Orwell Street is one of those streets many Potts Point residents walk past every day.
Running from Victoria Street to Macleay Street it connects two of the main thoroughfares of our area, and it’s also intersected by Orwell Lane, Earl Street and Hughes Lane. But have you ever stopped to consider its history and architecture?
Join me on a walk down this short but fascinating street to discover more about its past…
The name: Orwell
While one or two of the buildings in Orwell Street today may conjure images of George Orwell’s 1984, according to the City of Sydney’s History of Sydney Streets, Orwell Street takes its name not from the author, but from one of the original Colonial homes built in the area.
Orwell House was built around 1829 on an 11-acre land grant given to Justice John Stephen.
Justice Stephens had been appointed the first NSW Solicitor-General in 1824, before becoming a Supreme Court Judge. He was originally from Aberdeen in Scotland, which may explain the name “Orwell” for his house, as it is a parish in Scotland.
Orwell House was located where the Metro-Minerva Theatre now stands. It was a large two-storey stone residence, surrounded by a fence. You can see two fantastic sketches of the property by Samuel Taylor Gill in the State Library of NSW, which show how different our area used to be (including men dressed in top hats and ladies with parasols).
The making of Orwell Street
A 1900 photo of stables in Earl Street, describes Orwell House as standing on land bounded by Victoria, Hughes and Orwell Streets and Orwell Lane. The photograph depicts a rustic yard and wooden stables on the property, “including a horse and chickens, with a two storey building in the background” (possibly Orwell House).
This 1921 subdivision plan of the “Orwell House Estate” shows the house (which stands on a significant parcel of land) being auctioned off, as well as 10 other lots along Orwell and Hughes Streets.
In 1937, the house was demolished to make way for the Metro-Minerva Theatre. Hidden underneath the theatre building are the “archaeological remains” of Orwell House, including remnant footings and foundations.
Here are some of the landmarks you’ll see on Orwell Street in 2024.
5-15 Orwell Street: Springfield Tower
Next to Springfield Gardens, and running through the whole block from 2 Springfield Avenue, is Springfield Tower. It is home to 140 modern apartments and one of the very best rooftop terraces in the area, capturing amazing harbour views.
6-8 Orwell Street: Sustainable and affordable housing
This five-storey modern building was a much needed addition to the Potts Point community when, in 2022, St George Community Housing delivered 15 new, sustainable and affordable homes. The building offers a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments with a residential common room with lounge, kitchenette and work or study area.
With a 7.7 star rating under the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NaTHERS), the apartments are designed to help tenants save on energy costs.
10 Orwell Street: Art Deco beauty
Number 10 Orwell Street is an Art Deco block of apartments built in 1938. It still retains many of its original features including its four-level brick facade and a communal rooftop terrace with city views.
18-20 Orwell Street: Orwell Lodge
Orwell Lodge is a fabulous 1920s building with distinctive shingled bay windows. It has offered serviced studio apartments in this unique building for many decades. Next door is one of the few remaining backpackers in the area.
22 Orwell Street
One of a handful of Victorian terrace houses scattered along Orwell Street, the others are further up towards Victoria Street.
The Metro-Minerva Theatre
The Metro-Minerva Theatre, situated where Orwell House once stood, is a landmark in our area, with so many stories to tell.
The original Minerva Theatre was the brainchild of David N Martin, owner of the Imperial Theatres Limited company.
In 1937, he purchased the block of land, with frontage on Orwell Street and Orwell Lane for £10,500 ($21,000). Then he asked architect Charles Bruce Dellit, the designer of the New South Wales Anzac War Memorial and a great proponent of the art deco style, to design the Minerva.
In 1948, Martin sold the Minerva Theatre to American media company Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM).
In 1952, MGM officially renamed it the Metro Kings Cross in 1952, and used it to many premieres, revivals of film classics, trade screenings and first release films. In its heyday, stars such as Julie Andrews, Elizbeth Taylor and Richard Burton were among the international celebrities spotted on the cinema’s red carpet.
The musical Hair also staged its Australian run here in 1969, with a cast that included Reg Livermore and John Waters. (Marcia Hines joined soon afterwards in March 1970 when just 16). While the musical was a raging success, the cinema was evacuated on opening night due to a bomb scare.
Today, the Metro-Minerva is considered one of the most exceptional examples of the Art Deco style in NSW, with its vertical sweeping curves, stepped forms and horizontal lines symbolising progress and modernity. A redevelopment of the theatre was announced in 2021, and while theatre-lovers staged a fight to retain it as a performance space, it is slated to be transformed into a boutique hotel and cabaret venue.
Gowrie Gate
The 6-storey “Gowrie Gate” stands on the corner of Orwell Street, but its address is technically on Macleay Street. It was one of the many apartment buildings built during the Art Deco era, and was completed in 1938. While it’s hard to imagine now, in 1939 the whole building changed hands for just £80,000.
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