Messrs. BURNS, PHILP & CO.’S SYDNEY OFFICES.

Progress, Volume XV, Issue 8, 1 April 1920, Page 759

Messrs. BURNS, PHILP & CO.’S SYDNEY OFFICES.

The fact that Messrs. Burns Philp & Co. has purchased Messrs. David Anderson’s four-storied brick and concrete building in Molesworth Street, Wellington, and also a large section in Wakefield Street, Wellington, for a new building to be used as a warehouse, shows that this firm is preparing for big busi-

ness in the future. Messrs. D. Anderson’s building has a frontage on to Molesworth Street of 90 feet* and on to Hawkestone Street of 86 feet, and is to be used as a bulk store and for temporary offices until the completion of their new premises. The frontage of the section in Wakefield Street is 70 feet, Parish Street, 135 feet, and the Old Customs Street frontage is, 64 feet.' In' addition to the Wellington building a large one is in hand for Auckland.In view of the interest this firm- has created through its progressive policy we are reproducing in

these pages some illustrations of the firm’s buildingin Bridge Street, Sydney, which are taken from “Architecture” published in that city. This building which was erected in 1900 from the designs of Messrs. A. L. & Gr. McCredie for Messrs. Burns Philp & Co., was originally occupied by

the Queensland Insurance Co., and other tenants until the latter company moved into their premises at-the corner of Bridge and Pitt Streets when the owners occupied the southern half of the ground and first floors. The, remaining leases having run out and the expanding business of Messrs. Burns Philp & Co. outgrowing the accommodation of their premises on the opposite side of Bridge Street, they determined to occupy practically the whole of ' the building; this necessitated alterations and the refitting of the premises, which have recently been com-

pleted from the designs of Messrs. A. L. MeCredie & Anderson by Mr. D. M. Mitchell. 1 - The two secondary entrances into the ground floor offices were closed, and large openings made through the walls into the main entrance, so that the whole of the ground floor is one large shipping

office. Our illustrations of the main entrance and the northern side of the ground floor show these openings, which have been lined with King Edward and White Sicilian marble. The whole of the fittings on the ground floor are polished cedar, some very fine specimens of this rapidly disappearing timber being used in the counter and desk tops.

The - Honour, Roll, containing upwards of 220 names of the firm’s employees from all their branches and fleet, has been placed in six white Sicilian marble panels, three on each side of the main entrance. The lettering is in gold, and the panels are framed in King Edward marble, with a

dado, the panels of which are Mexican Onyx, the first time, we think, that this beautiful material has been used in Sydney in such large slabs. Our ■ illustration of the northern . half of the Honour 801 l shows the Wonderful marking, but fails to reproduce the beautiful colouring of these panels. . V \

The first floor has been utilized for the Managing Director’s (Sir James Burns, K.C.M.G.), the Board Room, General Manager’s and Secretary’s. Offices, the dados and panelling of which have been carried out in Queensland maple. , The second floor contains the Merchandise Department, the telephone switch-room and the two remaining tenants, while the basement has the Freight, Providore’s and Store Departments, with a lunch room for the male employees. The whole of the Shipping Department and the offices on the first and second floors are fitted with semi-indirect electric

lighting, and ample provision has been made by a power installation for radiators' and fans. The caretaker quarters are in' the roof, with a roof garden at the rear. • > . ( > . The front elevation,, which we also illustrate, is carried out in Waverley, stone in Romanesque style, the main entrance being surmounted by a shield with' the arms of the N.S.W. Lancers, of which SnJames Burns was the Colonel, with the Company’s flags on either side. ' ' i . ,/ The marble work was carried out by Messrs. Crane & Sons, and the electric installation and telephonettes by the Federal Electric and Engineering Works. " * 1 '

The result is one of the finest Shipping Offices in the city, with 120 feet frontage to Bridge Street, by an average depth of nearly 70 feet, and we congratulate the owners, architects and contractors on their successful achievement.