City Surveyor's Department

Unique IDAG-0087DescriptionThe status of the offices of City Surveyor and City Engineer were subject to a great deal of change in the 19th century. The first appointment was James Aird on 5 December 1842, who was City Surveyor and City Engineer. He was dismissed on 26 June 1843 and replaced by William Buchanan who was called City Surveyor. The first person to be known as City Engineer and to carry on a separate office was Edward Bell in 1851. From 1851 to 1859 there was a separate City Engineer and City Surveyor.

From 1859 to 1870 the offices were combined and Edward Bell was known as City Engineer and City Surveyor. However, when Edward Bell resigned in 1870, the offices were separated again. They stayed separate until 1890 when the office of City Engineer was placed under the control of the City Surveyor and this Department was formed.

In December 1924, City Surveyor Norman Weekes resigned from Council. After his resignation, the offices of City Engineer and City Surveyor were amalgamated yet again.

The City Surveyor's Department was responsible for woodblocking, repair and construction of the streets, resumptions, street improvements including street widening and extensions, regulation of signs and hoardings, watering of streets, cleansing and garbage removal (1914-1925 only), operation of the garbage destructors and other means of disposal including dumping at sea and tipping, and preparation of survey plans.CreationResolution of Council 1890?AbolitionResolution of Council 20 January 1925

Position

Assistant Water Motors [City Surveyor's Department]

Block Layer [City Surveyor's Department, Maintenance]

Crane Driver [multiple departments]

Fencer [multiple departments]

Foreman - Stonemason [City Surveyor's Department, Paving]

Labourer - Wood Blocking [City Surveyor's Department]

Motor Driver [City Surveyor's Department]

Plasterer [City Surveyor's Department]

Roller Driver [City Surveyor's Department]

Alignment Surveyor [City Surveyor's Department]

Apprentice [City Surveyor's Department]

Articled Pupil [City Surveyor's Department]

Asphalter [City Surveyor's Department]

Assistant - Cattle & Sheep [City Surveyor's Department]

Assistant - Sheep [City Surveyor's Department]

Assistant [City Surveyor's Department]

Assistant Building Surveyor [City Surveyor's Department]

Assistant City Surveyor [City Surveyor's Department]

Assistant Clerk of Works [City Surveyor's Department]

Assistant Draftsman [City Surveyor's Department]

Assistant Engineer (Electrical) [City Surveyor's Department]

Assistant Fitter [City Surveyor's Department]

Assistant Foreman [City Surveyor's Department]

Series

Royal Commission on Sydney Improvement, 1908-1909

City of Sydney (Sheilds), 1845

Acts and Gazettes Book

City Surveyor's Specifications, 1865-1927

City Surveyor's Contracts

City Surveyor's Reports

Description Books

Index to City Surveyor's Department Letter Books

Private Ways Book

City Surveyor's Department Letter Books, 1888-1923

Royal Commission for the Improvement of the City of Sydney and its Suburbs, 1908-1909

Sewer and Drainage Detail Sheets

City Engineer's Plans of Proposed Survey Work

Alignment and Realignment Plans

Plans drawn for/by Government Departments

Linens (Original tracings) - First Series

Street Index Cards

City of Sydney - Detail Plans, 1855

City Surveyors Auction and Sale Lithographs (S7C)

Adopted Level Plans (E1A)

Flemington Sale Yards Plans

Moore Park Garbage Destructor Plans drawn by Council

Plans of Garbage Destructors - Unsuccessful Tenders

Agency

City Engineer and City Surveyor's Department II

City Cleansing Engineer's Department

Description

Start date1st January 1890End date20th January 1925Relationship legacy dataPRECEDED BY: Camperdown Municipal Council AG-0063 (01/01/1909)
PRECEDED BY: City Cleansing Department I AG-0092 (01/09/1914)
PRECEDED BY: City Engineer and City Surveyors Department I AG-0086 (01/01/1890)
RELATED TO: Sydney City Council OR-0001 (01/01/1890 to 20/01/1925)
RELATED TO: Water supply, sewerage and drainage FN-0015 (01/01/1890 to 01/01/1890)
RELATED TO: Streets engineering FN-0016 (01/01/1890 to 20/01/1925)
RELATED TO: Resumptions of land FN-0009 (01/01/1900 to 20/01/1925)
RELATED TO: Streets lighting FN-0008 (01/01/1890 to 20/01/1925)
RELATED TO: Garbage and refuse cleansing FN-0003 (01/01/1890 to 20/01/1925)
SUBORDINATE AGENCY: Sydney Streets Opening Conference AG-0138 (10/03/1909 to 20/01/1925)
SUBORDINATE AGENCY: City Cleansing Department I AG-0092 (27/05/1902 to 23/07/1907)
Source System ID87

Relationships

Preceding agenciesCamperdown Municipal CouncilCity Engineer and City Surveyor's Department ICity Cleansing Department IRelated agenciesCity Cleansing Department ISubordinate agenciesCity Cleansing Department ISydney Streets Opening ConferenceOrganisationSydney City CouncilRelated functionsGarbage and refuse cleansingStreets lightingResumptions of landStreets engineeringWater supply, sewerage and drainage

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City Surveyor's Department