John Challis – Challis House – Martin Place

John Challis - Challis House - Martin Place - Sydney - New South Wales 

Martin Place between the GPO columns and the Cenotaph, the sandstone-and-bronze wall with the university’s name still quietly on it — that’s Challis House. Not a memorial chapel. An investment. The building at 4–10 Martin Place was erected for the University of Sydney from the Challis Bequest. Merchant and philanthropist John Henry Challis (1806–1880) left a major endowment (commonly cited as £276,000) that funded professorships and other university purposes; the Martin Place property was built to keep producing income for that legacy.

The first Challis House rose in 1906–1907 under architects Robertson and Marks with Government Architect Walter Liberty Vernon. Early lower-floor tenants included railway ticketing and the Government Tourist Bureau. In 1936–37 the building was substantially reconstructed with a new Art Deco sandstone, granite and bronze façade by Hennessey and Hennessey, skilfully folding in much of the earlier fabric. Further internal refurbishment followed in 1973. Challis House is listed on the NSW State Heritage Register.

The single photograph shows the Martin Place façade; its era is not obvious from the image.

Sydney University

Sydney University – was created under the 1855 act Sydney University act 

Despite the claims of many technologists, and the nightmarish jumble of buildings created on the site in the past 20 years the heart of Sydney University remains of Gothic may not block and grateful. This was the finest work of Edmund Blackett, creator of Saint Andrews Cathedral. The commission meant so much to him that he gave up his posters colonial architect in order to concentrate on it.
YouDespite the claims of many technologists, and the nightmarish jumble of buildings created on the site in the past 20 years the heart of Sydney University remains a Gothic main arts block and grateful. This was the finest work of Edmund Blackett, creator of Saint Andrews Cathedral. The commission meant so much to him that he gave up his posters colonial architect in order to concentrate on it.
When black are designed the calf to see the ceiling of the great Hall he had London Westminster Hall in mind. And when he drew the tutor perpendicular towers and pinnacles of the university, his spirit, and with the genius of English builders of the past. The gentle nature of the man shows charmingly in a story of how are you celebrated his triumph of design. In 1855 the University Senate was due to attend the laying of the foundation stone by the governor. The evening before the ceremony the blackout took his wife Sarah her sister Mary maze in Mary’s particular friend Mary styles to the great side of the great Hall
when black are designed to carve to see the ceiling of the great Hall he had London’s Westminster Hall in mind. And when he drew the tutor perpendicular towers and pinnacles of the university, his spirit, and with the genius of English builders of the past. The gentle nature of the man shows charmingly in the story of how he celebrated his triumph of design. In 1855 the University Senate was due to attend the laying of the foundation stone by the governor. The evening before the ceremony the blackout took his wife Sarah her sister Mary maze in Mary‘s particular friend Mary styles to the great side of the great HallTo the young ladies joy they found an unofficial stone, cut with the initials and the date had by his order been laid in a corner of the future hall-he had a fondness for calf initials
Like it was a talented designer of stained glass; but he must’ve been relieved when craftsman in England were given the huge job of creating the glass windows of the great Hall, which celebrate the founders of Oxford and Cambridge colleges, and kings and queens of England.