James Johnstone Barnet P030
James Johnstone Barnet (1827-1904) was born in Scotland, the son
of a builder. He was apprenticed to a London Builder and then
studied drawing, design and architecture. Barnet was the Clerk
of Works of the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers prior to his
departure for Sydney. Arriving in December 1854, he became
Clerk of Works at the University under the new
Architect, Edmund Blacket. In 1860 Barnet joined the office
of the Colonial Architect, becoming its permanent head in 1865
after acting in the position for two years. As Colonial
Architect Barnet was responsible for many of the most
significant public buildings until 1890, when the office was
reorganised. A Royal Commission's adverse findings in July of
that year effectively ended his career.
Item Description Date Range
No.
1 Letter from the Department of Public Works, 10 Jan 1863
asking for the names of two sureties for the
bond of one thousand pounds required before
Barnet can be appointed as Colonial
Architect.
2 Letter from the Secretary of the 23 Apr 1880
International Exhibition thanking Barnet for
judging classes at the exhibition.
3 Letter from the Crown Solicitor asking 21 Jan 1863
Barnet to call at his office with his two
sureties, FL Merewether and EJ Blacket, so
that he can enter into his bond [see item
1].
4 Letter from the Colonial Secretary, Henry 12 May 1881
Parkes, making suggestions for a National
Gallery. The reverse of the letter bears
pencilled notes of measurements of other
buildings.
5 Letter from Charles Summers of Windsor, 13 Jun 1881
inquiring about progress on plans for a
National Gallery. Barnet's reply, dated 15
June 1881, is on the fcaing page.
6 Letter from the Department of Public Works, 10 Jan 1865
concerning Barnet's appointment as Colonial
Architect.
7 Letter from Dugwidge(?) and Co. concerning 22 Jul 1892
the arrival of a parcel of books from
London.
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8 Letter from RC Walker of the Free Public 01 Aug 1883
Library concerning the library's
requirements for a new building.
9 Letter from RC Walker of the Free Public 12 Aug 1892
Library forwarding a prospectus for a
Dictionary of Architecture.
1 Sketch entitled 'National Art Gallery', 12 Aug 1881
signed JB.
2 Four sketches by a Mr Flinders, and one on n.d.
the back of an envelope unattributed,
entered in the national flag competition of
1900.
3 Mounted photograph of sculpture of n.d.
Britannia, by Achille Simonetti, in the
Colonial Secretary's office
4 Mounted photograph of sculpture of Mercy, by 29 Aug 1879
Achille Simonetti, "placed in niche, Public
Offices, Sydney".
5 Photograph of statue of New South Wales, by 05 Apr 1884
Giovanni Fontana, in tha Colonial
Secreatry's office. Barnet's signature and
address, dated 19 Jan 1884, are on the
reverse, and the words "Arrived in Sydney on
Saturday 5 April 1884 per SS Glenmorven".
6 Photograph of statue of Justice, by Achille 09 Nov 1878
Simonetti, "Placed in niche, Public Offices,
Sydney".
7 Photograph of sculpture by Guidizo di n.d.
Salomone, in the Ducal Palace, Venice, with
description on the reverse in Italian,
French and English.
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8 Photograph of the Bridge of Sighs, Venice, n.d.
with description on the reverse in Italian,
French and English.
9 Photograph of the Logetta at the foot of the n.d.
Campanile, Venice, with description on the
reverse in Italian, French and English.
10 Photograph of detail of the Library of St n.d.
Mark's, Venice, with description on the
reverse in Italian, French and English.
11 Photograph of the west face of the Cortile n.d.
of the Ducal Palace, Venice, with
description on the reverse in Italian,
French and English.
12 Photograph of the prisons and library of the n.d.
Ducal Palace, Venice, with description on
the reverse in Italian, French and English.
13 Photograph of the clock facade in the n.d.
courtyard of the Ducal Palace, Venice, with
description on the reverse in Italian,
French and English.
14 Photograph of the courtyard of the Ducal n.d.
Palace, Venice, with description on the
reverse in Italian, French and English.
15 Photograph of the Tesaro Palace, Venice, n.d.
with description on the reverse in Italian,
French and English.
16 Photograph of San Marco square, Venice, with n.d.
description on the reverse in Italian,
French and English.
17 Photograph of the Church of S. Marco, n.d.
Venice, with description on the reverse in
Italian, French and English.
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18 Photograph of general view of the courtyard n.d.
of the Ducal Palace, Venice, with
description on the reverse in Italian,
French and English.
