The History of Hotel Woolstore 1888 Sydney – Handwritten Collection
The history of Hotel Woolstore 1888 Sydney – Handwritten Collection – begins with its origins as one of the city’s earliest Victorian wool stores. Opened on January 19, 1888, and located in Pyrmont near Darling Harbour, the building has been thoughtfully restored as a boutique heritage hotel, retaining many of its original features. As part of the Handwritten Collection, Hotel Woolstore 1888 celebrates architectural legacy, local storytelling, and warm, personalised hospitality in the heart of Sydney.
A Living Legacy of Sydney’s Wool Trade
Originally designed by Morell and Kemp, the hotel’s building is the oldest surviving wool store in Sydney with a saw-tooth roof and ranks fourth among the remaining 21 heritage-listed examples. It features a striking Mannerist-style entrance and a rare ironbark timber structure, shaped to fit its distinctive wedge-shaped block. Pyrmont was a thriving centre of wool storage in the late 19th century due to its proximity to rail and shipping links at Darling Harbour.
The building’s original owner, J.H. Geddes, was an industry pioneer and the first to introduce mechanical shearing equipment in Australia — a bold innovation that helped shape the wool industry. The site later transitioned from wool storage to office use in 1988, before becoming a hotel in the 2000s.
Preserving Original Architecture
From the moment you enter Hotel Woolstore 1888 Sydney, the building’s past is proudly on display. Heritage ironbark beams, double-brick walls, and salvaged timber furniture remain intact throughout the hotel. The Atrium was specifically designed to reveal the full vertical span of the building’s architecture, allowing guests to appreciate its industrial bones.
The original main entrance, now a private entry to the Ground Floor Suite, is framed by Pyrmont sandstone sourced from the historic Freestone Quarries. Two former industrial entrances, once used for horse-drawn wool deliveries, have been cleverly repurposed as the main guest and staff entrances. In the lobby, a wooden track embedded in the floor traces the original cart path used to load and unload wool.
The Fourth Floor & the Wool Classer’s View
The Fourth Floor was once used for classifying and displaying wool, chosen for its access to natural light and views over Darling Harbour. It still features the exposed saw-tooth timber roofing — a pioneering architectural element that became a hallmark of Sydney warehouse design. During the hotel conversion, custom-built glass elevators were installed to highlight these original features as guests ascend to their rooms.
The Story of Percy Ewart
The building also honours the legacy of James Percy Edward Ewart — a wool classer who worked on the Fourth Floor in the early 20th century and whose story has been etched into the hotel’s identity. Born in Redfern in 1891, Percy dedicated his working life to the wool trade in Pyrmont, eventually carving his name into the sandstone windowsill of what is now Room 413.
Known for his trademark trilby hat and cheeky charm, Percy embodied the spirit of the era. He enjoyed a quiet smoke and a glass of wine, often shared during a game of cards with neighbourhood friends — much to the chagrin of his wife, Jane. Today, his legacy lives on through PERCY, the neighbourhood Spanish inspired tapas and wine bar named in his honour, located within the hotel that meant so much to him.
A Boutique Heritage Hotel for the Modern Traveller
Hotel Woolstore 1888 Sydney – Handwritten Collection is more than just a place to stay; it’s a living piece of Sydney’s wool trade history, reimagined for today’s traveller. Every space, from the heritage desk in your room to the sandstone-lined Ground Floor Suite, has been curated to reflect both the building’s storied past and its stylish future.
