The Roosevelt, later managed by Abe Saffron, lasted until the end of six o'clock closing in 1955, after which it was leased to radio station 2KY for conversion to radio studios. ", SLIDER GALLERY: Kings Cross before and after, Follow this reporter on Twitter @curious_scribe, Passion and violence: the birth of Kings Cross. During the 1960s the Hi-Five show band played in Hong Kong, Europe and Las Vegas. As Wesley Stacey and Rennie Ellis said in 1971: The old timers will tell you the Cross has had it. It was at the Cross that some of the biggest gatherings of civilians and soldiers, sailors and airmen took place during the last days of World War II. From the 1920s, a [media]dramatic change in the residential character of the area began to take place, as new flat and apartment buildings were constructed across the Kings Cross area. The California Caf, opened in 1929 by American Dick McGowan, was a gathering place with impromptu recitals and performances held inside its painting-lined walls, while the Caf Eldorado in Darlinghurst Road and the Darlinghurst Liberal Club hosted political meetings and rallies. Small, densely populated inner-eastern suburb, joined to Garden Island in 1942. Rhythm and blues band which bought frenzied playing and long hair to the Sydney music scene. He was the first Indigenous person to work as a director in the mainstream Australian theatre industry and was Australia's first Indigenous feature film director. It drew in big name DJs and its club night FWD>> was a rite of passage for many Londoners going out in the early 2000s. Knowing that a return to the dancefloor days was never an option for this site, we cant think of a much better way of celebrating its lost history than letting the public access it to celebrate and learn about great food. [3] Queens Cross lasted just eight years. It is one of Sydney's most expensive suburbs. But the writing had always been on the wall, and once the final Kings Cross regeneration plan was agreed, the whole Yard including every one of the iconic London clubs, was shut in a flurry of wild closing parties throughout Christmas 2007, rolling into early January. Two further streets, to be named Upper William Street North (Bayswater Road) and Upper William Street South (Kings Cross Road) were put in place to carry traffic over the ridge while skirting the boundaries of the private estates. A 'junior' nightclub called the Birdcage, run by radio compere Peter Bergin was openbrieflyin the venue in 1963 after the theatre closed, and soon replaced byJohn Harrigan's Surf City, that occupied the building from 1963 until 1966 when the building was demolished, to bereplaced by the Crest Hotel. First there was Matter and then there was Proud2. In 1940 the crowds were so great, estimated at 40,000 or more, that, At the hour of midnight it seemed as though a revolution was about to start the cheering and shouting from thousands of throats, the blowing of trumpets and other noisemakers set up a cacophony which could be heard throughout the city. Sell e-gift vouchers to your customers; whether it be a packaged up experience or a monetary value. Australian involvement in the Vietnam War began in 1962 and officially ended in 1973, although the war continued until 1975. It was in King's Cross's golden triangle of night clubs which all shut down in the face of the area's redevelopment. In the nineteenth century one of Sydney's most prestigious suburbs, it became home to a vibrant bohemian community and later Sydney's red light district. It's good to feel safe again!' If the actual locality is taken literally, then Kings Cross is in fact a very small place, essentially the intersection of Victoria and Darlinghurst roads at the top of William Street. These places, almost extinct now, were really the drawcard of 1970s Kings Cross for straight males. A number of the daytime cafs were caught out in raids during the 1920s and 1930s, while a series of late-night venues, night clubs and illegal casinos sprang up during the same period. Darlinghurst Road's density increased enormously from 1861, when 14 residents were listed between Macleay Street and William Street, to 1880 when 43 were listed, with most of the development coming on the eastern side, following the construction of the Roslyn and Alberta Terrace buildings. . Need to get your venue out to millions? Saffron took advantage of the growing demand for entertainment and bought the famous Roosevelt Club in Kings Cross in the 1940s. On 4 July 1975 Nielsen disappeared, after keeping an appointment at the Carousel Club to discuss advertising in her newspaper. It hosted huge weekend parties that were at hit with House music fans. Kings Cross, May 1970. Nobel Prize-winning novelist, essayist and playwright whose work was frequently set in Sydney and its suburbs. The year-round entertainment was supplemented from the later 1930s by huge celebrations to herald the New Year. The images would form the basis of a key historical archive documenting Australian life, the work of that momentous year documenting Kings Cross the year of Ellis' first exhibition is on show at Mossgreen gallery in Sydney as part of the Head On Photo Festival. Message Message Chat with us Message Email Website. The West End establishment started out as a burlesque club but later became a staple for Central London's "fringe-culture" community. Believe it or not King's Cross was once the party hub of London. Also Manley beach. Green Bans put in place by the Builders Labourers Federation, abductions of some of the protesters and violent clashes between protesters and development company security guards created a highly charged and volatile environment. Search with an image file or link to find similar images, Search for stock images, vectors and videos. Were working to restore it. