Researching the history of a Mosman property
Brierly's Cottage, Mosman, c. 1880's.
The Mosman Local Studies Collection, located in the Mosman Room, holds a number of resources that can assist in researching and compiling a history of properties in Mosman – both homes and business premises.
To help make the most of the resources in this collection, Mosman Library has prepared the following publication:
This guide commences with references to facts researchers may already know about their property. This is followed by a comprehensive list of relevant resources, along with a description of the type of information likely to be found in these items.
This information may answer such questions as – How old is my house? Did my house have a name? Was my house designed by an architect? Are there any photographs of my house? Who lived in my house?
Resources described include the Sands’ Sydney and New South Wales Directory, 1858-1932/33 which can indicate who lived in a particular house, the name of a house and any business carried out at a particular site. Other materials listed include those created by, or for, local government including council rates records, land valuation records and building and development registers. Information found in these includes details of owners, the name of a property, land sub-divisions, the name of the architect or builder and the type of building material used.
An FAQ section provides a quick guide to the appropriate resources that would be useful in answering common enquiries.
2 Buena Vista Avenue, c.1910.
Researching the history of your property is an exciting challenge, turning you into a detective and taking you down various paths of investigation. As with all research, it is important to remember that it will often be necessary to consult a number of resources in order to corroborate any information that you find.
The Mosman Local Studies Collection is available during Library hours. It is not necessary to be a member of the Library and you do not need to make an appointment.
