In September 1869 when New Lambton was in its infancy, the Newcastle Chronicle reported there was already two hotels and “a third public-house is in course of erection, and the proprietor, Mr Johns, expects a license for it shortly.” Built on the north-west corner of Regent Street and Portland Place, Nicholas Johns opened the Sportsman’s Arms Hotel for business on 22 January 1870.
After three decades of operation, Marshalls Paddington Brewery purchased the land and building in 1899 and commenced plans for a new hotel building in a different location. In April 1903 the Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate reported: “A large brick hotel is now being erected overlooking the reserve, close to the tram terminus. The roof which is of red tiles, is now completed, and the contractor, Mr. Viggers. is busy finishing the interior to the designs of Mr. Henderson, architect.” In July 1903 the license of the Sportsman’s Arms hotel was transferred to the new two storey building on the corner of Hobart Road and Rugby Road, with William Thompson as licensee.
The old hotel in Regent Street closed and was used as a private dwelling for two years before it was destroyed by fire in June 1905. There are no known photographs of the original hotel. In 1922 the Methodists purchased the site and constructed a church building.
In Hobart Road in 1903, in addition to his new hotel, William Thompson also built a large assembly room and named it the Commonwealth Hall. For a decade it was used for socials, fundraisers, community gatherings, political meetings, and concerts. In 1912 John Sperring, licensee of the Belmont Hotel, purchased the hall and arranged to have it dismantled, transported, and re-erected on a site adjoining his hotel in Belmont. The second Sportsman’s Arms Hotel in New Lambton continued trading until 1987, when the Wests Leagues Club demolished it to allow an extension of their premises.
The Sportsman’s Arms Hotel (left) and Commonwealth Hall (right) in Hobart Rd New Lambton, c. 1908. Photo by Ralph Snowball. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.Wests New Lambton now occupies the site of the second Sportsman’s Arms Hotel.
The article above was first published in the May 2025 edition of The Local.
Additional Information
See the following sections in my New Lambton Hotels page:
"A third public-house is in course of erection, and the proprietor, Mr. Jones [sic], expects a license for it shortly after it is finished. There will then be three licensed houses at New Lambton - a number quite equal to the wants of the people."
"NICHOLAS JOHNS begs to inform the inhabitants of New Lambton and surrounding districts, that he will commence business as a PUBLICAN in the Sportsman's Arms, New Lambton, on THIS DAY (Saturday), January 22nd."
William Masefield Bostock advertised … "that I desire to obtain and will at the next Quarterly Licensing Court to be holden at Newcastle on the Third Day of April Next apply for a Certificate authorising the issue of a Conditional Publican’s License for premises proposed to be erected and situated at the corner of Alma-road and Lambton-road, and to be known by the sign of 'Sportsman’s Arms,' and containing eleven rooms, exclusive of those required for the use of the family."
At the licensing court held on 14 April 1902, Bostock stated … "that he was an agent for Marshall’s Brewery Company, who had an hotel known as the Sportsman’s Arms Hotel, New Lambton, and he proposed to remove the license of that house to that for which he was applying for a conditional license. He had a guarantee, which he produced, from his company to close the Sportsman’s Arms should the new license be grant ed. The site of the proposed hotel was at the intersection of Alma-road and Lambton-road, opposite Roberts’ store. He did not own the land, but had taken certain steps to procure it."
"A large brick hotel is now being erected for Mr. Thomson overlooking the reserve, close to the tram terminus. The roof which is of red tiles, is now completed, and the contractor, Mr. Viggers. is busy finishing the interior to the designs of Mr. Henderson, architect."
"The old Sportsman's Arms Hotel in Regent-street, which is one of the oldest buildings in the municipality, and in the early days was considered to be among the best of its class, is now closed, the license having been transferred to the new building recently erected by the Marshall's Brewery Company in Hobart-road."
"The members of the New Lambton Fire Brigade held a social in Thompson's new hall on Friday evening ... the Mayor (Alderman Errington), on behalf of the proprietors, declared the hall open. In doing so he explained that the building was to be known as the Commonwealth Hall."
"Shortly before nine o'clock yesterday morning a fire occurred in an old unoccupied building at the corner of Regent street and Portland Place. The building, which was owned by Marshall's Brewery Co. was formerly known as the Sportsman's Arms Hotel, and about two years the license was transferred to the new hotel belonging to the same firm, situated in Hobart-road. For some time the structure was occupied as a private dwelling, but for the last few months has been untenanted ...After burning for about three-quarters of an hour, the old building collapsed, the debris falling with a crash into the middle of the street. The only portion that remained standing was the chimney and part of the kitchen, which was detached from the main building."
"TENDERS are invited for taking down the Commonwealth Hall, situated at New Lambton, Removing, and Erecting at Belmont. Tenders close 13/7/'12. Lowest or any tender not necessarily accepted. Apply for particulars. John Sperring, Belmont Hotel."
"The town possesses accommodation in the way of halls for entertainment, and within the past year Mr. Sperring, licensee of the Belmont Hotel, has erected a large hall adjoining the hotel grounds. The building is 70 feet long by 30 feet wide, and will seat comfortably about 500 persons. It has a large stage capable of mounting big acts. and the floor is well adapted for dancing. The building was previously the Commonwealth Hall at New Lambton, which Mr. Sperring purchased, and had re-erected, strengthened, and generally improved in its interior decorations. The hall is frequently used by moonlight excursion parties."
In researching the history of New Lambton’s hotels, I found that the Commonwealth Hall that was associated with the Sportsman’s Arms Hotel got moved to Belmont. In 1912 John Sperring, licensee of the Belmont Hotel, purchased the hall, had it dismantled, and then re-erected it on a site adjoining his hotel.
Mr. Sperring, licensee of the Belmont Hotel, has erected a large hall adjoining the hotel grounds. The building is 70 feet long by 30 feet wide, and will seat comfortably about 500 persons. It has a large stage capable of mounting big acts. and the floor is well adapted for dancing. The building was previously the Commonwealth Hall at New Lambton, which Mr. Sperring purchased, and had re-erected, strengthened, and generally improved in its interior decorations. The hall is frequently used by moonlight excursion parties.
In the photograph below, the building to the left of the hotel is probably the re-erected Commonwealth Hall. John Sperring became licensee of the hotel in February 1912 and died in August 1917 while still licensee, placing the photograph below in the range 1912 to 1917.
Note that Sperring’s “Belmont Hotel” was a different establishment to the modern Belmont Hotel situated in Hitchcock Avenue. Another photograph from the Lake Macquarie History site suggests that the original Belmont Hotel was situated on the west side of Newcastle Rd (Pacific Hwy) near George St.
Corner of Newcastle Rd (now Pacific Highway) and George Street Belmont, looking north, Lake Macquarie History.
Confirmation of this location is found in the map on page 2 of land title Vol-Fol 1470-168, which shows opposite George St the outline of a building that matches the Belmont Hotel’s distinctive shape of protruding wings on either side, with a verandah between. The map also shows that the alignment of the property is slightly skewed to the modern subdivision boundary. This is an indication that the property and building pre-dates the DP585 subdivision, which matches the fact that the Belmont Hotel was established quite early in Belmont’s history.
The Belmont Hotel operated until 1925. In 1924 Tooth and Company purchased the historic “Gunyah” bungalow residence on the main road near Ada St, and upgraded the bungalow residence for hotel accommodation. In 1925 they built a new two storey brick building at the corner of the main road for the hotel bars and lounges. In July 1925 the licence of the old Belmont Hotel was transferred to the new building, and the name changed to “Hotel Gunyah”.
The original Belmont Hotel building near George St was referred to in August 1943 as having been “demolished a number of years ago”.
Another low resolution photograph from the Lake Macquarie History site shows the building with signage “…LLINGTONS BELMONT HOTEL”. Presumably this refers to the William Billington who was licensee between 1894 and 1898.
This list covers hotels that were located in the area of New Lambton Municipal Council (1889-1938), shown by the white border in the image below. The current suburb of New Lambton is shaded in yellow. Note that the northernmost tip of the New Lambton municipality included a small part of present day Broadmeadow, which is why the Sunnyside Hotel is included in this page of New Lambton hotels.
Area of New Lambton Municipality (1889-1938) bordered in white, with present day suburb of New Lambton shaded with yellow.
The map below shows the location of Lambton Hotels. The four hotels that are still operating are shown in green, historical hotels are shown in red.
Timeline of New Lambton Hotels.
In documenting the history of hotels it is important to understand the roles of owners, lessees and licensees. The hotel owner is the person (or company) that owns the land and buildings upon the land. The owner may then lease the buildings to another person (or company) for the purpose of running a business such as a hotel. The hotel licensee is the person who is granted a liquor license by the government and is responsible for adhering to the liquor regulations. Sometimes the owner and licensee are the same person, but sometimes the owner, lessee and licensee are three different entities. For example, in 1878 for the New Lambton Hotel, the land was owned by the New Lambton Company, leased to Joseph Chinchen, and the hotel licensee was Enoch Davies.
The history of hotels can also be confusing in that the same hotel can have different names over time. For example, the Kotara Hotel was renamed to the Blackbutt Hotel in 1978. Sometimes a hotel name and license can be transferred to a different geographical location. For example, the Sportsman’s Arms Hotel first opened on Regent Street in 1870, but then moved to Hobart Road in 1903.
A further complication is the variant spellings of the licensee names. Where there are multiple spellings of a name and the correct spelling is uncertain, I have included variant spellings in square brackets. e.g. “Damerell [Damerill]”. Note that in the lists of licensees I have only included names up to about 1970, as online information about licensees after this date becomes sparse.
