Sydney CBD · 1940 — 1949

Sydney CBD in the 1940s

The Sydney of the 1940s was a low city. A 150-foot height limit had held since 1912 and would hold until 1957, so the skyline through this decade is sandstone and brick, punctuated by the AWA tower — not glass. It was also a skyline missing a landmark for most of the decade: the GPO's clock tower came down stone by numbered stone in 1942 as an air-raid precaution, and was not put back until 1964.

For the first half of the decade it was also a city at war. Slit trenches were cut into Hyde Park, windows were taped and the streets kept a brownout; on the night of 31 May 1942 Japanese midget submarines entered the harbour and the war stopped being something happening elsewhere. American servicemen filled the pubs and picture palaces of the CBD on leave.

Martin Place is where the city gathered on 15 August 1945. What followed was slower than the celebrations suggested — rationing ran on into 1950, petrol until February of that year and butter and tea until the middle of it — and the photographs from the end of the decade show a city still worn, still low, on the edge of the rebuilding that would change it beyond recognition.

31 works
Officers greet on a parade platform before the Queen Victoria Building — photograph, from George Street, circa 1940
photograph·1940·Sydney CBD

Officers greet on a parade platform before the Queen Victoria Building

Naval Parade through citySam Hood
Tram passing St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney — photograph, from St Mary's Cathedral, circa 1940
photograph·1940·Sydney CBD

Tram passing St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney

St Mary’s Cathedral, ca. 1940 / photographed by Max DupainMax Dupain
Lord Mayor's Australian Comforts Fund Committee at Sydney Town Hall — photograph, from Sydney Town Hall, circa 1946
photograph·1946·Sydney CBD

Lord Mayor's Australian Comforts Fund Committee at Sydney Town Hall

Lord Mayor's Australian Comforts Fund CommitteeSam Hood
2nd AIF infantry on parade past the Queen Victoria Building, George Street — photograph, from Queen Victoria Building, circa 1940
photograph·1937·Sydney CBD

2nd AIF infantry on parade past the Queen Victoria Building, George Street

State Library NSWSam Hood
Sydney Mint colonnade, Macquarie Street — illustration, from The Mint, circa 1949
illustration·1949·Sydney CBD

Sydney Mint colonnade, Macquarie Street

Sketches, etchings, copy photographs of watercolours etc., and personal photographsSydney Ure Smith
L.G. Price, builder — premises in Phillip Street, Sydney — illustration, from Phillip Street, circa 1945
illustration·1949·Sydney CBD

L.G. Price, builder — premises in Phillip Street, Sydney

Sketches, etchings, copy photographs of watercolours etc., and personal photographsSydney Ure Smith
ABC mobile studio van recording troops embarking, Darling Harbour — photograph, from Darling Harbour, circa 1940
photograph·1940·Sydney CBD

ABC mobile studio van recording troops embarking, Darling Harbour

A.B.C. truck recording soldiers off to war, Darling HarbourSam Hood
Military column on George Street past the Queen Victoria Building — photograph, from George Street, circa 1940
photograph·1937·Sydney CBD

Military column on George Street past the Queen Victoria Building

State Library NSWSam Hood
2nd AIF route march past Sydney Town Hall, George Street — photograph, from Sydney Town Hall, circa 1940
photograph·1890·Sydney CBD

2nd AIF route march past Sydney Town Hall, George Street

State Library NSWSam Hood
2nd AIF troops marching past the Queen Victoria Building, George Street, Sydney — photograph, from Queen Victoria Building, circa 1940
photograph·1940·Sydney CBD

2nd AIF troops marching past the Queen Victoria Building, George Street, Sydney

2nd A.I.F. marching through SydneySam Hood
2nd AIF marching past the saluting base at Sydney Town Hall, George Street, 1940 — photograph, from Sydney Town Hall, circa 1940
photograph·1940·Sydney CBD

2nd AIF marching past the saluting base at Sydney Town Hall, George Street, 1940

2nd A.I.F. marching in George Street, passing the Saluting Base at Sydney Town HallSam Hood
St John's Ambulance honours parade at Government House, Sydney, 1940 — photograph, from Government House, circa 1940
photograph·1940·Sydney CBD

St John's Ambulance honours parade at Government House, Sydney, 1940

St John's Ambulance parade, conferring of honours and medals at Government House, SydneySam Hood
St John Ambulance Brigade marching through the Government House gates, Sydney, 1940 — photograph, from Government House, circa 1940
photograph·1940·Sydney CBD