19 Photograph of staircase and west facade of n.d.
the courtyard of the Ducal Palace, Venice,
with description on the reverse in Italian,
French and English.
20 Photograph of unidentified statuary group. 09 Jun 1898
On the reverse is the dedication "To James
Barnet, Colonial Architect, with WP
Macintosh's compliments". The reverse is
signed JB and dated 9 June 1898.
21 Reproduction of plan and design for Free 21 Aug 1878
Public Library and Academy of Art, signed
James Barnet.
22 Original plans of the General Post Office 12 Sep 1864
building, Sydney, signed by Barnet.
23 Mounted photograph of main facade of large n.d.
complex of unidentified buildings under
construction.
24 Mounted photograph of one end of the facade n.d.
of the same large complex of unidentified
buildings under construction as in item 23,
in snow.
25 Mounted photograph of large unidentified n.d.
building under construction. This is a
different building from that in items 23 and
24.
26 Mounted photograph of detail of one wall of n.d.
building under construction shown in item
25.
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27 Mounted photograph of interior quadrangle of n.d.
building under construction. This is perhaps
the same building as that shown in items 23
and 24.
28 Mounted photograph of end view of building n.d.
under construction. This is the same
building as that shown in items 23, 24, and
27.
29 Mounted photograph of building under n.d.
construction. This is the same building as
that shown in items 23, 24, 27, and 28.
30 Mounted photograph of building under n.d.
construction. This is the same building as
that shown in items 23, 24, 27, 28, and 29.
31 Mounted photograph of building under n.d.
construction. This is the same building as
that shown in items 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, and
30.
32 Mounted photograph of building under n.d.
construction. This is the same building as
that shown in items 25 and 26.
33 Mounted photograph of building under n.d.
construction. This is the same building as
that shown in items 25, 26, and 32.
34 Mounted photograph of building under n.d.
construction. This is the same building as
that shown in items 25, 26, 32, and 33.
35 Mounted photograph of building under n.d.
construction. This is the same building as
that shown in items 23, 24, and 27 to 31.
36 Mounted photograph of building under n.d.
construction. This is the same building as
that shown in items 25, 26, and 32 to 34.
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37 Mounted photograph of building under n.d.
construction. This is the same building as
that shown in items 25, 26, 32 to 34, and
36. This photograph is incorrectly
identified in an unknown hand as "St.
Thomas', N. Sydney".
38 Mounted photograph of building under n.d.
construction. This is the same building as
that shown in items 23, 24, 27 to 31, and
35.
39 Mounted photograph of Picton railway n.d.
viaduct.
40 Mounted photograph of construction works at 03 Apr 1884
Bathurst Gaol, looking east.
41 Mounted photograph of construction works at 03 Apr 1884
Bathurst Gaol, looking north.
42 Mounted photograph of unidentified colonial n.d.
building, possibly the East Sydney law
courts.
43 Mounted photograph of Mortuary station at 1869
Haslem's Creek. Initialled JB, 1869.
44 Mounted photograph of Mortuary station at 1869
Haslem's Creek. This is the same photograph
as item 43. The reverse is annotated with
"Haslem's Creek Mortuary Station, later All
Saints Church Canberra, c. 1958".
45 Mounted photograph which is annotated with 30 Jan 1888
the words: "Laying the foundation stone of
new Houses of Parliament, Sydney, by Lord
Carrington, Monday 30 January 1888 at noon.
Lord Carrington speaking".
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46 Mounted photograph of the same scene as in 30 Jan 1888
item 45 but from a slightly different angle.
It is annotated "Sir John Hay speaking". The
reverse is signed JB, and dated 7 February
1888.
47 Mounted photograph of entrance to the 1870
telegraph office of the General Post Office,
Sydney. Signed J Barnett Colonial Architect,
1870.
48 Mounted photograph of Colonial Secretary's 07 Jul 1877
building under construction. The photograph
has been taken from a diagonally opposite
corner in Macquarie Street.
49 Mounted photograph of Colonial Secretary's 07 Jul 1877
building under construction taken from
ground level. The photograph has been taken
from inside the gates at the entrance to
Government House across Macquarie Street.
50 Mounted photograph of Bridge Street facade n.d.
of the Colonial Secretary's building under
construction taken from close to the
building.
51 Mounted photograph of the Lands Department c. 1890
building, taken from the corner of Loftus
and Bridge Streets, above ground level.
52 Mounted photograph of the clock tower of the c. 1883
General Post Office, Sydney, under
construction.
53 Mounted photograph of view down external n.d.
covered arcade of General Post Office,
Sydney, looking towards George Street.
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