In the list below I have an entry for each hotel operating at a specific location. The hotels appear in order of the year they were first opened.
New Lambton Hotel (1869-1879)
The first hotel in New Lambton was the somewhat unimaginatively named “New Lambton Hotel”. It was erected on the south-west corner of Russell Rd and Regent St by Mr Hubbard of Hunter St Newcastle.
On our way home from the foot races, at Lambton, on Saturday last, we had an opportunity of paying a visit to the New Lambton Hotel, recently erected by Mr. Hubbard, of Hunter-Street. The building in question is certainly an excellent one, and, in every way, well adapted to the requirements of the place. The expeditious manner in which this hotel was put up is worthy, of notice. Less than four months ago, from the present time, the ground on which it stands was a wild, uncleared bush ; and the hotel has been open for nearly a month, so that, as a matter of fact, the hotel was only three months in course of erection. Of course this would be nothing out of the way if the site had been an accessible one — which it was not — the road to New Lambton being about as bad a one as there is in the whole district, and that is saying a good deal. The building is a two-story one, and appears to be well and faithfully built. It is nicely painted inside and out, and is really a very snug and comfortable place. The bar is commodious and airy, and in regard to attractiveness is not surpassed by any establishment in the city of Newcastle. On the upper floor of the hotel there is a large room, well adapted for public meetings and entertainments, and at the rear of the premises are stables to accommodate an almost unlimited number of horses. Altogether, the New Lambton Hotel is one of the very best hotels in any of the colliery townships.
Henry Lott, the first licensee of the hotel, was granted a publican’s licence in July 1869. His tenure at the hotel did not last long, only 9 months later in March 1870, the lessees (Hubbard and Chinchen) advertised for sale, the “license, stock, and furniture of the New Lambton Hotel.”
In May 1870 John Gordon announced in a large advertisement that he had taken on the New Lambton Hotel. His tenure was similarly short-lived and by March 1871 Hubbard and Chinchen were once again advertising the hotel for letting.
David Lewis was issued a publican’s licence commencing on 1 July 1871, followed by George Lowe who held the licence from 1 July 1874. In May 1875 George Lowe advertised “a sale by auction for household furniture and effects” at the New Lambton Hotel.
Thomas Hardy was issued the publican’s licence from 1 July 1875. In December 1876 the hotel had a narrow escape from being burned down, when a hanging kerosene lamp, without any apparent cause, suddenly exploded and splashed burning oil on the floor. Only the quick action of Thomas Hardy’s daughter in smothering the flames with a blanket prevented a serious conflagration.
In April 1877 the newspaper reported that the hotel was “about to change hands from Mr T Hardy to Mr Enoch Davies”. At a Police Court hearing in June 1880 “the license of the New Lambton Hotel, New Lambton, was cancelled, as the proprietor, Mr. Enoch Davis, was proved to have abandoned his licensed house.”
There is a final reference to the hotel on 15 October 1880, with an advertisement noting that “Mr T M Dalveen will address the electors … at the New Lambton Hotel”. As there is no evidence of any licensees after Enoch Davies cancellation, I can only assume that this is a reference to the hotel building, not the hotel as a licensed premises.
An article in September 1892 states that after the hotel was no longer licenced, the building was “used as a store and temperance hall.” Mentions of a Temperance Hall in New Lambton start appearing in Trove from September 1880, just a few months after the licence was removed.
There are no known photographs of the original hotel and Temperance Hall building, and the date of demolition is uncertain. The brick building that now occupies the site appears to be 1920s era.
Site of the New Lambton Hotel (1869-1880) in March 2025,
Location
An 1877 map relating to the proposed site for New Lambton public school shows the New Lambton Hotel on the south-west corner of Russell Rd and Regent St.
Map reproduced from the New Lambton Public School (1880-1980) Centenary booklet.
The following information, also supports this location.
16 September 1869 article says it was “within a few yards” of Lunn’s Hand of Friendship Hotel south-east corner of Russell Rd and Regent St)
16 April 1878 advertisement for lease of New Lambton Hotel, applications to J Chinchen. An 1886 New Lambton Subdivision map shows that Lots 5 and 6 were leased to “Chinchin”, and Land Title Vol-Fol 1048-80 shows Lot 5 of Sec C passed into Ellen Chinchen’s ownership in 1892.
21 April 1951 article mentions “Lathlean’s Temperance Hall, a building on the corner of Russell and Regent Streets that had been a hotel.” Land Title record Vol-Fol 1048-80 shows Lot 5 of Sec C was owned by Richard Lathlean from 1892 to 1907.
1886 subdivision map showing Chinchin’s [sic] lease in Section C and Lunn’s lease in Section D.
The Hand of Friendship Hotel was opened on 18 September 1869, its first publican Benjamin Lunn pledging in an advertisement the sale of “none but the very best wines, spirits, ales etc.” The premises also offered “abundant accommodation for the requirements of a colliery township.“
Advertisement for the opening of the Hand of Friendship Hotel. Newcastle Chronicle, 18 September 1869.
It was just the second hotel to open in New Lambton. Benjamin Lunn remained the publican until his death in 1878 when the hotel passed to his wife Jane, and later to their son James in 1884.
In November 1894, a stable in the course of erection at the hotel collapsed in a strong wind. Three children were injured, including the six year old daughter of the publican, George Masters, who had her leg badly fractured below the knee. Ralph Snowball photographed the hotel in September 1895, and the group standing at the door is almost certainly the publican of the day, George Masters, with his wife and two daughters. It is probable that the little girl on the right is the daughter who was injured in the accident the previous year.
The name of the publican “G. Masters” can be partially seen in a sign above the door, behind the lamp.
Snowball photographed the hotel again in 1903, with a larger group of people out the front.
Hand of Friendship Hotel, 2nd May 1903. Part of the Centenary Hall can be seen behind the hotel, at the left side of the photo. Photo by Ralph Snowball. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.
The diagonal writing in the three panels below the name says:
Licensed to retail | Fermented l(iquors) | Spirituous liquors
The publican at this time was Phillip James Byrne, having acquired the license from Edmund Butterworth three months earlier in February 1903. Note in the sign above the door there is a faint H at the end, which is probably the remnants of the name of the previous licensee.
In June 1903, just a month after Snowball’s photograph was taken, the application of Phillip James Byrne for a renewal of the license was objected to on on the grounds that “the accommodation was inadequate, and the place in an insanitary condition.” Despite the objection the renewal was granted for another year.
In 1905, with further deterioration, the police opposed the renewal of the hotel’s licence “on the ground that the building was in bad condition, owing to the white ants.” It survived that objection, but only for another year. Plans to demolish the building and erect a new hotel came to nothing, and in 1906 John Canning, the last publican to stand behind the bar of the Hand of Friendship Hotel, relinquished his licence.
The building stood idle for some time before it was sold, when it gained a new life as a second-hand goods shop. The weathering of the years however was relentless. In 1933 the building was finally demolished.
Demolition of the former Hand Of Friendship Hotel building in 1933.The site of the former Hand of Friendship Hotel, corner of Russell Rd and Regent St in New Lambton. March 2025.
Location
An 1877 map relating to the proposed site for New Lambton public school shows the Hand of Friendship Hotel on the south-east corner of Russell Rd and Regent St.
Map reproduced from the New Lambton Public School (1880-1980) Centenary booklet.A 1917 Water Board map shows the former Hand of Friendship Hotel building. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.Site of the Hand of Friendship Hotel and Centenary Hall, New Lambton.
Centenary Hall
In 1906 the hotel ceased to trade, and in January 1907, the owners of the building, Tooth and Co., put the property up for sale. The sale included the land, hotel building, and the Centenary Hall adjacent to the hotel and fronting Russell Rd. The land was described as having frontage of 133ft 4in to Russell St, and 98ft 3in to Regent St.
The following is a list of licensees as gleaned from various mentions in newspaper articles over the years. Some of the dates are known with certainty, as there is a report of the license being transferred from one person to another. For some licensees I have had to make an informed estimate based on the first and last reported association of the licensee with the hotel.
George Bertram Bowser (October 1906 to November 1906)
The 1933 article on the demolition of the building states that “Ben Bradley (afterwards an alderman in the New Lambton Council)” was also a licensee, but I can find no independent evidence for this. Benjamin Bradley did have a publican’s license at one stage, but it was for the Lake Macquarie Hotel in Teralba.
The article also states that Jack Canning “was the last to stand behind the bar of the old hotel”. Although this is true, he wasn’t the last licensee. George Bertram Bowser was the final licensee, for just under a month in October/November 1906. The report on the cancellation of his licence in November 1906 however, makes it clear that the building remained unoccupied during his short tenure as publican.
A general article describing the beginnings of New Lambton, that notes that the Hand of Friendship Hotel is the second hotel in the township. "Both these houses afford abundant accommodation for the requirements of a colliery township."
Reference in a court hearing to "James Lunn, hotelkeeper, at New Lambton". Although the hotel is not named, it is presumed that it the Hand of Friendship hotel.
The roof of a stable in the course of erection at the Hand of Friendship Hotel is blown off by a strong gust of wind. The building then collapsed and three children are injured, including the six year old daughter of the publican, George Masters, who had her leg badly fractured below the knee.
Advertisement. "FREE Public Dance, Monday Night, Butterworth's Centenary. Hall, New Lambton. Noble and Gaggetta, Musicians." The Centenary Hall was part of the Hand of Friendship Hotel site.
