In July 1883, Alfred Bennett negotiated the lease for what is now the site of the State Theatre in Market Street. This was to become the home of the newspaper business for the next 40 years.
These were halcyon times for the business. Since Samuel’s sudden death in 1878, business had boomed and the move was again prompted by the need for more space. The Evening News was claiming a circulation; “Double that of any other Daily in N. S. Wales” and the Town & Country Journal; “Ten Thousand Copies Greater than any other Weekly in Australia”. Just 10 years later, in 1895, the boast for the AT&CJ was “three times that of any other Weekly”, the Evening News had maintained its supremacy and another publication, the Illustrated Sydney News, had been added to the stable.
The site chosen was in the heart of the Sydney business district, part of a site on south east corner of George and Market Streets and owned by Sir Daniel Cooper Bt. who had inherited it from his uncle Daniel Cooper. His Solomon & Levy, Waterloo Stores which had occupied the site since 1826 having been demolished, it was ripe for development.
Interestingly, the lease was signed twice; once in the name of Alfred Bennett, who as the eldest son became Managing Proprietor under the terms of his father’s will, and a second time in the names of all of the Trustees. The story behind this will probably never be known; was it just a legal technicality, or was Alfred, as Managing Proprietor, just forging ahead in his typical style, without consulting his fellow owners? The lease was for an initial 21 years with the rent £1,200 pa.
In any case, the lease went ahead and a purpose built newspaper office was constructed over the next 2 years; designed with room for the further expansion of the business it boasted Bennett Chambers with prestige office space to let in the mean-time.
The papers finally moved to their new home over the weekend of 22-23 November 1884. This time, a sculpture of a winged Mercury surmounted the building.
Fires
Again, fire proved itself to be a major risk. The building experienced two major fires, one in November 1888 and a second smaller fire in June 1889.
The 1888 fire
The 1888 fire on Saturday, 24 November 1888 was first noticed at about 10pm that evening. It almost completely destroyed the building above the first floor, with initial estimates of the damage at £60.000. The weather had been hot with smoke from bush fires and a blood-red sun. The fire was spectacular, rivalling the fires of the Garden Palace and the old Victoria Theatre. The top floors were, gutted with molten metal falling from the statue of Mercury until at last his torso finally fell, leaving only a twisted iron “skeleton”. The blaze was so fierce, that by about 11 o’clock the fire was all but over. The large crowd of onlookers had thinned by mid-night and in the morning the sun rose on the charred and smoking remains.
The Aftermath
Recovery
The buildings and contents were insured for £90,000 which must have gone some way towards easing the pain of the disaster and, thankfully, little damage was suffered by adjoining buildings.
Offers of help came from the proprietors of the Sydney Morning Herald and the Telegraph and from the Government Pinter. The papers were produced on time, with The AT&CJ apologizing for the next issue on 1 December being abridged.
The 1889 Fire
This fire was so minor it does not appear to have been reported in any of the Sydney papers. It was a small fire in the photographers’ room apparently started by a faulty gas fitting. Five Fire Brigades attended but it was extinguished by staff before they arrived. The only damage was to a photographers’ bench and the floor beneath.
1926 End of Lease and the move to Elizabeth Street
The lease on the premises was renewed for a further 21 years, but in 1925, at the end of the second term the business was forced to look for new premises. It was now a public company, S Bennett Limited, and its fate was in the hands of the Board of Directors and the Managing Editor, E.G Knox. Keith Bennett, a Director, the second son of Christopher Bennett, the last of Samuel’s sons to manage the business, was the only member of the family still involved in the management of the business.
Following the demolition of the building in 1926, construction of the State Theatre with the State Shopping Block above, commenced. The Theatre opened in June 1929.