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 – 35/39; Named Residents, 1890 – 1920
1890 - McNeilly, Robert T, accountant
1890 Electoral Roll -
1891 - McNeilly, Robert T, accountant
1891 Census - Uninhabited
M -
F -
1892 - Roulston, Harvey, compositor
1893 - Roulston, Harvey, compositor
1894 - Oakden, John
1895 - Oakden, John
1895 Electoral Roll - 1260. Lands, Richard, Independent means
1896 - Oakden, John
1897 - Oakden, John
1898 - Oakden, John
1899 - Oakden, John
1900 - Oakden, John
1900 Electoral Roll -
1901 - Cunningham, Mrs E
1901 Census - Morris, Richard
M - 4
F - 4
1902 - Morris, Richard
1903 - Reece, James
1903 Electoral Roll - 2500. Reece, Mary, music teacher; 2501. Reece, Oliver, draftsman
1904 - Reece, James
1905 - Reece, James
1906 - Reece, James
1906 Electoral Roll - 1667. Reece, Angelo, traveller; 1668. Reece, Garnet, salesman; 1669. Reece, Mary, music teacher
1907 - Reece, James
1908 - Reece, James
1908 Electoral Roll - 143. Blackmore, Mary Ann, home duties; 144. Blackmore, Thomas Lane, accountant & Macarthur, Donald, stock engineer; 1396. Macarthur, Laura, home duties; 1397. Macarthur, Peter Malcolm, carter
1909 - McCarthy, Mrs Laura
1909 Electoral Roll -
1910 - McCarthy, Mrs Laura
1911 - McKewen, Timothy
1912 - McKewen, Timothy
1913 - McKewen, Timothy
1913 Electoral Roll - 1882. McKewen, Ellen, home duties; 1883. McKewen, Frank Vincent, draper; 1884. McKewen, Timothy, soldier
1914 - McKewen, Timothy
1915 - McKewen, Timothy
1915 Electoral Roll - 76. Barber, Mary Ann Ogilvey, home duties & 1405. McKewen, Ellen, home duties; 1406. McKewen, Frank Vincent, draper; 1407. McKewen, Timothy, soldier
1916 - McKewen, Timothy
1917 - McKewen, Timothy
1918 - McKewen, Timothy
1919 - McKewen, Timothy
1920 - McKewen, Timothy