| Historical notes: | The "Eora people" was the name given to the coastal Aborigines around Sydney. Central Sydney is therefore often referred to as "Eora Country". Within the City of Sydney local government area, the traditional owners are the Cadigal and Wangal bands of the Eora. There is no written record of the name of the language spoken and currently there are debates as whether the coastal peoples spoke a separate language "Eora" or whether this was actually a dialect of the Dharug language. Remnant bushland in places like Blackwattle Bay retain elements of traditional plant, bird and animal life, including fish and rock oysters.
With the invasion of the Sydney region, the Cadigal and Wangal people were decimated but there are descendants still living in Sydney today. All cities include many immigrants in their population. Aboriginal people from across the state have been attracted to suburbs such as Pyrmont, Balmain, Rozelle, Glebe and Redfern since the 1930s. Changes in government legislation in the 1960s provided freedom of movement enabling more Aboriginal people to choose to live in Sydney.
(Information sourced from Anita Heiss, "Aboriginal People and Place", Barani: Indigenous History of Sydney City http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/barani )
The development of the northern areas of Kent Street was stifled for many years due to the natural barrier of the steep rocky outcrop. Kent Street was not extended to Argyle Street until after the 1830s and the district was used as sandstone quarries at this time. There was some form of primitive track leading down the steep incline to Kent Street in the location of the future Agar Steps in the 1830s. A single storey stone cottage was built on or near the site of the future Carlson Terraces by the mid 1840s. The introduction of Fort Street School seems to have promoted connection between Observatory Hill and Kent Street, with a paling fence introduced along the informal track down the hill.
The completion of the Argyle Cut in 1865 allowed Argyle Street to be extended to Kent Street, allowing this section of Kent Street to begin to be developed. Agar Street west was introduced at the same time. Cottages were beginning to be developed in Kent Street and along Agar Street west. By 1865 the stone cottage on the subject site had been demolished.
Edward Flood purchased the land that would become 110-114 Kent Street in 1870 for 25 pounds, along with land at 116-120 Kent Street. In 1872 he would also gain title of the land alongside what would become Agar Steps. At this point there was an intention to establish some form of formal thoroughfare at Agar Steps, and some form of steps are officially referred to in the City Directory of 1875. In 1870 Flood built a single storey single room house on the section of land behind the subject site. It is possible that this building forms a part of what is now No 7 Agar Steps. Flood also constructed three terraces on the site of 110-114 Kent Street (then numbered 72-76 Kent).
Flood sold the upper part of his holdings (now Agar Terraces) to Carl Carlson, a Master Stevedore, in 1875. In 1877 he sold the subject site (now Carlson Terraces) to Carlson, which was transferred to his wife in 1882. In 1879 Carlson was said to be living in a building on Agar Street, but it is unclear where this building was located.
The CMP utilises documentary evidence to state that the remaining Agar Terraces were constructed in 1880 and 1882 by Carlson. However, the fabric of the buildings, particularly at No’s 7 and 9 Agar Street, are in the Italian Villa style and much of their detailing appears to predate this period. In addition all three of the Agar Terraces (5, 7 & 9) appear as completed buildings in Dove’s Survey of 1880, alongside what is clearly a narrow access (a precursor to Agar Steps). It is possible that the Agar Terraces were built by Flood and altered by Carlson.
110-114 Kent Street is shown vacant in the 1880 survey by Dove, which agrees with the documents nominated in the CMP. As such it appears that Flood’s 1870 terraces on this site were demolished within a decade, and the same fate appears to have met the terraces at 116-120 Kent Street, which would then remain vacant until Richmond Terrace was relocated there in the 1970s.
Once again the physical evidence would encourage an earlier date, but from documentary evidence Carlson Terraces appear to have been built in 1882-83 by Carlson. The name and date of construction appear in the pediment. The present numbering took effect the same year. The building is influenced by the Italian Villa style, a precursor to Italianate, and does not display the confidence of the full Victorian style of the 1880s. The 1880s terraces across the road at 115-121 Kent Street display a more typically confident Victorian Italianate, whilst Carlson Terraces has more in common with the late 1860s terraces to the north. No 110 was a single residence until being converted to commercial premises in 1900, and was used as a confectioner until the 1920s, after that a grocer, and is now utilised as a cafe. No 112 has been a single residence throughout its history. No 114 began life as a boarding house with four tenants, but has since been converted to a single residence.
The buildings as constructed were described as being two storey, each of 5-6 rooms built of brick and stone with slate roofs. By 1903 the slate roofs had been converted to iron. Carlson Terraces were resumed in c1905 as part of the general resumptions throughout Millers Point triggered by the plague epidemic, but also as a means to achieve urban renewal of an overcrowded area and to prepare the way for the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The terraces became Council property and were leased to numerous tenants. It appears there was little to no change to the terraces during this period.
By the 1970s the terraces were in poor condition. In the 1980s ownership of the terraces passed to the Minister of Public Works and the terraces were renovated in 1977 (No 112 & 114 – Geoffrey Twibill & Assoc, No 110 – unknown). There were significant alterations to the interiors at this point including large openings in walls, demolition of some chimneys, new bathrooms and kitchens, new partitions and various reconstructions and repairs. |