Bent Street, Paddington, is one of the most curious streets in Sydney history. Although having only 32 houses in the street by 1920, this small street contained a cross section of Australian life during the time examined, from 1890 to 1920. The street contained shops, a coal depot, magistrates, landlords, labourers, miners, tenants, and all the other groups of people that inhabited the streets. In it also resided the first Australian Labor Party Prime Minister, John Christian Watson.
The street came into prominence when an article appeared in the Sydney Mail, 9 August 1916, p.12. It was inspired by the local ALP M.L.A., Mr. Osborne, who collected 29 portraits of soldiers from Bent and sent them Sydney Mail.
The album describes the named inhabitants of each house over the period from 1890 to 1920. In addition, the 29 pictures are named with a brief military biography attached to them. Where ever possible, they are located at the house in which the person lived.
The street numbering created a great deal of confusion amongst the information collectors. Where a dual number appears, this was the result of number confusion. For example, there never was No. 6 Bent Street but this did not prevent people from describing No. 8 as No. 6. In addition to that, in 1900, houses were built at numbers 23, 25, and 27. However No. 27 was further subdivided into three houses named "Osraston", "Matlock", and "Chellaston". This created its own confusion until the numbers were corrected in 1919. So the houses from 29 onwards have two numbers, the pre and post 1919 house number.
A full listing of the Bent Street Album may be found at:
Bent Street, Paddington Album Contents
Number – 29/33 "Glammis'' residential chambers; Named Residents, 1890 – 1920
1890 - Brady, Arthur J, solicitor
1890 Electoral Roll - 848. Brady, Arthur J, freehold
1891 - Brady, Arthur J, solicitor
1891 Census - Brady, Arthur J
M - 1
F - 3
1892 - Brady, Arthur J, solicitor
1893 - Brady, Arthur J, solicitor
1894 - Brady, Arthur J, solicitor
1895 - Giles, James, Stipendiary Magistrate
1895 Electoral Roll - 813. Giles, James, Stipendiary Magistrate
1896 - Giles, James, Stipendiary Magistrate
1897 - Giles, James, Stipendiary Magistrate
1898 - Giles, James, Stipendiary Magistrate
1899 - Giles, James, Stipendiary Magistrate
1900 - Giles, James, Stipendiary Magistrate
1900 Electoral Roll - 984. Giles, James, Stipendiary Magistrate
1901 - Giles, James, JP
1901 Census - Giles, James
M - 1
F - 2
1902 - Giles, James, JP
1903 - Giles, James, JP
1903 Electoral Roll - 1110. Giles, Edith, home duties; 1111. Giles, James, independent means
1904 - Giles, James, JP
1905 - Giles, James, JP
1906 - Giles, James, JP
1906 Electoral Roll - 738. Giles, Edith, home duties; 739. Giles, James, independent means
1907 - Giles, James, JP
1908 - Giles, James, JP
1908 Electoral Roll -
1909 - Titcume, Miss Phoebe, nurse & Hodges, William
1909 Electoral Roll - 2030. Schmidt, Isobel, nurse; 2280. Titcume, Phoebe, nurse
1910 - Titcume, Miss Phoebe, nurse
1911 - Heath, Miss Ada
1912 - Heath, Miss Ada
1913 - Heath, Miss Ada
1913 Electoral Roll - 1341. Heath, Ada Amelia, nurse [recorded at 40 Bent St]
1914 - Woollett, Mrs. A
1915 - Woollett, Mrs. A
1915 Electoral Roll - 1215. Lambert, Archibald, painter
1916 - Heath, Miss Ada
1917 - Heath, Miss Ada
1918 - Heath, Miss Ada
1919 - Heath, Miss Ada
1920 - Spong, William J & Pearson, Madame LA, Teacher of Music