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Home built on land granted to Alexander Baxter on Woolloomooloo Hill. The massive venue had a 24 hour drinking licence and a 4,0000 people capacity. In 1963, Kenneth Slessor noted that people who 'go to the Cross' or 'live at the Cross' could mean anywhere from Taylor Square to Wylde Street, but this didn't matter as they were expressing a state of mind. Learn more about how you can collaborate with us. In the late eighteenth century, and well into the nineteenth century, the tallest structures around Sydney Cove were windmills. Melbourne, 1983, most listed venues: Chevron Hotel (City/Prahran) The Club (Collingwood) Her Majesty's Nightspot (South Yarra) Green Man (Armadale) Central Club Hotel (Richmond) Bombay Rock (Brunswick) Armadale Hotel (Armadale) One-C-One Folk Club (Princes Hill) Prince of Wales (St Kilda) The Venue (St Kilda) Gigs listed in one week: 358 [29] In 1894 a cable tram service was introduced to negotiate the steep grade of William Street, operating until at least 1901 in tandem with the remaining horse buses. One of Sydney's biggest 'beat' music venues in the 1960s, located in the former Kings Cross Theatre that was demolished to make way for the underground railway station and the Crest Hotel. Long known as a bohemian haunt, the Cross became the site of some of the city's biggest musical events after World War II. It has worked as its own best publicist and its own worst enemy, with as many tales of bohemian freedom as there are of back street deals and random violence. It became the setting for a wide range of novels - from the detective fiction of the 1950s and 1960s to Jon Rose's 1961 book At the Cross, Australia's first autobiographical account of gay life in 1940s Kings Cross. Take a look at the picture above. The former Darlinghurst Gaol is now the National Art School. In 1939 the Sydney Morning Herald commented that Kings Cross was the most self-contained of Sydney's suburbs, 'where foreigners have largely modified our social customs to produce an international settlement'. Battles with developers over the redevelopment of Victoria Street in 1973 and 1974 turned attention onto the underworld element of the area, particularly after the disappearance of local identity, newspaper editor and anti-development campaigner Juanita Nielsen. Kings Cross was a place filled with, bottle-ohs, limousines, paupers' funerals, police patrols, millionaires, American actresses, mysterious screams, and people who don't pay their taxi-fares. Some partners do not ask for your consent to process your data and rely on their legitimate business interest. It is forever changing its residents and its appeal. Its place on the ridge overlooking the city has always set it apart from the rest of town, an 'exclusive' address from the start. Just where is Kings Cross?or, as it is referred to affectionately by those who live there The Cross. Amid intense public and media attention, the foreman announced "not guilty" and 150 people in the public gallery cheered and clapped for almost two minutes. Almost 50 years ago, two young photographers - Rennie Ellis from Melbourne and Wesley Stacey from Sydney - embarked on a six-month project to photograph the bustling Kings Cross scene. Were working to restore it. Since the influx of foreign armed forces in World War II, an increasing number of bars and clubs had appeared to cater to the scene. After MGM was bought out by Greater Union Organisation in 1969, Harry M Miller staged the musical Hair at the theatre and it returned to live theatre use until 1976. The Coca-Cola sign that still dominates the top of the cross remains as one of the last survivors. The Art Deco building was designed by Bruce Dellit, Guy Crick, Bruce Furse and Dudley Ward, with sculptures and the facade (never completed) by Rayner Hoff, who had collaborated with Dellit on the Anzac War Memorial in Hyde Park. In 1926 a quarter of all flats built in the greater Sydney area were built in Kings Cross. Painter whose work explored the landscape and people of the Australian outback. It was where world-famous artists like Adele and The XX cut their teeth, and was a gem of the North London nightlife scene. Google Ads Service uses this cookie to collect information about from multiple websites for retargeting ads. Movies like Two Hands (1999) and Dirty Deeds (2002) looked at the local underworld, as did the television series Underbelly 3: The Golden Mile. The late award-winning. It did however re-establish the Cross as a live music scene which continues into the present at venues such as the Kings Cross Hotel, diagonally opposite the old Surf City site. At the Cross, the protesters, joined by a gathering crowd of supporters and onlookers, fought the police in a riot of flying garbage bins, bottles and cans. By 1924 the theatre had been joined by Ciro's