"The application of Phillip James Byrne for a renewal of the license of the Hand of Friendship Hotel, New Lambton, was objected to on a report, furnished by Sergeant G. Salter, to the effect that the accommodation was inadequate, and the place in an insanitary condition."
"John Canning, Hand of Friendship Hotel, New Lambton, applied for renewal of license. The police opposed the application on the ground that the building was in a bad condition, owing to the white ants. Mr. T. A. Braye (Messrs. Braye and Cohen) appeared for the applicant and said that plans had been prepared for a new building, which would be erected. Temporary improvements would also be made. Michael Joseph Moroney, representing the owners, Tooth and Co., confirmed this statement, and the renewal was granted."
Plans to build a new hotel on the site of the Hand of Friendship Hotel … "the firm of Tooth and Co. contemplate erecting a large hotel on the present site of their hotel property, situated at the corner of Regent-street and Russell-road."
LICENSING COURT. The following transfers were approved :- From John Canning to George Bertram Bowser, Hand of Friendship Hotel, New Lambton, and from Thomas Mclntosh to John Canning, Sportsman's Arms, New Lambton.
"In the matter of the Hand of Friendship Hotel, New Lambton, Sub-Inspector Goulder applied for cancellation of the license. The hotel changed hands on October 11, and since that date had remained unoccupied. The license, which was held by W. Bowser, was formally cancelled."
Report on the demolition of the Hand of Friendship Hotel building.
Sportsman’s Arms Hotel (1) (1870-1903)
In a 16 September1869 article on the rapid progress of New Lambton, the Newcastle Chronicle noted there were two hotels already and that “a third public-house is in course of erection, and the proprietor, Mr.Jones [sic], expects a license for it shortly after it is finished.” Just a few months later, on 22 January 1870, Nicholas Johns announced by way of advertisement the opening of the Sportsman’s Arms hotel.
The hotel was located on the north-west corner of Regent St and Portland Pl.
Portion of 1886 subdivision map showing Lot 6 of Section H, location of Sportsman’s Arms Hotel, leased to Nicholas Johns. State Library of NSW.
In 1895, John Thomas purchased from the New Lambton Land and Coal Company, lots 6 and 7 of Section H, where the hotel building was located. Subsequently on 6 May 1899, Marshalls Paddington Brewery Limited purchased the hotel land and building.
Purchase of Sportsman’s Arms Hotel by Marshalls Paddington Brewery Limited, 6 May 1899. Vol-Fol 1172-136
Three years later in July 1902, Marshall’s Brewery commenced plans to construct a new hotel building in Hobart Rd, with the intention of transferring the license of the Sportsman’s Arms to the new premises and closing the original hotel in Regent St. The transfer of the licence to the new location occurred a year later in July 1903. William Thompson, the last licensee at the old location, continued on as licensee at the new premises.
The old Sportsman’s Arms Hotel in Regent-street, which is one of the oldest buildings in the municipality, and in the early days was considered to be among the best of its class, is now closed, the license having been transferred to the new building recently erected by the Marshall’s Brewery Company in Hobart-road.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 4 Jul 1903.
The old hotel building was occupied as a private dwelling for about two years, but after being vacant for several months a fire destroyed the building in June 1905. There are no known photographs of the original hotel building.
The land was then owned by a number of different people in the next 17 years, and then on 20 November 1922 the Methodist Church purchased the land to erect a church building
Purchase of land by Methodist Church on 20 November 1922. Vol-Fol 1172-136
The New Lambton Uniting Church occupies the site today.
New Lambton Uniting Church, March 2025. Site of the first Sportsman’s Arms Hotel.
Licensees
Nicholas Johns [Jones] (January 1870 to March 1871)
William Thompson (c. July 1902 to June 1903 at Regent St, then continued as licensee at new premises in Hobart Rd)
Sportsman’s Arms Hotel (2) (1903-1987)
On 26 March 1902, William Masefield Bostock advertised …
… that I desire to obtain and will at the next Quarterly Licensing Court to be holden at Newcastle on the Third Day of April Next apply for a Certificate authorising the issue of a Conditional Publican’s License for premises proposed to be erected and situated at the corner of Alma-road and Lambton-road, and to be known by the sign of “Sportsman’s Arms,” and containing eleven rooms, exclusive of those required for the use of the family.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 26 March 1902.
At the licensing court held on 14 April 1902, Bostock stated …
… that he was an agent for Marshall’s Brewery Company, who had an hotel known as the Sportsman’s Arms Hotel, New Lambton, and he proposed to remove the license of that house to that for which he was applying for a conditional license. He had a guarantee, which he produced, from his company to close the Sportsman’s Arms should the new license be grant ed. The site of the proposed hotel was at the intersection of Alma-road and Lambton-road, opposite Roberts’ store. He did not own the land, but had taken certain steps to procure it.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 15 April 1902.
After hearing arguments the Bench refused the application “on the ground that the requirements of the place did not justify a license.”
The refused license did not deter the applicants. Foregoing their plans for a hotel on the corner of Alma and Lambton Rd, Marshall’s Brewery purchased lot 1356 on the corner of Hobart and Rugby Roads from William Thompson, and at a hearing on 4 July 1902 resubmitted their application for a conditional license. The police lodged an objection “on the ground that the requirements of the place did not justify the issue of a license”, the bench deferred their decision to a later hearing. After visiting the New Lambton and inspecting the existing hotels, and the site of proposed new hotel, the licensing bench granted the conditional license on 15 July 1902.
In April 1903 the newspaper reported that …
A large brick hotel is now being erected for Mr. Thomson overlooking the reserve, close to the tram terminus. The roof which is of red tiles, is now completed, and the contractor, Mr. Viggers. is busy finishing the interior to the designs of Mr. Henderson, architect.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 17 April 1903.
The new hotel opened for business just a few months later in July 1903.
The old Sportsman’s Arms Hotel in Regent-street, which is one of the oldest buildings in the municipality, and in the early days was considered to be among the best of its class, is now closed, the license having been transferred to the new building recently erected by the Marshall’s Brewery Company in Hobart-road.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 4 July 1903
Lot 1356 of the Newcastle Pasturage Reserve was formally purchased by Marshalls Paddington Brewery Limited, on 10 October 1902. Vol-Fol 1422-132
Photos from the from the Sportsman’s Arms Hotel ‘yellow cards’ in the ANU Open Research Repository shows that the exterior of the hotel remained largely unchanged during its lifetime.
The Wests Leagues Club purchased the Sportsman’s Arms hotel in 1987 and demolished it to enable an extension of their club premises.
The site of the former Sportsman’s Arms Hotel, corner of Hobart Rd and Rugby in New Lambton. March 2025.
Commonwealth Hall
William Thompson, on the same day that he had purchased the land for the new Sportsman’s Arms Hotel, also bought another block of land on Hobart Rd. (Lot 1349,Vol-Fol 1750-42.) In 1903 Thompson erected a hall on this land, naming it the Commonwealth Hall, which was formally opened at a Fire Brigade social on 16 October 1903.
The Mayor (Alderman Errington), on behalf of the proprietors, declared the hall open. In doing so he explained that the building was to be known as the Commonwealth Hall. Alderman Errington referred to the rapid progress New Lambton was making, and said the building just completed, besides being an ornament, would be a valuable addition to the town.
Sportsman’s Arms Hotel and Commonwealth Hotel appear in a New Lambton panorama by Ralph Snowball. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.The name “Commonwealth Hall” can barely be discerned on the front of the building.A Newcastle Pasturage Reserve map overlaid into Google Earth, showing the location of the Commonwealth Hall on lot 1349.
In 1912 the licensee of the Belmont Hotel, John Sperring, purchased the hall and in July 1912 advertised that …
TENDERS are invited for taking down the Commonwealth Hall, situated at New Lambton, Removing, and Erecting at Belmont.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 6 July 1912.
A newspaper article in December 1913 spruiking the pleasures of Belmont noted that
The town possesses accommodation in the way of halls for entertainment, and within the past year Mr. Sperring, licensee of the Belmont Hotel, has erected a large hall adjoining the hotel grounds. The building is 70 feet long by 30 feet wide, and will seat comfortably about 500 persons. It has a large stage capable of mounting big acts. and the floor is well adapted for dancing. The building was previously the Commonwealth Hall at New Lambton, which Mr. Sperring purchased, and had re-erected, strengthened, and generally improved in its interior decorations. The hall is frequently used by moonlight excursion parties.
Note that Sperring’s Belmont Hotel is not the modern day Belmont Hotel in Hitchcock Avenue. There was an earlier Belmont Hotel on the west side of the Pacific Highway, opposite George Street. In the photograph below from the Lake Macquarie History site, the building to the left of the hotel is probably the re-erected Commonwealth Hall.
Mrs Catherine Anne Ruggeri (April 1950 to November 1957)
William Henry Murphy (November 1957 to July 1959)
William Smoker Boyling (July 1959 to April 1963)
Horace William Box (April 1963 to March 1965)
William Edward Compton (March 1965 to December 1978)
Roy Raymond Beverly (December 1978 to ????)
Nil Desperandum Hotel / Duckenfield Hotel (1876-1880)
The Nil Desperandum was New Lambton’s shortest-lived hotel, operating for just four years from July 1876 to June 1880. There are no known photographs of the hotel. The first mention of the hotel in the newspaper was a short notice on 15 July 1876 advising that …
Mr. Edgar Ashley [sic] has opened his new hotel under the name of Nil Desperandum.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 15 July 1876.
and on the same day an advertisement seeking a servant.
WANTED, a Female General Servant, one accustomed to a Public House. Apply Mrs. E. ASHBY, Nil Desperandum Hotel, New Lambton
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 15 July 1876.