St John Ambulance Brigade marching through the Government House gates, Sydney, 1940

St John's Ambulance Brigade marching through the gatesSam Hood
2/4th Infantry soldiers off to war at Darling Harbour, 1940 — photograph, from Darling Harbour, circa 1940
photograph·1940·Sydney CBD

2/4th Infantry soldiers off to war at Darling Harbour, 1940

A.B.C. recording soldiers of the 2/4th Infantry off to war, Darling HarbourSam Hood
Hyde Park with St Mary's Cathedral beyond, Sydney — photograph, from Hyde Park, circa 1949
photograph·1949·Sydney CBD

Hyde Park with St Mary's Cathedral beyond, Sydney

Sydney
Crowds crossing Pitt Street outside Shirley Shoe Co., Sydney — photograph, from Pitt Street, circa 1949
photograph·1949·Sydney CBD

Crowds crossing Pitt Street outside Shirley Shoe Co., Sydney

Sydney
Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney, with traffic at the intersection — photograph, from Parliament of New South Wales, circa 1949
photograph·1949·Sydney CBD

Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney, with traffic at the intersection

Sydney
St James' Church and Hyde Park from above — photograph, from St James Church, circa 1949
photograph·1949·Sydney CBD

St James' Church and Hyde Park from above

Sydney
Archibald Fountain, Hyde Park, Sydney — photograph, from Archibald Fountain, circa 1949
photograph·1949·Sydney CBD

Archibald Fountain, Hyde Park, Sydney

Sydney
Pitt Street crowds outside Shirley Shoe Co — photograph, from Pitt Street, circa 1949
photograph·1949·Sydney CBD

Pitt Street crowds outside Shirley Shoe Co

Sydney
Royal Botanic Garden gates and equestrian statue, looking toward Macquarie Street — photograph, from Royal Botanic Garden, circa 1949
photograph·1949·Sydney CBD

Royal Botanic Garden gates and equestrian statue, looking toward Macquarie Street

Sydney
Palace Theatre at night, marquee billing 'Present Laughter' — photograph, from Castlereagh Street, circa 1949
photograph·1949·Sydney CBD

Palace Theatre at night, marquee billing 'Present Laughter'

Theatres of SydneyPix magazine
Anzac Memorial seen across Hyde Park, Sydney — photograph, from Anzac Memorial, circa 1949
photograph·1949·Sydney CBD

Anzac Memorial seen across Hyde Park, Sydney

Sydney
Crowds at the Prouds corner, King Street, Sydney — photograph, from King Street, circa 1949
photograph·1949·Sydney CBD

Crowds at the Prouds corner, King Street, Sydney

Sydney
Pitt Street shopping crowds past McCathie's and Selfridges, Sydney — photograph, from Pitt Street, circa 1949
photograph·1949·Sydney CBD

Pitt Street shopping crowds past McCathie's and Selfridges, Sydney

Sydney
Victory parade and crowds for the end of the Second World War, Martin Place, Sydney, 1945 — photograph, from Martin Place, circa 1945
photograph·1945·Sydney CBD

Victory parade and crowds for the end of the Second World War, Martin Place, Sydney, 1945

Peace celebrations, SydneySam Hood
Palace Theatre, Pitt Street, lit at night for Noel Coward's "Present Laughter", 1949 — photograph, from Pitt Street, circa 1949
photograph·1949·Sydney CBD

Palace Theatre, Pitt Street, lit at night for Noel Coward's "Present Laughter", 1949

Theatres of SydneyPix magazine
Theatre Royal by night, "Annie Get Your Gun" on the marquee, Castlereagh Street — photograph, from Castlereagh Street, circa 1949
photograph·1949·Sydney CBD

Theatre Royal by night, "Annie Get Your Gun" on the marquee, Castlereagh Street

Theatres of SydneyPix magazine
Footpath crowds and street stalls, Martin Place, Sydney — photograph, from Martin Place, circa 1949
photograph·1949·Sydney CBD

Footpath crowds and street stalls, Martin Place, Sydney

Sydney
Theatre Royal at night, "Annie Get Your Gun" on the marquee — photograph, from Castlereagh Street, circa 1949
photograph·1949·Sydney CBD

Theatre Royal at night, "Annie Get Your Gun" on the marquee

Theatres of SydneyPix magazine
Market stalls and pedestrians along Martin Place, 1949 — photograph, from Martin Place, circa 1949
photograph·1949·Sydney CBD

Market stalls and pedestrians along Martin Place, 1949

Sydney