Throughout the 19th and 20th century the land generally bounded by Cumberland Street,
Cahill Expressway, Gloucester Street and Essex Street, including the subject site, was occupied by a number of dwellings and shops that housed a largely working-class community. Little is known about the people who lived here prior to the 1830s, however, from 1839 when all formal claims for land and grants were made, the population increased. The site is part of Allotment 14 of City Section 70 originally
granted to Elizabeth Thompson on the 19 April 1839. The 1838 Robert Russell plan shows Allotment 14 with narrow frontage to Essex Street, extending along Gloucester Street. The claimant is noted as the late
James Thompson. It would appear that Elizabeth subsequently subdivided the site. A plan of Section 70 shows Allotment 14 divided into two parcels, with the subject site located in the south eastern corner of the section which is generally bounded by Cumberland, Little Essex (formerly Essex Lane), Gloucester and Essex Streets. It is not clear if the Thompsons developed the site in any way, however, in October 1843 the land was conveyed to Mr N. Bray. Bray may have developed the site from this time, in 1849 he took out a mortgage to Mr John Minton Hart. The 1865 Trig Survey plan shows that the site was occupied by a regular-shaped structure constructed to the Gloucester Street alignment by this time. Two detached structures are also shown constructed to the rear, western site boundary. In 1875 the land was purchased by
William Daley. The plan on the Land Title dated November 1877 also shows the building on the site, with frontage to Gloucester Street. A party wall is clearly indicated on the plan, along the north eastern site boundary. A small detached structure occupies the north western corner of the site. The site was subsequently transferred three times in 1879 and in early 1880 was part of a parcel of land extending along Essex Street transferred to Peter Francis Hart, a builder. The plan on this land title indicates the same building footprint seen on the earlier plans. In the same year the land was transferred to Elizabeth Hart. The Percy Dove plan of 1880 shows the two, one-storey dwellings facing Gloucester Street, Nos. 153 and 155. A small structure is attached to the rear of No. 153. Another single storey structure is also shown on the Essex Street frontage, at the south western corner of the site. This building is numbered No.10 and is surrounded by open yard. It would appear that it was slightly setback from its neighbour to the west, No. 8 Essex Street, another single storey structure noted as being occupied by a bootmaker. The adjoining building at No. 6, also noted as being a single storey building, was occupied by a grocer. These details were transferred to a detail sheet dated December 1887. This plan was subsequently revised in September 1895, by which time new buildings are shown occupying the site. The buildings, shown hatched, are constructed to the Gloucester and Essex Street boundaries, with three open yards along the northern site boundary which also featured small timber, attached structures. The main building was constructed in brick. The structures that formerly occupied the site and stair from Gloucester Street are also indicated, however, are crossed out on the plan. It would also appear that the rock face was also cut back to the Gloucester Street building line. Based on these plans, it would appear that the buildings were constructed sometime between 1887 and 1895. It is assumed that they were constructed in 1892. Nos. 153 and 155 Gloucester Street are listed in the Sands Directory until 1892. Nos. 12 and 14 Essex Street are also listed in the Sands at this time, however, are listed to the east of Gloucester Street. Nos. 10, 12a and 14a, however, on the western side of Gloucester Street, are first listed in 1893. The Sands indicates that the street number subsequently changed and the subject buildings became Nos. 10, 12 and 14 by 1898. The buildings generally responded to the irregular shape of the site and were constructed on the original rock ledges that characterise the area. Unlike the previous building that occupied the site, the buildings were constructed with frontage to Essex Street and stepped down the grade of the street, which falls to the east, toward
George Street. It is not clear why the Essex Street address was preferred, possibly to allow northern aspect to the rear of the buildings. However, housing constructed in The Rocks by this time were not orientated towards the harbour and Essex Street may have lost is association with the gallows and old Gaol by this time. The buildings were also constructed to the northern and western site boundaries, abutting the existing neighbouring buildings along Gloucester and Essex Streets streetscapes, with only small open yards provided along the northern boundary. It is assumed that the north eastern party wall from the earlier development on the site was retained and new buildings constructed to it and the single storey building to its north, No. 151 Gloucester Street. The wall is exposed today and the shadow line of the gable roof, the height of a single storey structure constructed on a rock ledge is evident. This building was subsequently replaced by two storey terraces constructed by the
NSW Housing Board in -13. The 1895 field survey notes indicate a typical type of housing for this period, with rear tunnel back form. Terraces had long being an accepted form in The Rocks with land speculators looking to maximise inner city sites, with no front gardens or setback from the street and restricted open spaces. The buildings also show reference to building codes introduced decades earlier with the incorporation of party walls which extended beyond the roof planes of the buildings. The external form illustrated and inspection of the buildings today suggest that internally the buildings also featured typical internal layout with two main rooms on the first and second floor with smaller room on both levels in the rear tunnel back. It is assumed that the three upper rooms were accessed via a stair extending up the party walls and returning into the building. The first floor level was typically split to allow access to each of the three first floor rooms. Another narrow stair extended from the first floor to the roof in each of the terraces. Only one of these stairs remains (in No. 14) today. In 1900 the buildings were resumed under the Darling Harbour Resumption Act and came under the responsibility of the
Sydney Harbour Trust. Despite resumption and change of ownership, the buildings appear to have retained their original form into the early decades of the twentieth century. A
Sydney Water plan dated 1911 also shows the original form and suggests that no external change had been undertaken to the buildings with the open areas across the northern site boundary clearly evident. It also indicates that the buildings to the north of the site, along the Gloucester Street frontage were demolished about this time to make way for the proposed terrace of 17 houses about to be erected by the
Public Works Department at Nos. 127–152a Gloucester Street. The plan also shows a lane extending across the western site boundary and rear of the terrace sites and buildings facing Cumberland Street. This is consistent with a number of housing schemes following the cleansing operations of the early 1900s and preparations for the construction of the
Sydney Harbour Bridge which displaced a considerable percentage of the local population. The Housing Board notified City Council in October 1912 that before work commenced on the premises at Nos. 127-152a Gloucester Street, the premises at Nos. 6 and 8 Essex Street would be demolished once the tenant was vacated. It is assumed that Nos. 6 and 8 were demolished in 1912. The Gloucester Street terraces were demolished in 1987, and site was used as a car park prior to its redevelopment in the late 1980s. A plaque in the building today notes that the buildings were occupied by
Margaret Fulton, a celebrated cookery author, and her family between the years of 1954 and 1968. The buildings were unoccupied for several years before their use as a temporary site office for the adjoining development of the D2 site (north eastern corner of Essex and Gloucester Streets) in the 1980s. == Description ==