The Government Gazette of publican licenses for the year commencing 1 July 1876 lists Edgar William Ashby as the licensee of the Nil Desperandum Hotel, Griffen-street, New Lambton. Griffen Street (or more correctly Griffin) was the original name for what later became Victoria Street. The hotel was located on the south-west corner of Victoria and Cromwell Streets, on land leased by Thomas Sneddon (sometimes spelled Sneddan) from the New Lambton Coal Company.
1886 New Lambton subdivision map, showing Sneddan’s Lease on Griffin Street (Lots 1-4, Section G). State Library of NSW.
In 1878 Edgar Ashby constructed a music hall on land adjoining the hotel, and formally opened the hall on 21 May 1878.
Mr. Ashby, landlord of the Nil Desperandum, has, at a considerable cost, erected a fine hall adjoining his hotel. The building is 36 feet by 24 feet, and is to be fitted up for all kinds of public entertainments and meetings. This is a want which has long been felt by the people of New Lambton, and especially the miners, who have never had a proper place to meet in. The hall is to be opened on Tuesday, the 21st inst., by a grand ball and supper.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 14 May 1878.
We are left to wonder about the details, but something was awry in the Ashby family. Edgar Ashby place the following advertisement in July 1879.
I EDGAR ASHBY, of New Lambton, will not be responsible for any debts contracted by my wife, JANE ASHBY, from this date.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 25 July 1879.
The following month the license of the hotel changed hands, with an advertisement on 21 August 1879 announcing that …
HENRY DOHERTY, (LATE OF THE RACE HORSE INN, LAMBTON), HAVING TAKEN THE NIL DESPERANDUM HOTEL, New Lambton, hopes, by keeping the BEST BRANDS of Wines, Spirits, and Ales, to merit a fair share of the public patronage.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 21 August 1879.
The new licensee also took over the operation of the adjoining hall, and there a few references to “Doherty’s Hall” in 1878 and 1879. On 11 June 1880, Henry Doherty advertised for sale “the Lease, License, Furniture, and Stock” of his hotel in New Lambton. There appears to have been no takers on this offer from the licensee (Henry Doherty), and 17 days later the lessee (Thomas Snedden) was advertising the hotel for rent.
TO LET, the Nil Desperandum Hotel, New Lambton, with Concert Hall, and every convenience. Rent moderate. Apply to THOMAS SNEDDEN, Storekeeper, New Lambton.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 28 June 1880.
This advertisement also seems to have been met with a stony silence, for there is no further mention of the hotel as a going concern. The hotel building was demolished in 1937 and the music hall demolished in 1949.
In Cromwell-street, New Lambton Mr. S. Bagnall spent the week completing the demolition of a building. Casual passers-by might have thought it was just a garage that had served its. day, but old stagers knew it was more than that. It was one of the district’s oldest private halls. There was scarcely room to swing a hip, if you gauged by modern standards, for the wooden hall was only 40 by 26 feet. The hall was part of the Nil Desperandum Inn, which stood on the corner of Cromwell and Victoria Streets. It was run by the innkeeper, Mr. Tom Sneddon, sen., a native of Dalkeith, Scotland.
At the back of both buildings the innkeeper planted a small forest of camellia trees. About 100 trees remain, 70 to 80 years old, still blossoming and supplying city florists.
Somewhere along the years the inn was closed and became a private residence for Mr. and Mrs. Sneddon and their children-two boys and two girls. The bar was partitioned off and let as a doctor’s surgery. The dance hall was also closed. It was used to store the odds and ends that in houses with attics are usually hidden in the ceilings. In 1937 the inn was demolished, but the hall remained. Soon, all that will remain of the Nil Desperandum and its hall will be the camellia forest and the inn’s 20ft. well.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 1 October 1949.
1917 Water Board map showing the former Nil Desperandum hotel building (yellow) and the music hall (green). Composite of maps 246 and 247, University of Newcastle, Living Histories.
A 1938 aerial photo of New Lambton shows an empty space on the corner where the hotel building was demolished the year before. The hall and the camellia garden at the rear is still visible.
The site of the former Nil Desperandum Hotel, corner of Victoria and Cromwell St in New Lambton. March 2025.
Duckenfield Hotel
Between 1877 and 1880 there are a handful of references to a “Duckenfield Hotel” in New Lambton. While there is no definitive proof, the available evidence strongly suggests that this was the Nil Desperandum hotel trading with a different name.
All the references to the Duckenfield Hotel (1877 to 1880) are in the same range of years for the Nil Desperandum Hotel (1876 to 1880)
There are no references where both hotels are mentioned together, which would conclusively prove they were different hotels. Crucially, the Government Gazette licensee lists in this period only ever contain one of the two names, and always on the same street, with the same licensee.
1876 – Edgar William Ashby, Nil Desperandum, Griffen St
1877 – Edgar William Ashby, Duckenfield, Griffen St
1878 – Edgar William Ashby, Duckenfield, Griffin St
1879 – Edgar William Ashby, Duckenfield, Griffin St
In August 1879 Henry Doherty advertised his taking over of the Nil Desperandum Hotel, but just four months later in December 1879 there is a reference to “Doherty’s Duckenfield Hotel”.
In June 1880 there are two references to a hotel in New Lambton being up for lease – Doherty’s Duckenfield Hotel on 11 June 1880, and the Nil Desperandum Hotel on 28 June 1880. Neither hotel is heard of again. It seems highly unlikely that two different hotels on the same street would disappear from the records in the same month.
The Duke of Wellington hotel was first introduced to the public in a brief article of New Lambton news on 15 July 1876 that mentions that …
… another [new hotel] will shortly be opened by Mr. D.Jones.
The Government Gazette of publicans’ licenses issued for the year commencing 1 July 1876 has an entry for “David Jones, Duke of Wellington Hotel, Horsefield-street, New Lambton.” Horsfield Street was the original name for Regent Street, and the hotel was located at its present site on the corner of Regent Street and Portland Place, on Lot 6 of Section 6, which was leased by the New Lambton Coal Company to Abraham Butterworth. Abraham Butterworth was the second licensee of the hotel, for a brief period from April 1878 to February 1879.
The first photograph of the Duke of Wellington Hotel dates from the time of the eighth licensee, Joseph Garratt (1887 to 1895). The photo shows a very basic weatherboard building, as were all the early New Lambton hotels. This was because up until about 1886 the New Lambton Coal Company did not sell any of their land for housing or businesses, but only provided 14 year leases. Naturally, residents and businessmen were reluctant to build any substantial structures on land they did not own or control in the long term. As a consequence, in contrast to neighbouring Lambton, no substantial building in New Lambton from the 19th century has survived to the present day.
After the New Lambton Coal Company started selling land, Abraham Butterworth purchased the Duke of Wellington building and land in 1891. (Vol-Fol 1006-20)
In 1898 George Burt made improvements and additions to the hotel.
Among the number of new buildings lately erected in this municipality are the improvements and additions made at Burt’s Duke of Wellington Hotel. Particular attention has been given to make the alterations roomy, with plenty of ventilation, and a good height, the bar and parlours being very noticeable in this respect. A staircase 3ft wide leads to the hall, 16 x 32, which is intended for a lodge or supper room.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 6 June 1898.
In 1919 Abraham Butterworth sold the property to the Castlemaine Brewery and Wood Brothers. (Vol-Fol 1006-20, p2). In August 1921, at a Licensing Court hearing …
Permission was given to Paul Turnbull, licensee of the Duke of Wellington Hotel, New Lambton, to erect a new brick building.
The fittings, fixtures and timbers of the old hotel building were put up for auction on Saturday 10 September 1921. Strangely for such a major project, the newspaper contains no reports on the demolition of the old building, or the construction and re-opening of the new building. A photo from 1924 shows the building with clean sharp brickwork and the year “A.D. 1921” prominently displayed on the corner facade.
In September 1954, Pitt & Pitt architects called for “tenders for extensive alterations and additions, to Duke of Wellington Hotel for Tooth & Co.” Presumably these were the alterations that ‘modernised’ the exterior, and arguably denuded the building of its 1920s architectural charm.
The Sunnyside Tavern is located in Broadmeadow Rd, Broadmeadow. I have included it in this page of New Lambton Hotels, as this location fell within the borders of the New Lambton Municipal Council which operated from 1889 to 1938.
Specifying the location of the Sunnyside has always been problematic, as the names and boundaries of suburbs in this area have changed over time. Here are some examples of the different locality names the hotel has been placed in over the years …
This map of modern suburb boundaries shows that here are four other suburbs within 350 metres of the Sunnyside Tavern in Broadmeadow: Waratah, Georgetown, Hamilton North, and New Lambton.
On 17 June 1884, Michael Fenwick of Waratah, gave notice in an advertisement of his intention to apply at the next Licensing Court for …
… the issue of a Publican’s License for premises situated at Broad Meadows Road, between Waratah and Hamilton, and to be known by the sign of “Sunnyside Inn,” containing six rooms, exclusive of those required for the use of the family.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 17 June 1884.
Four months later another advertisement announced …
SUNNYSIDE INN, BROAD MEADOW. MICHAEL FENWICK desires to intimate to his many friends and the public that he has OPENED the above NEW INN, and is now prepared to accommodate all who may favour him with a call.
The establishment was equally referred to as the “Sunnyside Inn” and “Sunnyside Hotel” in its first 30 years. There are no known photographs of the first hotel building. In 1903 Joseph Heslop became licensee, and progressed plans for significant renovations to the hotel building.
