Crown Street Public School

The Crown Street Public School is a heritage-listed public primary school located at Crown Street, Surry Hills, City of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by George Allen Mansfield and built from in 1869 by A. Scott (masonry and brickwork), Mackay and Son (carpentry and finishing). It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. History The history of Crown Street Public School dates from April 1863, when a school known as Bourke Street National School was opened in a building rented from the Bourke Street Congregational Church. In March 1876 the secretary of the Bourke Street Public School Local Board applied to the Council of Education for additional furniture for the school. On this very ordinary request appears the notation that the Council directed the Inspector to find a suitable site on which to erect a new Public School. In June 1876 the secretary for the Bourke Street Congregational Church asked for increased rent for the school premises. He also made it very clear that the Deacons believed it was time that a Public School worthy of the neighbourhood was provided. The Council of Education decided to acquire a site from W. M. MacKenzie on which to erect a new school building, located directly behind the rented school building. The present site in Crown Street was purchased in 1877. Three temporary wooden buildings were erected on the new site and the school moved into these in March 1878. At the same time the name of the school was changed to Crown Street Public School.