Family background
Michael Golden was born in Ireland, son of John and Margaret Golden. He and his wife Catherine (d.1902) had at least seven children. He died in Glebe in 1872. The family were Roman Catholic.
Occupation & interests
Golden arrived in Sydney from Dublin in January 1840 on the Crusader, with his parents, wife Catherine and infant son Thomas. He was a carpenter and joiner and by 1850 he was advertising himself as an architect of 39 Bathurst Street. On 3 May 1847, he was appointed by Sydney City Council as the first Superintendent of the Building Act, later called the Surveyor of Buildings. Despite sloppy bookkeeping and rumors of corruption, he held the position until 23 April 1857. In 1859 he was living in Woolloomooloo with a house and land at Glebe Point. When he died he owned much of Leichhardt Street at Glebe Point, the seven-bedroom mansion, Sidcup, on the corner of Cook Street and Glebe Point Road, and eight houses in Duncan Street off Bathurst Street.
Community activity
In 1860 Golden enrolled in the Volunteer Defence Movement, nicknamed the ‘Buffaloes’ and received further property: a grant of 50 acres at Glen Innes.
Local government service
Michael Golden was Alderman for Cook Ward, from 30 April to 30 November 1857.
References
City of SydneyArchives. Aldermen’s Files
Glebe Society Bulletin, Issue 7, 2004