29 Bligh Street, Sydney, 1945/1946

[m23to53]

Is it possible to find the occupants of this address in 1945 or 1946. Apparently also known as 'Savoy House', during the 1940s, according to newspaper articles, ads etc., it held the offices of a radio station, the Australian UN Association, Wives and Mother's Union, the Liberal Party, a chap selling drums of some liquid, etc. though I didn't find them all mentioned in the same year. So unsure how many offices etc.  the building held.
I am trying to track down a Reginald Kirby who gave the address in a 1945 advert offering postal tuition of writing - and would like to find who he might have been working for or if he had an office to himself.
Is be a street or business directory for Sydney for either of those years which would list the building's occupants?

Many thanks
John

[maddys52]

I'm sure someone will be along soon who might have access to business records from the time, but just thought I'd let you know the building was also known as Adyar House, and was designed by William Wardell, who also designed St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney. The facade of the building is still there today.

[maddys52]

I'm assuming this is one of the articles you mentioned where Reginald KIRBY is advertising
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article240007282

Not sure that it implies Reginald was working there, or whether he was a successful "graduate" of the Mayne School of Authorship?

Modified to add: Oh I see, there is this ad in 1945 - certainly Reginald advertising.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17961306

I guess, in answer to your question "who was he working for", it would be William LYNCH and the "Mayne School of Authorship".

[Jamjar]

No, I believe the add says 'compiled by Reginald Lynch'.

He was a writer and there is quite a few mentions of him on Trove.

The large add gives the name of the company whose address was Bligh St.

Jamjar

[Billyblue]

I don't know that there would have been a 'business directory' in Sydney 1945.  We'd graduated to telephone directories by then, which of course are listed by surnames and business names, not all the businesses in a building.

29 Bligh Street is right in Sydney CBD, running off George Street (Sydney's 'main street', or considered so in those days).  I'd suggest contacting the Archivist for City of Sydney -
www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

Dawn M

[majm]

City of Sydney Assessment Books cover the years 1842 – 1948 online. 
http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/learn/search-our-collections/house-and-building-histories/assessment-books

1945, Macquarie Ward 25/29 Bligh Street
Theosophical Society Building Co Ltd, Hall and Offices, £5,353 pa Adyar House
9 floors plus basement
86 rooms

Re William Lynch and the Bligh Street room/s
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=720148.0 


JM

[maddys52]

No, I believe the add says 'compiled by Reginald Lynch'.

He was a writer and there is quite a few mentions of him on Trove.

The large add gives the name of the company whose address was Bligh St.

Jamjar

Sorry, I had so many tabs open last night I must have provided the wrong reference. Here is one for Reginald KIRBY advertising tuition in novel writing. William LYNCH is advertising a radio writing course just above, and a story writing course just below Reginald's advertisement.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17959603
(last column, top third of the page)

Modified to add: actually just checked again, and the original reference does say "MSA Postal tuition in novel writing compiled by Reginald Kirby, author of 13 novels, 29 Bligh St Sydney".
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17961306
(third column, near the top)

[majm]

following from reply #6

BW 5074 is the phone number for Reginald Kirby in the 1945 advertisement Maddy mentions.   By 1952 that phone number, while remaining in that building, is allocated to Suite 301, The Savoy Theatre Academy. http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/156444257   Mudgee Guardian 15 May 1952.

BW will likely 'translate' to the exchange prefix 29.  I think from the 1950s it would have been Dalley St, but I don't know about the 1940s, sorry.

Edit ... nope BW was not '29'.  It was "28" as per one of my elderly rellies.      

JM

[sparrett]

Is this the chap whose whereabouts in 1945 you are seeking?
He was the author of a number of books.

Are you related to him?

Do you need other information about him?


 "Reginald KIRBY grew up in Windsor, UK, later gaining a diploma from Spurgeon's (theological) College, London and a History Certificate from London University College. He served as Baptist Minister in Harborne, Birmingham (1926-1933) and Harrogate, Yorkshire (1933-1936) before migrating to Australian and becoming Minister of Collins Street Baptist Church, Melbourne in 1936. In 1942 Kirby enlisted for service in World War II. He served as a padre in the RAAF in New Guinea, until his discharge in May 1943........"

WW2 index for his enlistment.
http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?serviceId=R&veteranId=1053504

Sue