5 Bay St, Birchgrove NSW 2041, Australia

The story of this home

**Exterior of the house when sold in 2024** 2024 · exterior

First built around 1888, with evidence suggesting construction may have begun as early as 1884. The house appears in the 1888 Sands Directory beside a vacant block. Although altered several times over the years, it has retained the character and scale of a small workers’ cottage. During the 2024 restoration, extensive damage was uncovered in the rear frame, requiring major repair work. This damage appears to have been caused by a past fire in that section of the house. The restoration also included replacement of badly deteriorated external weatherboard cladding and white-ant affected flooring.

Timeline

Events are grouped into 20-year spans by their starting year. Full date ranges are retained.

1880–1899 (7 events)

1888

House Built · Approximate

House constructed

5 Bay St ( as it is known now) was likely constructed as it is shown on a map of the Sydney Water plan for Balmain in 1888.
1891

First Known Occupant · Year Only

First recorded occupant in reviewed Sands

Smith Thomas is first recorded at the traced property in the reviewed Sands sequence by 1891. The directory prints the property as No. 3 in that edition.
1891

Other · Year Only

Property first traceable in Sands

The traced property is first located in the reviewed Sands evidence by 1891 as No. 3 Bay Street. The reviewed address lineage is used so earlier numbering is…
1891–1892

Occupant Change · Range

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

The reviewed Sands evidence for the traced property changes from Smith Thomas in 1891 to Gray John in 1892.
1892–1893

Occupant Change · Range

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

The reviewed Sands evidence for the traced property changes from Gray John in 1892 to Jones John in 1893.
1893–1894

Occupant Change · Range

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

The reviewed Sands evidence for the traced property changes from Jones John in 1893 to Storey William in 1894.
1897–1898

Occupant Change · Range

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

The reviewed Sands evidence for the traced property changes from Storey William in 1897 to Jones John in 1898.

1900–1919 (9 events)

1900–1901

Occupant Change · Range

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

The reviewed Sands evidence for the traced property changes from Jones John in 1900 to Jones William in 1901.
1908–1909

Occupant Change · Range

Likely occupant change

The reviewed Sands evidence for the traced property changes from Jones William in 1908 to Meehan Patrick J. in 1909.
1909–1910

Occupant Change · Range

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

The reviewed Sands evidence for the traced property changes from Meehan Patrick J. in 1909 to Davis Robert in 1910.
1911–1912

Occupant Change · Range

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

The reviewed Sands evidence for the traced property changes from Davis Robert in 1911 to McAuliff John W. in 1912.
1912–1913

Occupant Change · Range

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

The reviewed Sands evidence for the traced property changes from McAuliff John W. in 1912 to McAuliffe John W. in 1913.
1913–1914

Occupant Change · Range

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

The reviewed Sands evidence for the traced property changes from McAuliffe John W. in 1913 to McGiven Joseph in 1914.
1915–1916

Other · Range

Likely street numbering change

The reviewed street block shows a coordinated +2 numbering shift across 6 continuing residents between 1915 and 1916. For the traced property, the reviewed lineage follows No. 3…
1916–1917

Occupant Change · Range

Likely occupant change

The reviewed Sands evidence for the traced property changes from McGiven Joseph in 1916 to Haney William in 1917.
1918–1919

Occupant Change · Range

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

The reviewed Sands evidence for the traced property changes from Haney William in 1918 to Waite Mrs. Louisa in 1919.

1920–1939 (5 events)

1920–1921

Occupant Change · Range

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

The reviewed Sands evidence for the traced property changes from Waite Sydney H. in 1920 to Millar Ernest in 1921.
1929–1930

Occupant Change · Range

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

The reviewed Sands evidence for the traced property changes from Millar Ernest in 1929 to Griffiths Wm. F. in 1930.
1930–1931

Occupant Change · Range

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

The reviewed Sands evidence for the traced property changes from Griffiths Wm. F. in 1930 to Griffiths Wm in 1931.
1931–1932

Occupant Change · Range

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

The reviewed Sands evidence for the traced property changes from Griffiths Wm in 1931 to Griffiths Wm. F. in 1932.
1932

Other · Year Only

Final reviewed Sands listing

In the final reviewed Sands edition, Griffiths Wm. F. is listed at No. 5.

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Photos through time

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5 Bay St, Birchgrove NSW 2041, Australia

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The story of this home

Timeline

House constructed

First recorded occupant in reviewed Sands

Property first traceable in Sands

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

Likely occupant change

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

Likely street numbering change

Likely occupant change

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

Occupant differs in consecutive reviewed Sands editions

Final reviewed Sands listing

Memories from people

Photos through time