Manning Street Potts Point is one the area’s shortest streets but is packed with interest.
It is probably named after Sir William Patrick Manning (1845-1915). He was a former Sydney Council Mayor, state MP and local businessman born in Chippendale and educated at St. Mary’s Cathedral School.

William Manning was Alderman, as they were then called, at Sydney Council for Bourke Ward incorporating Potts Point from 1st December 1887 to 6th December 1900. He was a member of council’s Finance Committee, the Electric Lighting Committee and the Disposal of Refuse Committee, 1895-98. He oversaw the remodelling of the Belmore Market and played a major role in the construction of the Queen Victoria Market Building. He chaired the 1891 Royal Commission on alleged Chinese gambling and immorality and police corruption.

He had an association with Tusculum in Manning Street, a grand colonial villa built in 1831-5 by John Verge (1782-1861).

Manning received his business training in the head office of PN Russell & Co, engineers. In 1868, aged 22 he was manager of Australian Paper Company. During the 1893 financial crisis he managed the reconstruction of the Australian Joint Stock Bank (later Australian Bank of Commerce) and became the Chairman of Directors. He was Director of MLC Assurance Company Limited and Sun Fire Insurance Office of London. From 1896 to 1908, he was Director of the Citizens Life Assurance Company. He acted as Australian Investment Agent for the English capitalists Lord Rosebery, Duke of Manchester, Lord Carnarvon and Lord Sherbrooke.

William Manning was a NSW Royal Commissioner on four occasions. He was the President of the Sydney Philharmonic Society for 23 years from 1891-14.
An advocate of legislative reform and Federation, Manning was elected MLA (Lower House State Parliament) for South Sydney from 1893 to 1894.

Sir William Manning was knighted in 1894.

Today, Manning Street’s hanging baskets and heritage trees add to its relaxed strolling shady ambience.

On the northern side of Manning Street the Gypsy Café with its al fresco seating and awnings provides tasty snacks, coffee and cool drinks. Next door Becker and Minty retail homewares store supplies eclectic wares for smart apartment interiors. It is set back from the street a considerable distance because its forecourt is a former Japanese garden space, originally part of the former Nippon Hotel, now the Ikon Apartments.

The southern side is dominated by Tusculum.

It was designed by John Verge who also designed Rockwall House and Elizabeth Bay House nearby. The wooden coffered ceilings of the Tusculum’s verandah are particularly well executed. Its original boundary extended down to Woolloomooloo Bay. The grounds were greatly enhanced under Bishop Broughton’s charge as its first inhabitant. However, during the nationwide depression of the 1840s forcing the sale of Tusculum in 1841 and the following year the property was subdivided for the first time.

Eventually the Tusculum Estate was auctioned by Richardson and Wrench at 11 o’clock Friday 21st October 1904 advertising “28 choice building allotments … 25% deposit with balance in 1,2, and 3 years, 4.5% interest per annumn” and the land further subdivided and sold off in allotments. New streets were created that changed the appearance of the property and the area with this drastically reduced curtilage. Where Tusculum had once sat comfortably within its generous acreage, it was then confined by residential development. Tusculum now houses the Australian Institute of Architects NSW HQ.

Next door are two apartment buildings of different styles but designed by the same architect, Emil Sodersten; Wychbury built in 1935 and Werrington built 1930.
Werrington was built in the neo-tudor/gothic style. Wychbury was built after Sodersten returned from Europe having seen Art Deco designs and is built in the newer style.

Adjacent to these is Macleay on Manning, design store, celebrating 21 years this year sitting snugly on the corner of Manning and Macleay Streets and providing an evolving, colourful window display for passers-by.

A short, five-minute by-pass from Macleay Street is rewarded with an interesting walking tour excursion in our first suburb, Potts Point.

By Andrew Woodhouse
Heritage Solutions