Local Street History: Wyndham Street, Alexandria

Running parallel to busy Botany Road, Wyndham Street stretches from Boundary Street in Redfern south to Bourke Road, where it meets the thriving regenerated area of Green Square.

Just like the suburb of Alexandria in which it largely sits, Wyndham Street has a rich industrial past, although in recent decades it has gradually transformed into a popular residential address.

The origins of Wyndham Street

The origins of Wyndham Street’s name are unclear. In fact, it’s one of the few local streets that the City of Sydney archives have no information on whatsoever. However, it is a relatively common surname and a place name, with several locations across Australia and the United Kingdom bearing the name Wyndham.

The earliest references to Wyndham Street Alexandria date back to the 1860s, as the city began spreading south from Redfern.

In 1867, a petition to the Governor, signed by local taxpayers, many with addresses on Wyndham Street, was printed in the Government Gazette, rallying against establishing a separate “Municipality of Alexandria”.

The following year a foundation stone for a new Council Chambers was laid and the Bugle Horn Hotel (one of the oldest pubs in Alexandria) on the corner of Wyndham and Raglan Street (later renamed Henderson Road) was the site of a celebration:

“The foundation stone for a new Council Chamber, in Raglan Street was laid on Tuesday, at half -past 5 p.m., by Mr. E. J. Hawksley, Mayor of Alexandria, assisted by Aldermen Sparkes, Marland, Fair, Bancroft, and Bretnal, and a large number of ratepayers who take an interest in the welfare of the borough… The company adjourned to the Bugle Horn Hotel, where a repast was provided.”

The Bugle Horn Hotel was rebuilt in the 1930s and still exists as The Lord Raglan Hotel. A second hotel, The Boundary Hotel, was built at 1-3 Wyndham Street in 1878, and survives as the Technology Park Hotel.

Strong council connections

Over the years many Councillors and Mayors, who served on the local council, lived on Wyndham Street. Several fought hard for local infrastructure and development, especially in Alexandria’s early days.

Labourer William Bryant, who had 12 children, lived on Wyndham Street and was elected as one of the nine inaugural aldermen on Waterloo Council. He served from 1860-67, including taking on the role as Mayor of Waterloo in 1863 and 1867. Bryant was heavily involved in community life and also served as an alderman on the new Alexandria Council from 1870-72, and as mayor in 1870-71.

James Marland, the Licensee of the Bugle Horn Hotel also served as an alderman on the council in 1868. Marland was busy moving motions towards the “building of Waterloo’s infrastructure, especially the formation of Boundary Street”.

Successful printer Henry Bancroft also lived on Wyndham Street and was an alderman on Alexandria Council from 1868-69. Another Wyndham Street resident, produce merchant George Wood, was an alderman 1870-77 and served as mayor in 1874. And Michael McNamee, also of Wyndham Street, was an alderman on Alexandria Council 1877-81.

Isaac Vandenbrook was an alderman on Alexandria Council 1876-78, until his early death at just 43 years old. He left his small owner-operated boot making business, and two daughters behind, and his wife went on to give birth to his son a few months after he died.

Decades later, John Tierney from 61 Wyndham Street was the secretary of the NSW Branch of the Australian Meat Industry Employees’ Union, as well as serving as an alderman from 1939-1948.

And number 9 Wyndham Street was home to Samuel Chenhall, a very long running alderman for Alexandria Council from 1929-47, who also served as mayor three times: 1934, 1937 and 1943.

Alexandria Park

One of the key landmarks on Wyndham Street is Alexandria Park, originally gazetted in 1882, and a popular spot for generations of locals.

In 1895, P. Dawson of Wyndham Street was appointed the first caretaker for the park on a barter basis.

The City of Sydney reports that he was given “the sole right to graze his 6 cows on the park between the hours of 6pm and 6am, in exchange for keeping the park free of weeds and watering the newly-planted Moreton Bay and Port Jackson fig trees twice weekly during dry weather.” Some of these trees still stand today.

Many decades later, Alderman Richard Power, who was Mayor of Alexandria in 1932 and 1936 also lived in Wyndham Street. According to The City of Sydney, Power took great pride in the park and was known for keeping a close eye on it. The Richard Power memorial gates were erected in his memory at the south-eastern corner of the park, and Power Avenue is also named after him.

You can see the much smaller, but famous trees of Alexandria Park in this early photo taken near 154 Wyndham Street (now replaced by a row of modern townhouses).

Subdivisions and industry

Wyndham Street, and the area around it, was always partly residential, but also industrial, with a stormwater canal running past it as this old black and white photo shows.

An early subdivision map of “Osborne’s” on the northern border of Boundary Street shows each block named for its owner, including Osborne, Goldsmith, Beer, and Oates. They all owned strips of land that went through to Garden Street.

A later subdivision of the “Brennan Estate” from June 1906 shows narrow blocks along Wyndham Street, on the corner of McEvoy, for sale (where AUSA and Pet-O are today). Further north along this same block a subdivision called the Wood’s Estate was auctioned in March 1915.

In 1964, a parcel of two acres of land on the corner of Wyndham and Bourke was being sold as “A Class Industrial”, ready for conversion into modern factory premises:

“This is one of the few remaining sites in the popular Alexandria industrial area and should be of interest to motor companies, oil companies, heavy industrialists, chemical manufacturers, transport companies, and similar”.

Wyndham Street today: A residential hotspot

Wyndham Street retains many of its original homes, including federation workers cottages, Victorian terraces and smaller semi-detached houses. In October 2022, we sold the one-bedroom house at 192 Wyndham Street, Alexandria for $1.155 million.

However, most homes on Wyndham Street are modern apartments that have been built over the last two decades.

In February 2024, we sold W405/222 Wyndham Street, Alexandria for $900,000. The ultimate one-bedroom entertainer, this generous tri-level apartment boasted 146 sqm on title, including a fantastic private rooftop terrace.

In May 2024, we sold 102/123-129 Wyndham Street, Alexandria for $830,000. This stunning one bedroom apartment with a light, bright north-east corner position in Cargo Lane building had been meticulously maintained since it was purchased off the plan in 2012. It is just 800 metres from the new Waterloo Metro.

We currently have 111C/240 Wyndham Street, Alexandria on the market - a superb top floor two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment with double parking in the award-winning Carnegie Building from AJC Architects. Just 600 metres from Green Square station, this split-level light-filled residence spans 154 square metres and has an additional study space, as well as access to the building’s stunning swimming pool. It is due to go to auction on 15 June with a guide of $1.1 million.

If you want to make Wyndham Street your home, contact us today.