1798 - 1837

In 1828, Barnett Levey built a two-storey Georgian-style house called ‘Waverley’ on 60 acres of land near Bondi Junction. Thirty years later, it gave the municipality its name.

Barnett was the first Jewish free settler in the colony. He followed his convict brother Solomon to NSW in 1821 and within seven years had built the colony’s first permanent performing arts venue, the Theatre Royal – behind his Royal Hotel on George Street, where the Dymocks building stands today. Proceeds from the pub helped finance the theatre.

Levey arrived in Sydney from London’s east end, full of grand plans. He established himself as a merchant. He married Sarah Emma Wilson in 1825 and opened a shop at 72 George Street, including one of the colony’s first lending libraries. Behind his shop, which became a hotel, he built a warehouse in 1826, designed by the convict architect Francis Greenway.

With his eye on entertainment, in 1829 he obtained a license to hold balls and concerts in a temporary theatre in his hotel, but was stopped by Governor Darling - 'Our prison population being unfit subjects to go to plays'. This brought Levey near to ruin.

He went back to working as a jeweller, watchmaker and property developer, erecting cottages at Waverley Crescent in Bondi Junction in 1830.

In 1832, Levey's temporary theatre was licensed by Darling's more liberal successor Richard Bourke, opening with a performance of Douglas Jerrold's 'Black-Eyed Susan'.

In 1833, at the rear of the Royal Hotel, Levey finally built his Theatre Royal, the first in Australia, seating about 1000 people. Its first presentation was 'The Miller and his Men' and a farce 'The Irishman in London'. Comedies, melodramas, Shakespeare and opera played to packed houses.

After 1834, again in financial trouble, Levey ceded control of the theatre but continued to perform.

In April 1837 he staged his last performance, but it was not a success. Now sick and worn out by his efforts to make the theatre pay, he died six months later, leaving his widow Sarah and four small children. With help from her stepfather Jacob Josephson, Sarah briefly and unsuccessfully tried to keep the theatre running.

On Levey’s death The Sydney Times acknowledged: ‘To his spirit and perseverance are the public indebted for the introduction of theatricals into NSW.’

Courtesy the Art Gallery of South Australia and the Waverley Library Local Studies Collection.