Sydney Rental Records - mid 1930s to mid 1940s

[PeterProg]

Hi

I am trying to find some address details in Sydney from the mid 1930s to mid 1940s for a forebear who seems to have lived in rented accommodation throughout this period.  Unfortunately, this timeframe is just too late for the Sands Directory and his name does not appear in the White Pages for these years either.  He appears just once in historic Electoral Rolls for this period, in 1943.  This record places him in Randwick.

I'm wondering if there might be some government or other authority that might have rental records from back in those years?  Unlikely I think, but I thought I would seek advice.  Any other suggestions would also be greatly appreciated.  Cheers

[maddys52]

You could try Wise's Post Office Directory
https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-522689844

[sparrett]

If he was old enough to vote in 1943, (aged  21 +) he was born around 1922 or before and presumably is deceased.

Sharing his name may possibly help people to assist in your search.
Sue

[jorose]

What can you tell about the sort of accomodation he was in from his address in 1943?

If he doesn't appear much in electoral rolls or directories, it's possible he was in lodging/boarding type situtations, these don't tend to leave much trace.

[PeterProg]

Thanks everyone for your responses. 

He was living in Darley Road in Randwick in 1943 in what today is a six-bedroom house.  It may well have been then too - I now believe that it is most likely that he was renting a room, along with other lodgers in the house.

A bachelor, in the 1920s he lived with his married sister and her husband in Bondi for many years.  He appears in the electoral rolls during this period.   He was then overseas for about five years until the mid-1930s.  But he makes no mark on the electoral rolls though between his return to Australia in 1935 and this sole appearance in 1943.  He died in 1945.

It now seems most likely, as suggested, that he was lodging/boarding through these 'missing' years.  Unfortunately, there seems to be no Rental Board or equivalent records from back in the day.  So where he was living and why he chose not to register on the electoral rolls seems destined to remain a mystery.

Many thanks for the suggestions.

[judb]

There was no official compulsory record of rentals, nor of residents in a boarding house.

Judith

[maddys52]

As Sue said, if you would like to share his name, we could have a go at trying to find a record of him?

[PeterProg]

Thanks.  His name was Francis McCray. 

I have very good records for him from his earliest days in Queensland in the 1880s up until his return from a career posting in the UK in late 1934.  He sailed back into Brisbane in late 1934 to spend some time with family and then returned to Sydney to resume his business career in an import-export business.

It is only for this period between late '34/early '35 and the 1943 Electoral Roll that I would like to find a little more of his whereabouts.  I do think now that he must have been renting / lodging throughout this period.

Cheers

[judb]

Perhaps this is him:

Electoral Roll 1939
Francis McCray, 92 O'Brien St, Bondi NSW, salesman  (I note that he gave his occupation as 'salesman' on the shipping list showing his departure from England in 1934)

Judith