A. J. Small and family papers

MLMSS 11806/Boxes 1-2
PXD 1602

fonds

approximately 1914-1995

Textual Records, Clippings, Ephemera, Graphic Materials, Cartographic Materials, Architectural and Technical Drawings, Photographs

9651109

0.32 metres of textual material (2 boxes) including photographs
5 architectural drawings (1 folder) - 38 cm x 56 cm or smaller - paper, blueprints

Arthur Jabez Small was born in Marrickville, NSW in 1878, the son of Emma Newsham and Jabez William Small, a photographer and photographic dealer who ran studios in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide. Choosing not to follow his father into the competitive photographic business, Arthur worked as a real estate agent for a time in the Hornsby district, purchasing and subdividing land in this area. He then invested in land in the far Northern Beaches area of Sydney, NSW, with the intention of subdividing and developing a ‘beachside playground’ for those who could afford to buy land and build weekenders and holiday homes. He named his new suburb ‘Avalon’ and began land sales in 1921. Over the next 30 years he would play a significant role in the further development and planning of more suburbs north of the city, including Asquith. As well as his property work at Avalon, Arthur Small was also a Fellow of the Real Estate Institute of N.S.W., the President of the Town Planning Association of N.S.W. (1930-1933), the first President of the Parks & Playgrounds Movement of N.S.W., and a Life Member of both the Wild Life Preservation Society of Australia and the Australian Forest League. Small was a vocal leader for the fight for the extension of Martin Place to Macquarie Street, and also had involvement in the Harbour Bridge and Circular Quay railway station projects. He died in 1953 at his home in Wollstonecraft, survived by his wife Jessie, and their four children, May, Winifred, Geoffrey, and Muriel.

The “A. J. Small Lookout” on the Bilgola Headland is named in his honour.

References:

Jabez Small: https://www.daao.org.au/bio/jabez-small/ (viewed 5 January 2023)
Arthur Jabez Small: Avalon : landscape & harmony : Walter Burley Griffin, Alexander Stewart Jolly & Harry Ruskin Rowe / edited by Jan Roberts. Avalon Beach, N.S.W. : Ruskin Rowe Press, 1999.

By descent from A. J. Small to his granddaughter, Jennifer Small and the Small Family Estate

A collection of sales and fees ledgers, legal documents, correspondence, scrapbooks, clippings, photographs, and ephemera relating to A. J. Small’s work as a town planner, and developer of the suburbs Avalon and Asquith, New South Wales.
The collection includes 33 subdivision plans for the Avalon and Asquith areas, two architectural drawings and photographs of the extension of Martin Place to Macquarie Street and the construction of Circular Quay Railway Station.

MLMSS 11806/BOX 1

Folder 1
32 black and white photographs and photographic postcards. Subjects include:
1. Construction of Circular Quay overhead railway
2. Lane Cove Shopping Centre, Burns Bay Road, coronation decorations, 1952
3. Narooma, NSW
4. Family photographs at Bobbin Head, NSW, Boxing Day, 1918
5. Geoff and Win Small, Albury, 1934 and 'Huntingfield', Albury, 1934, 1937
6. Photographs by A. J. Small of extension of Martin Place to Macquarie Street, 1934
7. Photographic print of Pitt Street cottage identified as 'Government House' the home of Governor Phillip and related articles.
8. A. J. Small photographic samples

Folder 2
Notes on history of Avalon Beach, by Muriel Hunt (nee Small), 1921-2015
Includes clippings, correspondence, real estate advertising brochure and leaflet

Folder 3
Valuations, sales, etc. Clareville, Avalon Beach, 1914-1927
Includes original and photocopied documents from Warringah Shire council, D. J. McIntyre & Co. and H. W. Horning & Co.

Folder 4
A. J Small Lookout, Bilgola Beach, NSW, 1962-1992
Clippings, correspondence, research notes, National Trust of Australia

Folder 5
Letterhead of Avalon Beach Estates, list of Works Carried Out by A. J. Small at Avalon

Folder 6
Land sales, council policy regarding flats, Cumberland County planning, hotel, 1952-1959

Folder 7
Avalon historical newspaper clippings, 1937-1994

Folder 8
Avalon Ratepayers Association, 1946

Folder 9
Avalon Beach Historical Society, 1984-1995

Folder 10
A. J. Small Covenants, Cohen, Fleming and Davies, 1935-1982

Folder 11
Mining application, mini golf advertisement, Avalon Development letter to Miss J.M.C. Small and Catalina Restaurant card, 1950s

Folder 12
Legal documents, 1919-1959
Includes A. J. Small agency agreement and documents relating to Willmore and Randell, Sanders and Alfred Ickerson

Folder 13
Sales and fees ledger for Clareville, Central and Avalon Estates, 1915-1939

A. Cuttings book
Album of clippings collected by A. J. Small related to his interests including the Martin Place extension and Circular Quay Railway Station, 1930s-1940s

MLMSS 11806/BOX 2

Folder 1
Avalon Golf Links, 1926-1981
Includes Memorandum and Articles of Association, 1948, clippings, correspondence, Golf House specifications, 1957 and photograph of Golf House lounge

Folder 2
Martin Place extension, 1924-1935
Clippings, correspondence, Institute of New South Wales Martin Place Extension Competition Plan of Winning Design

Folder 3
Sydney town planning, 1930s, 1990
Scrap album of clippings and correspondence relating to Sydney town planning including traffic congestion and a 1990 letter regarding A. J. Small report.

Folder 4
Asquith Railway Station, 1910s
Clippings, correspondence and reports relating to Asquith Railway Station. Includes two photographs of the proposed site.

Folder 5
Clippings related to Circular Quay Railway Station and Quay Planning Protest Committee, 1940s

A. Circular Quay Railway Station scrapbook, 1940s
Clippings related to design, construction and Quay Planning Protest Committee of which A. J. Small was Secretary

B. Avalon Beach ledger and accounts book, 1917-1922

PXD 1602

Collection of architectural plans and drawings and a partial subdivision plan related to A. J. Small and family.

FOLDER 1
1. Partial subdivision plan of Royston Park (Asquith), NSW showing Peats Ferry Road, Royston Parade, Queen's Road and the Great Northern Railway. A black and white photograph of the proposed site of Asquith Railway Station has been glued to the top right corner.
2. Alterations and additions to Golf House at Avalon for A. J. Small / E. Lindsay Thompson, 5 August 1937. Shows sections and elevations. Hand coloured on paper.
3. Architectural drawing of Shops & Restaurant - Avalon / E. Lindsay Thompson, Spooner & Dixon Architects, 21 May 1953. Pencil on tracing paper.
4. Additions to house, Bellevue Av. Avalon for A. J. Small Esq. / E. Lindsay Thompson,15 April 1946. Stamped copy submitted to Warringah Shire Council. Blueprint.
5. Additions to house, Bellevue Av. Avalon for A. J. Small Esq. / E. Lindsay Thompson, 15 April 1946. Stamped copy submitted to Warringah Shire Council. Blueprint.

SUBDIVISION PLANS

44 subdivision plans from this collection are catalogued separately at (cataloguing in progress)
Includes plans of Asquith, Avalon, Avalon Beach, Martin Place and Royston Park, New South Wales.

Copyright restrictions may apply:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy copyright holder