cabaret at the top of William Street, with regular dances, and by Maxim's cabaret in Darlinghurst Road. [13] A number of the cafs became local landmarks, such as the Kookaburra Caf, famous for its cakes, which traded for over 25 years, while others such as the Pekin caf run by Charlie Lee, and the Claremont run by German migr Walter Magnus, introduced an exotic, international flavour to the dining experience. Hair opened at Metro Theatre in Kings Cross in 1969 and had six African Americans in its cast - including singer Marcia Hines, who was 16. In 1897, the junction of Victoria Street, Darlinghurst Road, William Street and Upper William Street was named Queens Cross, in honour of the jubilee of Queen Victoria. Once a desirable bayside address east of central Sydney, the area grew more congested and grimy as the wharves expanded and the boarding houses and pubs gave refuge to larrikin gangs and petty criminals. The main war memorial in Sydney and one of the city's finest Art Deco buildings. It was the summer of 1970-71 and Kings Cross was going through a golden era of glitzy clubs and glamorous personalities when photographer Rennie Ellis captured what would become iconic images. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. For many people, the Cross refers to the larger zone from the top of William Street, along Darlinghurst Road to Macleay Street, down Bayswater Road to Elizabeth Bay Road and north along Victoria Street into the edges of Potts Point. Despite the many layers of use and occupation of the Cross through the twentieth century, it is the reputation of the Cross as a seedy, edgy underworld, apart from the usual social mors of Sydney, that has held the public attention. The thing I will always remember about Rennie was his sense of humour and love of life he was truly a remarkable person and a great photographer.". Before the Millenium Dome became the O2 Arena we know today it was home to a couple of nightclub's. The Paradise was planned as a venue for movies, with a stage large enough for opera, ballet and musical productions, with a roof garden and cabaret shows; however it was never built. The cosmopolitan feel of the Cross was enhanced by the growing range of entertainment options from the 1920s. Heck, we might yet get a blue plaque up on one of those hallowed walls. Pop artist and cartoonist who has contributed to Australian and international pop culture since 1960. [5]. Clubs, such as the Pink Pussycat, the Pink Panther, the Kit Kat club, Les Girls (with its all-male revue) at the Carousel Club, the Venus Room, the Fox-Hole, the Claremont-Flamingo and Livio's, among others, jostled for business, offering everything from international entertainers to cabaret to strip shows and dancing girls. Sights and sounds differentiated the place from the rest of Sydney. Estate of convict and landowner Thomas West surrounded by Darlinghurst, Paddington and Rushcutters Bay. As a [media]place of refuge or escape, Kings Cross attracted many who suffered in its streets from violence, homelessness and addiction, especially from the 1970s. Chapel that pioneered outreach and support for Kings Cross's homeless, disadvantaged and drug-affected residents. But it was torn down in 2009 to make way for the new Elizabeth Line. It's not, for Kings Cross exists in a permanent state of mutation, and herein lies its very existence its adaptability to change, its readiness to accept and absorb a new generation with new ideas yet still retain its unique sangfroid. [14] As the population diversified, so did the types of food in the restaurants and cafs. "I remember Rennie would describe the Cross as like a 'beehive where queen bee is life itself'. Classy hotel By Sam Everingham "The Chevron was a classy hotel whose Silver Spade drew bejewelled, fur clad ladies to hear the great stars of the day - Englebert . Astoria in Charing Cross Road was London's largest live music club for years. Locality on the border of Darlinghurst and Surry Hills where Oxford Street meets Flinders and Bourke streets near Darlinghurst Courthouse which is a hub of the city's nightlife. Named for the intersection of Darlinghurst Road, William and Victoria Streets and once called Queens Cross, the area is now a neon lit mecca for tourists and Sydneysiders. A linchpin in London's dubstep scene, it was a shock for bass-loving partiers when the Shoreditch venue announced its sudden closure in 2015. In the journal Home in 1923, Slessor as 'The Prisoner of Darlinghurst' penned a tongue-in-cheek critique of his new home, claiming it a place better to explore than live in and yet living there all the same. [6]. Google DoubleClick IDE cookies are used to store information about how the user uses the website to present them with relevant ads and according to the user profile. Whisky a Go Go nightclub, Kings Cross 11 August 1969 APIA Club dance at the Trocadero March 1958 Band playing at a Popular Dance night at the Trocadero 1938 Carlotta, Kings Cross 1970-71 Costume cavalcade at Artists' Ball at the Trocadero 6 November 1953 Jitterbuggers at the Trocadero February 1948 For nature lovers, head to Sierra de Grazalema, famed as the best national park in the Andalucia area for its limestone landscape and exceptional wildlife, including a variety of birds. By the time Hair was released, the Kings Cross scene was