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Atlas of the suburbs of Sydney (Higinbotham & Robinson)
Description
Unique IDAS-1193Start dateBetween 1st January 1885 and 31st December 1890Start date qualifiercircaFormatMapDescriptionThe firm of Higinbotham & Robinson were publishers and lithographers in late nineteenth century Sydney, well known for printing and publishing maps. Their maps are recognisable by the 'HR' monogram and 'fiat lux' motto impaled on the arrow indicating North.
Between about 1885 and 1890 Higinbotham & Robinson published a sequence of small maps covering many of the municipalities in the greater Sydney area.
Each map shows the boundaries of the municipality, with the principal streets, railway lines, wharves, parks and reserves. If a municipality was divided into Wards, as most were, the ward boundaries and names are also shown. The maps do not usually show natural features except for shorelines rivers and creeks.
In some cases there is more detail. For example the Waterloo map shows swamps and water supply dams and some of the more prominent industrial sites. The Redfern map shows the Eveleigh rail workshops.
A few maps were published in more than one edition. For example the Marrickville map was reissued at some point to show adjustments to ward boundaries and a new rail line.
The scale of the maps varies between 50 chains to the inch (Ryde & Marsfield for example) to 15 chains to the inch (Waterloo). There are 80 chains to the mile.
The municipality maps are particularly useful today for evidence of early street layouts and street names, and also because they show the ward boundaries. The historical rate books of local Councils, now a popular research source, are usually organised according to wards and the maps are an easy way to work out which ward to focus on.
Not all municipalities were published. For example there is no map for the Municipality of Smithfield & Fairfield (incorporated 1888). The item list mentions all those we are aware of in the City of Sydney Archives, which we intend to make available in the Historical Atlas.
A good place to see a complete list of NSW municipalities, with foundation dates and other information such as changes of name and amalgamations, is Local Government Local History: a guide to NSW local government minute books and rate records, edited by Joy N Hughes (Royal Australian Historical Society 1990).
LanguageEnglish (eng)
Between about 1885 and 1890 Higinbotham & Robinson published a sequence of small maps covering many of the municipalities in the greater Sydney area.
Each map shows the boundaries of the municipality, with the principal streets, railway lines, wharves, parks and reserves. If a municipality was divided into Wards, as most were, the ward boundaries and names are also shown. The maps do not usually show natural features except for shorelines rivers and creeks.
In some cases there is more detail. For example the Waterloo map shows swamps and water supply dams and some of the more prominent industrial sites. The Redfern map shows the Eveleigh rail workshops.
A few maps were published in more than one edition. For example the Marrickville map was reissued at some point to show adjustments to ward boundaries and a new rail line.
The scale of the maps varies between 50 chains to the inch (Ryde & Marsfield for example) to 15 chains to the inch (Waterloo). There are 80 chains to the mile.
The municipality maps are particularly useful today for evidence of early street layouts and street names, and also because they show the ward boundaries. The historical rate books of local Councils, now a popular research source, are usually organised according to wards and the maps are an easy way to work out which ward to focus on.
Not all municipalities were published. For example there is no map for the Municipality of Smithfield & Fairfield (incorporated 1888). The item list mentions all those we are aware of in the City of Sydney Archives, which we intend to make available in the Historical Atlas.
A good place to see a complete list of NSW municipalities, with foundation dates and other information such as changes of name and amalgamations, is Local Government Local History: a guide to NSW local government minute books and rate records, edited by Joy N Hughes (Royal Australian Historical Society 1990).
LanguageEnglish (eng)
Access
Public access statusOpen to public access
Identification and Arrangement
Source system ID1193
Digitisation
Digitisation statusFully digitised
Atlas of the suburbs of Sydney (Higinbotham & Robinson) [AS-1193]. City of Sydney Archives, accessed 03 Dec 2024, https://archives.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/63705