Tenders are due on Saturday for important extensions to the Sunnyside Hotel, Broadmeadow-road, near Georgetown. It is proposed to add a floor space above at this hotel and have a colonnade. This work will involve an outlay of £500 or £600.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 2 July 1904.
By October the renovations were well underway.
The Sunnyside Hotel has been pulled down all but four rooms, and a brick two-storey addition erected of twelve rooms, with a colonnade in the centre and balconies on each side. The stable buildings are also to be made in keeping with the hotel, and when all is completed (by Messrs. Bates and Everett, the builders) this will be a well-appointed establishment.
Judging by the shiny corrugated iron roof and crisp paintwork, Ralph Snowball photographed the hotel building not long after the renovations were completed.
Around the time of Joseph Heslop’s tenure and the renovation in 1904, use of the name “Sunnyside Inn” declined, and afterwards it was principally referred to as the “Sunnyside Hotel”.
A 1909 Water Board map shows that an extension had been made at the northern end of the building. This was possibly the stables alluded to in the October 1904 report.
The Sunnyside Hotel is marked on a locality sketch on a 1919 real estate poster for a subdivision of 72 building sites in “Hamilton – Newtown”. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.
In March 1921 Tooth and Co purchased the hotel, and in July 1921“Percy George Phillips, licensee of the Sunnyside Hotel, was granted permission to make alterations and additions to his premises.” The alterations were in progress by December, and completed by April 1922 when the Newcastle Sun reported on the new hotel building.
Residents of the Newcastle district are agreeably surprised when passing through Georgetown at the view of the re-constructed Sunnyside Hotel. The old building which is true was a landmark of this locality, was entirely demolished, and in its stead has been erected a modern hotel of pleasing design. The new premises contain a commodious bar, two parlors, store room, office, public and private dining-rooms, kitchen, pantry and laundry, and the necessary lavatory; accommodation on the ground floor and on the first floor there are 14 bedrooms, sitting-room, two bathrooms, linen cupboards, and other conveniences. The outside walls are tiled up to height of the sill, and a suspended awning protects the front. The work was carried out by Mr. R. E. Waller, to the plans and under the supervision of Mr. W. L. Porter, architect, at a cost of approximately £1,500.
Ed Tonks on page 13 of his book “No Bar To Time” notes that the establishment was changed from a hotel license to a tavern license on 29 May 1978, and the name change to “The Sunnyside Tavern” probably occurred at that time also.
The Sunnyside Tavern, March 2025.
Licensees
Some details of licensees after 1919 are taken from the Sunnyside Hotel ‘yellow cards’ in the ANU Open Research Repository.
In 1898 Frederick George Roberts purchased land on the corner of Lambton and Tauranga Roads.
Portion 1324 was purchased by Frederick George Roberts of Waratah, hotelkeeper, on 18 November 1898. Vol-Fol 1021-213.
Map from land title Vol-Fol 1021-213, showing portion 1324, the site of F G Roberts store and then the General Roberts Hotel. Note the New Lambton colliery railway running north to south, under a bridge on Lambton Road.
After purchasing the land, Roberts built a weatherboard store, selling groceries, draperies, ironware and clothing.
Roof damage to F G Roberts store in New Lambton due to cyclonic wind storm on Tuesday 7 November 1899. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Australian Town and Country Journal, 18 November 1899.F G Roberts Store, Lambton Rd, New Lambton, NSW, [1902]. Photo by Ralph Snowball. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.
In July 1902 Roberts applied for a publican’s license to open a hotel on the site of his store. Despite police objections the licensing court granted the application, in part swayed by Roberts’ plans to erect a substantial brick hotel, in contrast to the other hotels nearby that were described at the time as “a very disappointing lot indeed”.
By September 1902, the store was demolished, and the builder William Knight was constructing a new brick hotel designed by the notable local architect Ernest George Yeomans. On 18 April 1903 Roberts announced by advertisement that his “new hotel will be opened for business today, containing 20 spacious and well ventilated rooms.” He named it the General Roberts Hotel, after Frederick Sleigh Roberts, recently commander of the British forces in the Second Boer War.
Advertisement of the opening of the General Roberts Hotel. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 18 April 1903.
At the corner of the main road and Tauranga-street another brick hotel of 18 rooms, to be known as “The General Roberts,” has just been completed. This is built with red, pressed, tuck-pointed fronts and ornamental parapets. The fronts have those useful adjuncts, spacious colonnades. The building is tastefully finished both inside and out, and standing on a prominent site is a landmark in the municipality. Formerly on this site stood Mr. Roberts’ w.b. store, which has been demolished to make place for this hotel. The architect was Mr. E. G. Yeomans. and the builder Mr. W. Knight.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 17 April 1903.
Within six months of opening the hotel, F G Roberts was looking to sell the hotel business, but retain ownership of the land and buildings.
Advertisement of the sale of the General Roberts Hotel business. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 23 October 1903.
Phillip Byrne became licensee in April 1904, and Ralph Snowball photographed the hotel soon afterwards in July 1904. Looking west along Lambton Rd and Alma Rd, the photo shows the General Roberts Hotel on the right, and beside it the remnants of a cutting where the New Lambton colliery railway once ran.
"I FREDERICK GEORGE ROBERTS give notice that I desire at the next Quarterly Licensing Court, to apply for a CONDITIONAL PUBLICAN'S LICENSE for Premises situate at New Lambton already erected at the corner of Lambton-road, but requiring additions and alterations to make them suitable to be licensed. These premises, if a license be granted, are to be known as the GENERAL ROBERTS HOTEL, and will contain when completed, eight rooms exclusive of those required for the use of my family."
"At the Licensing Court to-day an application was made by Frederick George Roberts for a conditional publican's license for premises situated on the main Newcastle Cardiff road at New Lambton, proposed to be used as an hotel." Decision reserved pending the hearing of two other applications for hotels in the vicinity.
"At Newcastle Licensing Court, Frederick George Roberts applied for a publican's conditional license for premises to be erected on the Lambton-road, New Lambton … Ernest George Yeomans. architect, deposed that he prepared the plans before the court. The house would have brick walls."
"Frederick George Roberts applied for a conditional publican's license for premises to be erected at New Lambton." The Bench had inspected the current hotels "and found them a very disappointing lot indeed, and the existing accommodation was not sufficient." Application of F G Roberts was granted.
"The work of excavating for the foundations of the new hotel which is to be built at the corner of Taurangua and Lambton roads, is well forward. The building, which is to be commodious and substantial,
will, it is estimated, cost between £1600 and £1700. Mr. William Knight is the contractor and Mr. Yeomans the architect."
"Frederick G. Roberts applied for a certificate for a publican's license for premises at New Lambton, to be known as the General Roberts Hotel. The application was granted."
Phillip James Byrnes applies for the renewal of his licensee for the Hand of Friendship Hotel. The renewal is objected to due to unsanitary premises and inadequate accommodation. By April 1904 Byrnes is licensee of the General Roberts Hotel.
"TO Hotelkeepers and Brewers.- For Sale by tender, Free House, Lease, License, Furniture, and Goodwill. Tenders to close 12th Nov.; 1903. -Apply F. G. ROBERTS, Proprietor, New Lambton."
"NOTICE.-Having taken over the license of the General Roberts' Hotel, New Lambton, where I hope to see all my old friends and acquaintances. JOHN KEIM, Late of Tighe's Hill."
"Considerable damage was done yesterday to the balcony of the General Roberts Hotel at the corner of
Lambton and Taranga Roads, New Lambton. A coal-laden lorry knocked out two of the posts on the gutter
alignment and the balcony flooring sagged."
Applications for the demolition and rebuilding of 12 hotels, including the General Roberts Hotel in New Lambton.
Blackbutt Hotel (1956 to present)
Between April and October 1950, James William Hall, hotel proprietor of Wickham, purchased Lots 42-45 on the corner of Orchardtown Rd and Carnley Ave in New Lambton.
In October 1950, at the Newcastle Licensing Court …
… Alexander Jones, licensee of the Holmesville Hotel, [applied] for the transfer of the licence to a hotel to be built at the corner of Orchardtown-road and Carnley avenue, New Lambton.
Arguments for and against the transfer were presented, and the hearing concluded with the chairman saying that “the evidence would be considered before the Bench gave its decision in Sydney.” The application was evidently unsuccessful, for no more was heard of it.
The following year, in July 151, Margaret Christina Delaney made application for the transfer of the licence of the Royal Standard Hotel in Adamstown …
… to proposed premises at the corner of Orchardtown road and Carnley-avcnue, Kotara … It was stated that the proposed new hotel would be of two floors. On the ground floor there would be a public bar and saloon bar, large lounge and beer garden. Upstairs, there would be eight single bedrooms and four double bedrooms, with accommodation for the staff. The building would have a tiled front with faced red brick. There would be a frontage of 137 feet to Carnley-avenue and 139 feet to Orchardtown-road.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 11 July 1951.
Ed Tonks on page 74 of his book “No Bar To Time” notes that “conditional approval to transfer the licence was granted on 2 August 1951”. Despite the approval, construction of the new hotel did not commence for a number of years. A 1954 aerial photograph shows an empty block on the corner of Carnley Ave and Orchardtown Rd.
A 1954 aerial photograph shows the empty block awaiting construction of the Kotara Hotel. The portion of Carnley Ave west of Orchardtown Rd has not yet been constructed. NSW Historical Aerial Imagery
Card 1 of the Blackbutt Hotel ‘yellow cards’ in the ANU Open Research Repository indicates that “Final order for removal of license from Royal Standard Hotel granted 21.12.56” and that the new Kotara Hotel commenced trading in June 1957.