changing. It was billed as "London's biggest nightclub", a 3,000-capacity venue set in a vast set of arches beneath London Bridge station, known for big-name Saturday nighters as well as regular Moondance. Night Clubs Nice people dancing to great music. Please try again later. The cafeteria at the newly opened Woolworths in Darlinghurst was also handed over for use by the military to serve meals throughout the war, while the Roosevelt night club in Orwell Street, operated by promoter Sammy Lee, became a notorious late night venue for American officers. Adventure Tours from $108.15 per adult Private Essential Sydney Tour Including Lunch at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia 3 Bus Tours from $371.47 per adult (price varies by group size) Bondi & Sydney Sights Trike Tour 1.5hrs 2 Private and Luxury from $123.60 per adult Private Tour: Half-Day Iconic Sydney 1 Bus Tours from $309.35 No Eastern potentate has more faithful minions than he. Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. [20] Later in the 1950s, the Terry Clune Gallery in Macleay Street continued the bohemian ideal with emerging 'radical' artists such as Russell Drysdale and John Olsen. And to see why, lets gawp at some more fascinating photos Bob spent his later years "without want or care" with Mr F.C. The Kings Cross Nightclub Tour hen's parties and bucks nights would arrive at the same time to finish off the night. Here are our recommended King's Cross nightclubs and late night venues- all with mind-blowing music, a welcoming atmosphere and the goal of bringing masses back to the local bar scene. Copyright 02/05/2023 Alamy Ltd. All rights reserved. In 1890 there were 17 boarding houses in the Kings Cross area, one in Kellett Street, three in Upper William Street South (Kings Cross Road) and 13 in Victoria Street. In 1952, with increasing numbers of migrants entering Australia, the All Nations Club was established by Sir Robert Garran at 50 Bayswater Road, with a mission to help new Australians to assimilate. It was bought in 1948 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and converted into a cinema, renaming it the Metro Kings Cross in 1952. [10] Although these statistics are for the wider Sydney area, the inner city held the majority of boarding houses with the highest density in Kings Cross, Darlinghurst and Woolloomooloo. Things aren't all bad however, this area is having a comeback since regaining its raw edginess with a new harvest of bars and clubs causing quite a stir. From the 1920s through to the 1940s, Kings Cross was a very modern place, streaking ahead of the rest of Sydney, not just physically with its new apartment-style living but also in its food and entertainment options, its gaudy new neon advertising signs and its increasingly liberal attitude to life and living. Juanita Nielsen "In case we ever need a picture of me, this is one I want issued," she told David Farrell. In the early 1960s, promoter John Harrigan leased the 5000-seater Kings Cross Theatre on Darlinghurst Road (aka The Strip) and renamed Surf City - opening it up to local acts such as Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs and the Easybeats. Surveyor and explorer whose expeditions opened up large parts of the interior to settlers. By the mid-1930s these were also joined by a growing number of smaller venues, nightclubs and jazz bars offering meals and entertainment and, increasingly, alcohol. Slessor's Darlinghurst Nights (1932) collected a series of his poems about the district and people in it, from the sophisticated to the marginalised. Search with an image file or link to find similar images, Search for stock images, vectors and videos. In 1941 he completed The Explorer bronze doors at the State Library. From 2010 to mid-2012 he was Dictionary of Sydney writer-in-residence sponsored by the Sydney Mechanics' School of Arts. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. William Street, Kings Cross, 1964 . Estate established by Thomas Barker on land he acquired on Woolloomooloo Hill in 1833. In 1963 Frankie Davidson asked 'Have you ever been to see Kings Cross? Louis Nowra Kings Cross- a biography 2013 pg 386. "Rennie was truly amazing at capturing sexuality and life in a way that was never vulgar or coarse, but full of humour and vitality. [media]From the later 1950s, the Kings Cross area had been increasingly associated with nightclubs and a growing number of topless bars and strip joints, with Darlinghurst Road taking on the moniker of 'the Strip'. [39]. The Sydney Morning Herald summed it up in 1939, saying: By day, Kings Cross is distinguished by the excellence of the shopping centre along Victoria Street. Sensing an opportunity when adjacent abandoned Bagleys Warehouse started being used for big raves, Billy converted some of his arches into a wine bar for pre-club revellers and, though he hadnt got a clue what was to come over the next fifteen years, one of Londons golden nightclub success stories was born. Despite its proximity to the city, Kings Cross has endured its fair share of troubles in regards to access. Find the perfect night clubs 1970s stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. [31] Although the steam bus failed, private motor buses began to compete with the trams in the years following the end of World War I. The Yellow