We don’t know a lot about where Samuel and Eliza lived when they first arrived in January 1841, but the Baptism of their first child John in 1843 has them living in Phillip Street and Low’s Directory of 1844-45, published in September 1844, records them being at Number 22 Phillip St.
In those days Phillip Street only ran from Hyde Park to Bent Street. The first Government House and grounds and other government building occupied all the land to the north around Sydney Cove east of the Tank Stream.
The first Government House is not shown in this map, having just been demolished. The Governor, Sir George Gipps had moved into the newly completed Government House above Farm Cove in July 1845.
Exactly where Number 22 Phillip Street was is not clear. The street numbering system was idiosyncratic at the time and has changed over the years. St James Church, at the southern end of the street would have been a focus for the small population around it. Born on 23 January 1843, John was baptised at St James on 21 May in the same year.
The earliest images we have found are from the late 1860’s and it is likely that by then it had not changed much since the time Samuel and Eliza lived there. Both images are looking south towards St James and Hyde Park.
