Butchery, George Street, 1900

Bubonic plague photographs Summer 1900

Rats, Rats, Rats

In the summer of 1900, bubonic plague reached Sydney and 103 people died. The Sutton Forest Butchery’s meat preparation area was clearly less than ideal and probably contributed to those mortality figures.

Under the supervision of George McCredie, who was given charge of cleansing the city, areas of The Rocks were barricaded off and its slums were demolished. Public Works photographer John Degotardi Jnr recorded the cleansing operations, producing an extraordinary social document of the poverty and squalor.

Up to 3000 men were employed to catch and kill rats and to scour the quarantine areas: 3808 premises were inspected and cleansed; 17,000 rats were killed while clearing houses and another 27,548 rats were destroyed at the quarantine depot. Over 52,030 tons of silt and sewage were dredged from the front of the wharves and 1423 dead animals were scooped from the harbour. More than 28,455 tons of garbage were taken out to sea by barge and a further 25,430 tons burned.
Display item Butchery, George Street, 1900

 

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