert sent to Sydney from Calcutta ran aground on a Bass Strait Island. 17 men set off on in the ship's longboat to reach help at Port Jackson leaving 30 survivors behind. This boat crashed on the Victorian coast. Their only hope was to walk along the shore all the way to Sydney, a distance of over 600 km. With few supplies, tired and hungry, they met various aboriginal people, some friendly, some not and many died on the way. In May 1797, the last three survivors, William Clark, sailor John Bennet and one lascar made it to a cove at Wattamolla in the Royal National Park. On 15 May 1797, with their strength nearly at an end they were able to signal a fishing boat offshore which took them to Sydney - an amazing voyage.

Campbells Stores in The Rocks is an old stone warehouse named after Robert Campbell. It is where he used to store his products that he traded. There is a big plaque on the wall here about him.

Robert Campbell was an important person in the colony of NSW. Source National Library of Australia

Robert Campbell

Click the video to learn more about Robert Campbell

History Detective Questions 3

Look at the picture below of Robert Campbells warehouse in 1817.

Match the following sentences.

1. People traded with England A. making gardens, fishing and killing animals

2. people protected Sydney B. grinding wheat in a windmill

3. people made bread by C. in sailing ships that took months to arrive

4. people got food by D. sandstone blocks and small wooden roof tiles

5. people built houses out of E. using cannons

A painting of Robert Campbell's stone warehouse in 1817 by a convict painter called Joseph Lycett

Remembering Historic Events

Yee Sang Loong was a Chinese trader who opened a shop in George Street

The Gold Rush

Around 1851, gold was discovered in NSW. This was an important historic event as it made NSW and Sydney grow very rich. Many immigrants, including Chinese people, came to Australia hoping to find gold. George Street in The Rocks was close to the port and became the first place that many Chinese immigrants found temporary accommodation and supplies before heading to the gold fields. Chinese businesses were also set up here and many Chinese people stayed here after returning from the goldfields. George Street, the main street in The Rocks, became Sydney's first Chinatown.

Did you know? Ten years after the start of the gold rush in 1851 the population of New South Wales had grown from 200,000 to 357,000 people, an increase of 78%.

History Detective Questions 4

Can you find Lee Sang Loong's trading shop in The Rocks in the 1895 picture below? Hint: look for the six skylights on the roof.

His shop was on George Street, the first Chinatown

Can you see how close it is to the port of Circular Quay? This is where the Sydney ferry wharves are today.
What event do we celebrate every year that commemorates (reminds us) the importance of Chinese culture in Australia?

A photograph of Circular Quay around 1895. Photography was invented in 1826.

The Gold Rush and Chinese immigration to the Rocks

Click the video to learn more about The Gold Rush and Chinese immigration to The Rocks

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