Local Street History: Birmingham Street, Alexandria

Brimming with art deco industrial charm, Birmingham Street, Alexandria is home to bakeries, warehouse apartments and a fascinating history.

Birmingham Street may be small, but it’s big on history. Tucked away behind Gardeners Road and Botany Street, it runs for just a couple of blocks, and retains a lot of its Art Deco and industrial charm. We take a quick trip through its short history.

The origins of Birmingham Street

While there’s no detail on exactly how Birmingham Street got its name, we do know that Alexandria’s industrial roots meant it was commonly known as the “Birmingham of Australia”, after the English city.

Birmingham Street was created in the 1920s, and this 1927 subdivision poster advertises lots for sale, saying:

“The progress & development of this locality has been most remarkable during the past few years owing to the expansion of our great City, and its central position. Birmingham Estate is wonderfully situated with Trams, Buses and Roads leading to all Suburbs.”

The land was marked as “factory - business - residential”. Shown on the map are Thornton’s Hotel and a picture theatre on the corner of Botany Road and Gardeners Road, with tram lines running down both. The Public School is already visible on the opposite corner, and backing onto the lots along Birmingham Street itself is the “YMCA Sports Ground” (the YMCA Sports Ground was sold off later that same year, for manufacturing).

Seven years later, in 1935, a further offering of “20 Factory or commercial sites” remaining from the Birmingham Estate along Gardeners Road and Botany and Birmingham Streets was auctioned. One of the existing lots that runs through from 9-25 Birmingham Street to 674 Botany Road, is marked as “F Cinzano & Co” - and became the Australian home to the famous Italian vermouth.

Drinks for all occasions

Cinzano is an Italian drinks manufacturing company, known for its sparkling wines and vermouth, that was established in 1757, near Turin. Their iconic red and blue logo was unveiled in the 1920s, around the same time they were consolidating their international expansion plans into countries like Romania, Belgium, Argentina and Australia.

After acquiring the land in Alexandria, Cinzano & Co applied for a license to manufacture wine in 1930. The Sydney Morning Herald reported:

“Cinzano and Co., a wine and spirit firm, of Turin, Italy, was granted a licence yesterday to establish a wine and spirit depot at Botany Road and Birmingham Street, Alexandria. It was stated that the establishment at Alexandria would mean an outlay of £20,000. Portion of the building is to be set aside for the manufacture of wines from grapes grown within New South Wales. Cocktails are also to be made.”

A feature article in the Italian Bulletin of Commerce from 1931, describes Cinzano’s entrance into Australia under the watchful eye of its overseas representative, Mr Corrado de Mayda:

“In a large factory at Alexandria, near Sydney, built under Mr. de Mayda's supervision, and on the most up-to-date lines, with modern plants, vats, etc., "Cinzano" Vermouth will be manufactured and stored, and, with the exception of the necessary herbs which will be imported from Italy, being unobtainable in Australia, the raw materials used will be of Australian origin. Mr Guglielmo Giacosa, oenologist, who recently arrived from Italy, accompanied by his family, will be responsible for the technical part. The policy of the company will be to employ Australian labour and use Australian materials whenever possible.”

Employing Australian workers was a big deal, given the depression of the 1930s was starting to bite and jobs were in short supply. Cinzano held the site on Birmingham Street for many decades, through its heyday in the 1970s (check out the double decker bus with the slogan “It’s no part without Cinzano”) and 1980s (where it advertised in The Australian Women’s Weekly “for the first time today you’re off your feet and relaxed…the soothing taste of your favourite Supreme”).

Today, the Cinzano factory has been reborn as the Europa Apartments. However, rumour has it that the old Cinzano sign is visible at the Constructivism Co-working space.

Birmingham Street’s factories through the eyes of photographer Sam Hood

Sam Hood was a well-known photographer, who was born in South Australia in 1872. His career began in the 1880s and lasted right up until his death in 1953 aged 81, when he collapsed on his way to catch a train in Eddy Avenue in Central.
Hood’s work is highly regarded and archives of negatives and prints are held by the State Library of NSW, Australian Maritime Museum, and other institutions.

Hood took a range of photography work to make a living.

He started off as a portrait photographer before taking press photos that appeared in many newspapers. Later, he took commercial commissions for advertising and magazines, and even worked for the Ministry of News during the war. He also documented buildings and events, and his photos give us a valuable glimpse of Sydney in the first half of the 20th century.

Some of his work was commissioned by real estate agencies. This included black and white photos of the predominantly Art Deco, low-rise factories and buildings along Birmingham Street, Alexandria.

Hood documented the plain white frontage of Green Lock & Co, plan printers and draughtsmen, at 18 Birmingham Street. Next door was an austere, almost church-like brick foundry, called “H. Green, Brass Founder”. His collection also includes photos taken inside the foundry's moulding shop.

Other photos show a broader streetscape of the two buildings with vintage cars and trucks, and reveals that parts of Birmingham Street haven’t changed a whole lot in the last 80 or so years.

Baking bread on Birmingham Street

In recent decades, Alexandria has been transformed into a coveted residential address, and Birmingham Street is an integral part of that story. While half the street remains commercial and industrial, a new breed of apartments has moved in.

Birmingham Street has also become a destination for foodies seeking out artisan bread. The Sonoma Bakery is at number 32, and just around the corner on Gardeners Road is a branch of the popular Bourke Street Bakery.

Birmingham Street is also just a stone’s throw from The Grounds of Alexandria and The Cannery.

Birmingham Street today

We currently have 17/25 Birmingham Street, Alexandria on the market, with an auction price guide from $1,900,000. Situated in the award-winning Europa Apartments (i.e. the old Cinzano factory), this stunning four-bedroom warehouse conversion with a private courtyard garden is an entertainer's dream.

The 224 sqm apartment evokes the essence of New York's Tribeca district in Alexandria, and features the factory’s original brick walls in the courtyard as well as steel-framed windows. It’s rare to find a garden apartment this large, and it is just steps away from Sonoma and Bourke Street Bakery, 750 metres from The Cannery's foodie hub, and a short walk to schools, pubs, and transport.