Premises of Messrs. Burns, Philp & Co., Limited, Bridge Street. [No 10]

Engraving of the original Burns Phillip office at number 10 Bridge Street, Sydney opposite the later and much enlarged building directly across the world. 

By 1898 this original building was heavily pressed with increasing demands on the company and on the building. By 1899 it was obvious that the building had to be expanded. In April 1898 Burns made an offer for the 109 feet frontage to Bridge Street opposite the existing building. This offer was declined, a second was made and in May 1899 the land had been purchased. By October 1899 twenty-eight tenders had been received for the new building. The successful tender came from Mitchell and King at 23, 875 pounds. By the end of 1900 leases had been signed to Weber Lohmann and Co., the Bellambi Coal Co., J. R. Bexter Bruce, Captain R. M Phillips William Honston, H. W. Peabody and Co. and the North Queensland Insurance Co. [Conybeare Morrison & Partners 2000]. All these companies had a considerable voice in the finishing work, adding their own requests for fittings. 

Rare engraving from the original edition of the Illustrated Sydney News.