In 1862 Robert and Mary Love and their children migrated from Scotland to New South Wales. The family settled in Lambton, where Robert worked as a storekeeper. In July 1874 an advertisement placed by Robert invited tenders to construct a brick building in Adamstown, 30ft by 25ft by 20ft high. After obtaining a publican’s licence, in December 1874 he opened Adamstown’s second hotel, the Royal Crown, on the north-east corner of Victoria and Union St (Brunker Rd).
Three years later Robert Love died, aged just 46. Mary took on the hotel, assisted by her family. In the next four decades three of her sons-in-law were licensees of the hotel she owned. In 1904 Mary offered the hotel for sale at auction, however the reserve price was not met. The recent Local Options amendment to the NSW Liquor Act, which gave electors the ability to vote for liquor licence reductions, meant that owning a hotel was not as secure a business as it was previously. The Love family continued with the Royal Crown until Mary’s death in 1913. Castlemaine Brewery and Wood Brothers then purchased the hotel.
A societal desire for curbing alcohol consumption led to further changes to the Liquor Act, and the eventual demise of the hotel. In January 1921 the Licence Reduction Board determined that 23 hotels in Newcastle would be closed, including the Royal Crown in Adamstown. The hotel ceased in July, and the property was advertised for sale.
Mary Love’s fourth son-in-law then purchased the property. Thomas and Janet Freeman owned the adjacent Kitchener Hall that they had built in 1915 “for picture show purposes”. Acquiring the former hotel allowed the Freemans in 1937 to rebuild and widen their picture theatre. The cinema operated until 1965, when it was sold and converted to shops. The art deco façade of the former cinema survives to this day. However next door on the corner block, the Royal Crown Hotel building was demolished sometime between 1967 and 1974.
Royal Crown Hotel, Adamstown, 9 September 1902. Photo by Ralph Snowball. The University of Newcastle, Living Histories.The hotel’s location in 2024, corner of Brunker Rd and Victoria St, with the former cinema building behind the tree.
The article above was first published in the December 2024 edition of The Local.
Additional Information
Licensees
Robert Love – December 1874 to February 1878 (death of Robert Love)
Stanley Walter Barnes – March 1921 to closure in July 1921
There has been some confusion arising from Snowball’s photograph, because the sign above the door reads “William Russell”, suggesting that he was the licensee at the time.
Snowball on his listing for negative box 290, has also labelled the photo as “W. Russells Hotel Adamstown – Sept 9”
However records show that Arthur Carnley was the licensee between December 1898 and November 1904. Also the Federal Directory of Newcastle 1901, shows the licensee of the “Royal Crown” was “Carnley, A.”
The apparent discrepancy can be reconciled by understanding that both Arthur Carnley and William Russell were sons-in-law of Mary Love, whose husband Robert opened the hotel in 1874. William Russell had previously been the licensee from 1889 to 1891. A third son-in-law, Adam Hogg, became licensee in 1904. The hotel was owned and run by the same family from 1874 until 1914, the year after Mary Love died. The presence of the name “William Russell” above the door may be just an old sign that the family never updated, or an indication that William Russell still had a hand in running the hotel in the period when his brother-in-law Arthur Carnley was the licensee.
When Mary Love died on 27 August 1913, the Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate printed the following obituary …
Mrs. Mary Love, proprietress of the Royal Crown Hotel, Adamstown, died yesterday, in her 81st year. During the past few months the deceased had been in declining health, and has not been able to leave her room. Mrs. Love, whose husband predeceased her 37 years, opened the Royal Crown Hotel 39 years ago. It was the second hotel opened in Adamstown. For many years she conducted a large business at the hotel, that was always noted for its respectability. The deceased lady, who was respected by all who knew her, was of a generous disposition, and contributed liberally to any movement that was for the progress of the district in which she resided. She left Scotland with her husband 51 years ago, and after spending a couple of years in New Zealand, carried on to New South Wales, and settled down in Lambton, where they lived prior to opening the hotel in Adamstown. Mrs. Love retired from the hotel business about 20 years ago, and the business has since been conducted by members of her family. She leaves a family of two sons and four daughters, 24 grandchildren, and 17 great-grand-children. Her oldest son, Mr. James Love, is in West Australia.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 28 August 1913
Other Photos
Newcastle Libraries Online Collections has an undated photo of the Royal Hotel in Adamstown. Their notes indicate that the photo with “Arthur Carnley, owner”. This suggests the photo was taken in the period 1899 to1904 when Arthur Carnley was the licensee.
The Royal Hotel, Adamstown. Newcastle Libraries Online Collection 056 000044
Location
Although the hotel was licensed as the “Royal Crown Hotel”, it was often referred to as simply the “Royal Hotel”. This is somewhat confusing as there was another hotel very nearby named the “Royal Standard Hotel”.
The Royal Crown Hotel shown opposite the Adamstown Hotel, and the Royal Standard Hotel on the corner of Victoria St and Gosford Rd. 1890s Water Board map, The University of Newcastle, Living Histories.
Photographs from the NSW Historical Aerial Imagery site show that the Royal Crown Hotel building was demolished between 1966 and 1974. A photograph of the adjacent picture theatre on page 3 of the book “Front Stalls or Back?” by K J Cork and L R Tod shows that the Royal Crown building was still there in 1967.
In researching the Royal Crown Hotel and finding that Arthur Carnley, son-in-law of Mary Love was licensee for two periods, I wondered if there was any connection to Carnley Avenue in New Lambton, that runs beside Blackbutt Reserve. The answer is yes. In September 1904 Arthur Carnley purchased 7 acres of land in New Lambton. (See Vol-Fol 1733-192 and 1739-181.) Overlaying this land into Google Earth we can see that Carnley Ave
… and in 1949 land was resumed for the construction of Carnley Avenue through the middle of the subdivision. Carnley Avenue is first mention in Trove in January 1950.
Reservation for Carnley Ave in 1949, recorded on Vol-Fol 4748-83.
Interestingly, at the same time that Arthur Carnley purchased his 7 acres in 1904, his brother-in-law Thomas Freeman also purchased 7 acres, to the south of Carnley’s land, and there is now a Freeman St at that location.
Freeman St, New Lambton, now runs through the land purchased by Thomas Freeman in 1904.
"Notice to Bricklayers.
WANTED, TENDERS for the BRICKWORK of a HOUSE, 30 feet by 25 feet, by 20 feet
in height, situated in Adams' Town. For all information apply to ROBERT LOVE, Near Lambton Colliery Railway."
"Mrs. Love, who has conducted the business at the Royal Crown Hotel so creditably and with so much respectability for the past fourteen years, has retired from business. During her proprietorship of the hotel, it has always been looked upon as a model establishment. Mr. William Russell, Mrs. Love's son-in-law, took charge of the hotel on Thursday."
(Note that while Mary Love retired from running the hotel in 1888, she continued to own the property until her death in 1913, and held the hotel licence again during the period 1894-1898.)
"FOR SALE, the Lease, License, Furniture, and Goodwill of the ROYAL CROWN HOTEL, Adamstown. For particulars apply to James Gray, on the premises, or to the Castlemaine Brewery and Wood Bros. & Co., Limited."
"The Royal Crown Hotel, or what is better known as Mrs. Love's hotel, at Adamstown, was offered for sale by public auction yesterday by Messrs. Goodman, Wright, Ltd. It was anticipated there would be keen competition amongst the brewers for the hotel, as it is a free house. Such, however, was not the case. The bidding started at £2000, and ran up to £3000, and at that figure the property was withdrawn. The sale has made it evident that the new Liquor Act has had its effect on hotel property, for it is almost certain that had the same property been offered for sale before the passing of the new Liquor Act it would have realised £5000."
"Messrs. Lang, Wood, and Co. report a very large attendance at the sale on Saturday last of the Adamstown properties belonging to the estate of Mrs. Mary Love, deceased, when as the result of spirited competition, every lot was sold. The most important item was the well-known RoyalCrown Hotel, for which there was some lively bidding; starting with £2000, bids came in quick succession until £4000 was reached, when by hundreds and fifties the price of £4350 was reached, at whichfigure it was knocked down to the local Castlemaine Brewery, the announcement being greeted with a hearty round of applause. "
Renewal of license to Stanley W Barnes. (Presumably the renewal was only to 28 July 1921, that being six months from the Licenses Reduction Board determination for closure made on 28 January 1921.)
Death of Isabella Carnley whose "parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Love, moved to Adamstown to build and establish Adamstown's first hotel, the Royal Crown. In 1894 she married Mr. Arthur Carnley, who in turn was licensee of the Royal Crown Hotel, the Commercial Hotel, Wickham, and the Commercial Hotel, Adamstown." (Note, the Royal Crown was actually Adamstown's second hotel.)
In 1869 Thomas Adam purchased from the government 54 acres of land south of the road running between New Lambton and Merewether. He soon resold the land to Thomas and Henry Bryant, who in 1870 submitted a plan for a 190-lot subdivision named “Adamstown”, including streets named “Thomas”, “Henry” and “Bryant”.
Matching the usual pattern of emerging mining communities, one of the first blocks of land sold was for a hotel. In June 1874 Edward Reay purchased the north-west corner of Union Street (Brunker Road today) and Victoria Street. In September 1874, 150 years ago this month, Reay obtained a publican’s licence and opened the “Adamstown Hotel”. Just two months later Adamstown’s second hotel opened across the road, and in 1902 the town reached its peak of four hotels, a notably abstemious total compared to neighbouring suburbs.