House on Macleay Street. He won the 1944 Wynne Prize for his painting of McElhone Stairs. Inner-city suburb located immediately to the south east of the central business district. Use our targeted marketing packages to instantly push your venue to a young professional audience. [37] The Roosevelt nightclub had introduced topless showgirls in the early 1950s, and in 1959 the Staccato Club in Orwell Street opened as the first strip joint in Australia. The real and imagined goings on at the Cross criminal, artistic, political or culinary attracted suburbanites and interstate tourists for a look at least, as well as those wanting to escape to what they perceived to be the more liberal lifestyle on offer. The road was too steep for horse carts and omnibuses and the junction at the top was one of the worst traffic bottlenecks in the entire city. Based on Vincent Van Gogh's ideal collective, Sharp and his artistic band painted the exterior bright yellow and covered its internal walls with murals, portraits and decoration. Today, the development - Victoria Point - stands tall on Victoria Street, while Nielsen's disappearance remains one of Sydney's biggest crime mysteries. Governor of New South Wales from 1825 to 1831 who oversaw much exploration and change in the colony. Soldier and surveyor who retained the position of deputy surveyor general for more than 20 years despite the animosity of his superior Thomas Mitchell. Alamy and its logo are trademarks of Alamy Ltd. and are registered in certain countries. See all Latino Dinner Cruise on Sydney Harbour 11 Recommended by 90% of travellers Nightlife from AU$95.00 per adult Sydney's Secret Bars Nightlife Tour 81 Boy George was a regular at this New Romantics haunt which hosted some of the capital's biggest gay nights. After explosive growth in the second half of the nineteenth century it came to be seen as a slum, then experienced gentrification from the late 1960s. German born restaurateur who conducted a number of restaurants in the city from 1935 until 1954. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Artist, occultist and pagan whose art reflected her beliefs in witchcraft. In 1969 it was returned to live theatre by Harry M Miller who used the venue for the musical Hair which ran as a sell-out for two years. People queuing to get into The Cross mid 1990s, Madame Jojo's in London's Soho closed after losing its licence in 2014, The O2 Arena was once a massive nightclub, The Good Ship supported emerging artists and comedians and was a gem of the London gig scene. If you're on the hunt for fabulous clubs in London, The Cross in King's Cross is a great shout. Installed by Google Analytics, _gid cookie stores information on how visitors use a website, while also creating an analytics report of the website's performance. Some of the data that are collected include the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously. Generate an extra revenue stream and open up your venue/event to even more customers. The residents of the Cross were the vanguard of Sydney's take-away eating culture. Alongside the red light scene, Kings Cross also evolved as one of Sydney's main live music destinations. Alongside their quirky decor and lively atmosphere, this Central London party bar stuns all of its guests with an impressive cocktail list, made using a range of intriguing ingredients. "Rennie really got into places that no one normally would have been able to. In song, the Cross has also held a fascination. BUY TWO IMAGES, GET THE LOWEST PRICE IMAGE HALF PRICE WITH CODE: 50%OFFNEXTIMAGE. More than a million Australians served, and for the first time the country came under direct military attack. It was mostly crushed into the confines of William Street and Darlinghurst Road.". Sydney - the most dangerous R and R City for US servicemen c1969, Royal Commission into the New South Wales Police Service 1994. Circular Quay, November 1969. EDEN NIGHTCLUB EL GRECO (Dulwich Hill) EMBASSY (Rosebay) ENVY EP1 (Former Tunnel) EQUINOX (Apia Club) ETTAMOGAH BAR (Darling Harbour) EXCHANGE HOTEL (Oxford St) FAME (Ashfield) FANNIES FANTASTIC VOYAGE (Hilton) FANTASY (Maroubra Seals) FLASH BACK (Southern Cross Hotel, Princess Hwy) FLASHEZ (Liverpool) FLINDERS FORMULA FUNK FREDDIES FREEZER In Ellis' own words, Kings Cross had a "pulse rate and a lifestyle unlike anywhere else in Australia". Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. In response, a number of organisations also sprang up to save the Cross, most notably the Wayside Chapel, founded by Ted Noffs. [36] The space above the tunnel was redeveloped and multistorey tower blocks and apartments were constructed. A selection of colour slides taken between 1974 and 1979 illustrating the significant changes during that period. She returned to be general secretary of the Country Women's Association, which has its offices in the Cross, for three decades until 2000. As American and other military men walked up the road from the Garden Island naval base in Woolloomooloo during World War II and the Vietnam War, they were searching for a good time - and found it at the Cross. His health is a matter of public care. Give me sirens any day. Radio station owned by the Labor Council of New South Wales that focussed on racing and sports broadcasting. The End was the brainchild of DJs Mr C and Layo.