In 1905 when John Court was the licensee, Tooheys Limited bought the hotel. They demolished the original building and erected in its place a modern brick structure at a cost of £2200. After the hotel re-opened in November 1906, the Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate noted that “the design of the hotel is entirely different to the usual run of these buildings, there being no colonnade or balcony over the footpath, but in place of them there are large verandah and balcony arcades in the central part of the main front.” Ralph Snowball photographed the crisp new building one week after its formal re-opening. However, this second incarnation of the hotel did not last long. In 1927 increased motor traffic necessitated widening of the main road. All the properties on the west side of Union Street including the Adamstown Hotel, had eighteen feet shaved off their front, and required major renovations and rebuilding. Two more alterations were to affect the hotel. In 1947 its address ‘changed’ when Union Street was renamed Brunker Road, and then in the 1980s the pub’s name changed to the “Nags Head Hotel”.
Court’s Adamstown Hotel, Adamstown, NSW, 26 November 1906. Photo by Ralph Snowball. University of Newcastle, Living HistoriesThe Nags Head Hotel in Adamstown marks 150 years of operation in September 2024.
The article above was first published in the September 2024 edition of The Local.
Additional Information
The original building
Lot 5 of Section 15 of DP60, purchased by Edward Reay in June 1874. Vol-Fol 189-153.Water Board map overlaid into Google Earth, showing location of Adamstown Hotel, and the Royal Hotel. Newcastle University, Living Histories.
The 1906 Building
The new Adamstown Hotel, erected for Toohey’s, Limited, contains 20 large rooms, bar, parlours, dining, billiard, lodge, and bed rooms, cellar, bathrooms, etc., providing every convenience necessary for the working of a modern hotel. The buildings throughout are of brick on concrete foundations, and no wood partitions are used in any part. All the public, rooms are on the ground floor, from which a bold and handsome stairs leads to the upper, floor, on which the bedrooms, parlour, lodge, and bath rooms are placed. Separate access is given to each room from corridors or passages. The ceilings and cornices of ground-floor rooms are of stamped steel from the Wunderlich Co. The design of the hotel is entirely different to the usual run of these buildings, there being no colonnade or balcony over the footpath, but in place of them there are large verandah and balcony arcades in the central part of the main front to Victoria-street. The building, being on a corner block, at the intersection of Union-street and Victoria-street, has two fronts. the design for which has been well thought out architecturally, and it has, with its bands, tuck-pointed front, bold block cornices, pediments, finials, and central arcade treatment an imposing effect. Mr. Thomas W. Silk, of Bolton-street, Newcastle, was the architect, and Mr. B. G. Pearce, of Hamilton, the builder.
Advertisement for newly re-opened Adamstown Hotel. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 1 December 1906.
The Nags Head Hotel
I have not been able to find concrete evidence of exactly when the hotel’s name changed to The Nags Head. It was still called the Adamstown Hotel in 1977. Page 8 of Ed Tonks’ book “No Bar To Time” says that “reportedly the name change to Nags Head occurred during 1989.”
The August 1894 article states that the transfer was to John Reay, but that is probably an error. John Reay was in Africa from 1893, and the 1895 gazette shows the licensee to be Edward Reay.
"At the police court, Newcastle, on Wednesday, a publican's license was granted to Mr. Edward Reay, on the application of Mr. C.W. Rendett, solicitor, for an hotel he is about starting at Adamstown."
"The Adamstown Hotel, erected over 33 years ago by Mr. Edward Reay, and purchased recently by Toohey and Co., is being demolished to make room for a modern and up-to-date building. The hotel was the first erected in the locality."
"The new hotel, erected by Toohey and Co., on the site of the old Adamstown Hotel, is drawing near completion. The building is of a substantial character and design, and is a striking contrast compared with the buildings in Union street. The new hotel will be completed early next month, and the cost exceeds
£2000. The structure contains 22 rooms."
"A free smoke concert to commemorate the completion and opening of the Adamstown Hotel took place in the new building on Monday last. Mr. John Sheedy presided over a fair attendance, and several toasts and complimentary speeches followed. The hotel was erected by Toohey, Limited, at a cost of £2200,
and is of an attractive appearance."
"The new Adamstown Hotel, erected for Toohey's, Limited, contains 20 large rooms, bar, parlours, dining, billiard, lodge, and bed rooms, cellar, bathrooms, etc., providing every convenience necessary for the working of a modern hotel."
"Mr. Edward Reay, one of the first to settle in Adamstown, died at the residence of his grandson, Mr. J. Court, in Sydney, on Tuesday. His funeral took place yesterday. Mr. Reay built the Adamstown Hotel, the first in the locality, about 45 years ago. He was 78 years of age."
"John Albert Dalton was given permission to make material alterations to the Adamstown Hotel, Adamstown. Mr. J. Griffiths appeared for the applicant. The police reported that, due to the Main Roads Board wanting to widen the street, the hotel, among other buildings, would have to be moved back. This would mean that practically a new building would be erected, which would greatly improve the locality. Twelve months was allowed in which to complete the building."
"Proposed alterations to the Adamstown Hotel, Adamstown, estimated to cost £3000, were approved. Mr. A. Nathan, supporting the application, said the alterations would include a portion of the building previously excluded from the premises. The work is to be completed within nine months."
The first hotel in Lambton opened in 1864 just months after the establishment of the colliery and township. Within a decade another six hotels had opened.
In 1873 Alexander Smith purchased a block of land on the corner of Morehead and Dickson Streets and called for tenders for the erection of a large public house. Construction commenced in January 1874 of a building with a Gothic style front, 60 feet by 25 feet and including a large billiard-room anticipated to be “one of the finest in the district.” The new hotel commenced trading on Saturday 20 June 1874, and the following week on 29 June Mr and Mrs Smith held a celebration to formally christen the hotel the Marquis of Lorne, named after the British nobleman John Douglas Sutherland Campbell who held that title, and later became Governor General of Canada.
In Lambton, other new hotels opened and in 1881 the town reached a peak of 16 hotels operating at the same time. The Marquis of Lorne had many publicans in its early years, two of whom tried to move the license to a different location. Richard Ward attempted a move to Elder St in 1880, and John Quinlivan attempted a move to Robert St Jesmond in 1929, with the licensing authority rejecting the application on both occasions.
In 1930 the hotel had a subtle change in name to the apostrophised Marquis O’ Lorne. Also in 1930, John Baptist Beisler became the licensee, and the Beisler family retained a connection with the hotel until 1979, an impressively long stint spanning 50 years. In 1960 the original hotel was demolished and a new brick building erected at a cost of £67,508. Following renovations in 2007 it was renamed to The Mark Hotel, thus ending decades of misspellings and mispronunciations. With 150 years of trading completed, The Mark Hotel is now one of only three hotels remaining in Lambton.
Marquis of Lorne Hotel, Lambton, June 1924. Noel Butlin Archive, Australian National University.The Mark Hotel, Lambton, June 2024.
The article above was first published in the July 2024 edition of The Local.
Advertisement for the newly opened Marquis of Lorne Hotel, corner of Dixon-street, Lambton. Miners’ Advocate and Northumberland Recorder, 27 June 1874.
SIR JOHN GEORGE EDWARD HENRY CAMPBELL, called by courtesy the Marquis of Lorne, is the eldest son of the Duke of Argyll, and was born at Strafford House, London, in 1845. In February, 1868, he became M.P. for Argyleshire. In the close of the same year he was appointed private secretary to his father, then at the head of the India Office. On the 21st of March, 1871, he married the Princess Louise, the fourth daughter of Her Majesty. In July, 1878, he was appointed Governor-General of, Canada, as successor to Lord Dufferin, who had held that post since 1872.
"The erection of two new buildings had been decided upon previous to the origin of the society, and they are to be commenced immediately. One is the premises of Mr. Lipman, watchmaker, of Newcastle, who is to put up a two-storey building in Grainger street ; and the other is a public-house, at the eastern end of Dixon-street, for Mr. Alexander Smith."
"New Hostelries. — As a sign of the progress being made in this direction, we may mention that Mr. Alexander Smith is now erecting a large hotel, at the corner of Young and Morehead streets, opposite the Prince of Wales Inn. The building will have a frontage of 25 feet towards Young-street, with a depth of 60 feet in Morehead street, and an additional depth of 60 feet for stables, outhouses, and other purposes. The billiard-room will be one of the finest in the district, and will measure 25 feet by 25 feet. The front of the hotel will be in the Gothic style, and will bear a favourable comparison with any of the hotels for miles round."
"Mr. A. Smith has opened his new public house on Saturday last, under the high-sounding name of 'The Marquis of Lorne.' This house occupies a good stand, on the corner of Dixon-street, near to the Rechabite's Hall, and for accommodation and fittings is superior to any other house in the town. A large room, 23 feet by 29 feet, has been built for billiard purposes, which is furnished with a full-size billiard table and all the requisites for playing the different branches of the game. Mr. Smith has spared no expense to make his house complete."
"During the week the following licenses, have been granted by the Newcastle bench of Magistrates :— For billiards : To Alex. Smith, Marquis of Lorn Inn, Lambton."
Advertisement: "MARQUIS OF LORNE HOTEL, Corner of Dixon-street, Lambton. ALEXANDER SMITH has much pleasure in announcing to his numerous friends and the public generally that he has OPENED his Splendid New House under the above title, where he hopes to meet all his old friends, and to make the acquaintance of hosts of new ones. First-class Liquors always on hand. Travellers will find the accommodation unequalled in the district. The best BILLIARD TABLE out Of Sydney, with all necessary appliances."
"There was a real old Scotch spree on Monday evening (29 June 1874) at the formal christening of the Marquis of Lorn. Mr. and Mrs. Smith invited a number of their friends to be present at the ceremony, and a very jolly night was spent. The Lambton band were present, and played some of their choice dance music, to which the lads and lasses footed it right merrily. After the band was done, the fiddle struck up, and then the jigs and Scotch reels got fits. Dancing and singing was kept up till the small hours of the morning, when the company dispersed. 'And many a one left the Marquis of Lorn, With the foundation for a sore head the morn.'"
Prior to Federation in 1901, each Australian state was responsible for its own military defence. In NSW, volunteer forces were formed and trained in various localities, and they held annual encampments where multiple units gathered for extended training and drills.
In 1897 a camp was held in the flat area of Hamilton South known as Blackburn’s Oval. This was located near the Merewether Hotel (now the Mary Ellen) operated by Edward Blackburn. Over 60 tents were erected to accommodate 550 men, comprising the 4th Infantry Regiment from Newcastle, a field artillery unit from Sydney, and the mounted No. 3 Lancers Squadron from Singleton and Maitland. The Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate reported that “the four days’ military encampment commenced on Friday night under most unfavourable weather auspices, a strong southerly gale, with pouring rain, rendering the condition of the men under canvas far from pleasant.”
Each day was filled with drills and parades, with the main exercise held on Monday. Woken at 3:30am, the troops formed up on the parade ground and were told of an ‘enemy’ force having landed at Belmont and heading to Newcastle. The infantry, cavalry and artillery proceeded to Charlestown and engaged in a 90-minute mock battle that repulsed the ‘invaders’ in time for breakfast at 8.30am.
Returning to camp and a few hours rest, the soldiers held another exercise in the afternoon. Upwards of 7000 spectators crowded onto the Glebe Hill and the spoil heap of the old Hamilton colliery to watch “the troops rushing to and fro, the cavalry galloping around, with the air thick with smoke as the big guns reverberated.”
The camp ended on Tuesday with general satisfaction at its success, apart from the departing troops’ complaints of “insufficient and commonplace” food rations. Newcastle continued to host annual military encampments in the vicinity, with the last held in September 1914. Blackburn’s Oval was used for sport up until 1923, after which the area was developed for housing.
Army Camp Blackburn Oval, Hamilton South, NSW, 23 May 1897. Photo by Ralph Snowball. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.Pacific Highway, Hamilton South. Motorists now drive where the military once drilled.
The article above was first published in the May 2024 edition of The Local.
Additional Photos
Newcastle Libraries Collections Online has a number of photos of army encampments held in the inner city area. The photograph below is undated in their collection, but it is almost certainly the encampment of 1897.
Army camp (Blackburns Oval), May 1897. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Newcastle Libraries Online Collection 001 000171
The collection has one photograph of an earlier encampment held in 1895 …
Military camp at Newcastle, 8 November 1895. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Newcastle Libraries Online Collection 001 001463
… and multiple photographs of the encampment held on the old racecourse in April 1903.
Army encampment at Old Racecourse, Newcastle, 13 April 1903. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Newcastle Libraries Online Collection 001 001618Army encampment at Old Racecourse, Newcastle, 13 April 1903. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Newcastle Libraries Online Collection 001 001620Troops at Old Racecourse, Newcastle, 14 April 1903. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Newcastle Libraries Online Collection 001 001619Troops at Old Racecourse, Newcastle, 14 April 1903. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Newcastle Libraries Online Collection 0001 001621.Lancers at Old Racecourse, Newcastle, 14 April 1903. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Newcastle Libraries Online Collection 001 001616Portion of Parrott’s 1893 map of Newcastle, annotated with the position of the 1897 encampment on Blackburns Oval adjacent to the Hamilton Pit, and the 1903 encampment on the old racecourse. National Library of Australia.
Blackburns Oval/Ground
The Lost Football Ground Newcastle website has a good summary of Blackburn’s Oval/Ground. Edward Blackburn became the licensee of the Merewether Hotel in August 1893, and continued until September 1907 when his licence was cancelled after receiving three convictions in three years. The first mention I can find in Trove to Blackburn’s Oval/Ground is 4 Apr 1900, and the last mention on 10 September 1923.
Overlaying old Water Board maps into Google Earth, we can see that the Hamilton Pit slack (spoils) heap from which Snowball’s photo was taken, was located in the vicinity of where Thomas St is today. Thus the army encampment was in the area where the Pacific Highway passes through today.
Note that reports of the army encampment of 1897 variously describe it as being in Hamilton or Merewether. Edward Blackburn’s hotel was located on Glebe Rd on the northern edge of the Merewether municipality. Thus across the road, the sporting ground known as Blackburn’s Oval was located in the Hamilton municipality.
Craigies map with the municipal districts of Newcastle (red borders) that shows Blackburn’s hotel (blue star) was in Merewether, while Blackburn’s Oval across the road (red star) was in Hamilton. National Library of Australia.
Appendix – Date of the Snowball photograph
The Ralph Snowball photograph of the army encampment from the Living Histories site used in this article, originally had a date of 23 May 1899. After researching for this the article I am certain that the correct date is 23 May 1897, for the following reasons.
Searching Trove for information about army encampments in May 1899 reveals no results.
Searching Trove for information about army encampments in May 1897 reveals lots of articles, with details that align with the photograph – its location next to the spoil heap of the Hamilton Pit, the number of tents, the presence of infantry and cavalry.
The listing for Box 137 of Snowball’s glass plates that commences on 22 May 1897, shows four photographs taken of “Encampment, Merewether”.
Ralph Snowball Box 137 listing. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.
I have subsequently corrected the date in the Living Histories site.
"On Thursday 38 men were inspected by Warrant-officer Thompson and passed into the ranks of the Singleton Half-Squadron of Lancers, which is now, therefore, duly formed."
"A communication was read from the officer commanding the 4th Infantry Regiment, asking in the event of an encampment for between 500 and 600 men being held at Merewether, on the 22nd to the 25th instant, if arrangements could be made for supplying water at a spot indicated on a plan which accompanied the letter. Under the circumstances it was decided to grant a free supply of water, and also lend a meter to check the consumption; but all the required pipes and connections would have to be supplied by the military authorities, and the work carried out at their expense by a licensed plumber."
"Captain Hilliard, the military staff officer for Newcastle, having completed the surveying in connection with the encampment for the No. 3 Squadron New South Wales Lancers and the 4th Infantry Regiment, to be held at Merewether on 22nd, 24th, and 26th inst., Captain Luscombe yesterday had a fatigue party at work putting up the tents. It is expected that the whole of the arrangements will be completed by to-morrow evening."
"In view of the contemplated encampment of the volunteer forces of the northern district, to be held during this and part of next week, the scene of operations, adjoining the A.A. Co.'s Hamilton pit, has undergone a complete transformation. Upwards of 60 tents have been erected, giving the place a very picturesque appearance."
"The officers and troops from Morpeth West Maitland, and East Maitland who are to take part in the military encampment arrived at Honeysuckle Point station by special train at 8.37 last evening, and marched off at once to Merewether to camp under canvas for the night, with the elements anything but favourable to camping out."
"The military encampment at Merewether commenced last night, and despite the unpropitious state of the weather it was expected that 550 men of all ranks would be under canvas. These consist of the A B D E and H Companies, who will be reinforced by two guns from A Battery Field Artillery, who will arrive here by special train today from Sydney. The Maitland and Singleton Lancers will arrive by train to-day to take part in the proceedings."
"The four days' military encampment at Merewether commenced on Friday night under most unfavourable weather auspices, a strong southerly gale, with pouring rain, rendering the condition of the men under canvas far from pleasant."
"The military encampment at Merewether attracted a large number of visitors yesterday. The particularly fine specimens of horseflesh to be seen in the Lancers' lines excited considerable admiration among the visitors.” At Fort Scratchley and Shepherd's Hill "there will be shot practice by the No. 6 Company at a target to be moored at sea. Residents in the neighbourhood are reminded to open their windows, to avoid them being broken by the force of the concussion."
"Those who considered that a military encampment would have no attraction for the general public must, after yesterday's experience, admit that they are very bad judges of the public taste. From an early hour in the morning, crowds began to gather at the Merewether camp, comprising men, women, and children of all ages and sizes, and, as the day wore on the numbers increased rapidly. After 2 o'clock, when the grand attack was commenced in the direction, of Hamilton, the Glebe Hill and the slack heap of the old Hamilton pit were literally black with people. There could not have been less than 7000 spectators, and though few, if any, really knew what was going on to cause the troops to be rushing to and fro and the cavalry to be galloping around the outskirts of the attack formations." "The air at one time was thick with smoke, and still the reports of the big guns reverberated."
"The encampment at Merewether was broken up yesterday afternoon, the whole of the troops, headed by the 4th Regiment Band, marching out shortly after half-past 4 o'clock, fairly tired out after their few days' continuous training."< /br>
"There would, however, need to be better commissariat arrangements. The rations allowed to the men during this camp have been insufficient … The meals, though wholesome, were of a common-place description, and those who required drinks - other than tea and water - had to pay for them. On the whole the camp was run with more than a due regard to economy, and it would not be out of place if an effort were made before next year to stretch the Government purse strings in this matter."
"The troops who have just come out of the encampment hope that arrangements will be made by which they shall get more liberal rations when they next go under canvas."
"All the paraphernalia used in connection with the late encampment was brought into the city yesterday and stored in the drill hall of the military buildings in Hunter street."
"An immediate, and strong protest should be made against the determination of the military authorities to abolish the Newcastle encampment, and to centre the large number of recruits from Newcastle and the northern district in Sydney."
