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."
At 4.15pm on Tuesday 8 November 1878, tragedy was unfolding beneath the earth. At the bottom of the 60-metre-deep Centre Pit shaft of Lambton Colliery, three men were struggling to breathe and desperately fighting for their lives.
In an age prior to electric fans, ventilation was achieved by burning a fire at the bottom of a shaft so that the rising heat would draw stale air out, and draw fresh air in. However, the Centre Pit shaft, located in present day Blackbutt Reserve, was proving troublesome that Tuesday.
After several unsuccessful attempts to get the furnace to ‘draw’, workmen called in 25-year-old acting mine manager Thomas Seymour. At 4pm, Seymour and miner Robert Brown descended the shaft via rope and bucket. A few minutes later engineer William Short also descended only to find the other men in dire circumstances. Brown was unconscious and Seymour nearly so. Short struggled to get them into the bucket to lift them to safety, but with poisonous air rapidly sapping his own strength he had no choice but to return to the surface alone. In desperation, six other miners descended the shaft but were only able to retrieve the lifeless bodies of Seymour and Brown. Lambton colliery management later presented these six with awards recognising their courageous efforts.
An inquest commencing the day after the accident returned a verdict of death “by being suffocated by the foul air due to the want of a proper system of ventilation.” Unfortunately, as was standard in that era, the inquest did not attribute any blame or recommend any remedial actions. The fatalities were just accepted as a natural consequence of a dangerous industry. The Jim Comerford Commemorative Wall at Aberdare, with the engraved names of 1793 miners killed in the Northern Coalfields, shows that fatalities peaked in the 1940s. Thankfully the numbers have steadily declined since then. The wall records just 20 fatalities in the last quarter century, where previously that many often died every year.
David Hutchinson, one of the six rescuers awarded for courage in the 1878 tragedy, with his family at New Lambton in 1892. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Hunter PhotobankThe names of Robert Brown and Thomas Seymour on the Jim Comerford Commemorative Wall at Aberdare.
The article above was first published in the August 2024 edition of The Local.
Additional Information
The shaft of Lambton Colliery where the accident occurred was located in present day Blackbutt Reserve, in the vicinity of the animal exhibits off Carnley Avenue. At the time of the accident in 1878 it was known as “Centre Pit”, but later called “Mosquito Pit”, as evidenced from testimony in a court trial in 1887.
“An under level ‘drive’ was driven from the bottom of the shaft to the centre (or Mosquito) pit, running a small ‘drive’ or slope into it, so that the water flowed down.”
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 5 May 1887.
For more information on Mosquito/Centre Pit and the tragedy of 1878, refer to my Mosquito Pit page.
Jim Comerford Commemorative Wall
The Jim Comerford Commemorative Wall, with the names of miners killed in the northern coalfields, is located at the rear of the Mining and Energy Union building at 67A Aberdare Rd, Aberdare.
Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1816 to 1877Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1877 to 1891Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1891 to 1903Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1903 to 1912Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1912 to 1922Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1922 to 1931Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1931 to 1940Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1940 to 1948Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1948 to 1958Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1958 to 1974Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1974 to 2004Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 2008 to 2021
David Hutchinson
David Hutchinson purchased portion 1186 of the Newcastle Pasturage Reserve. Vol-Fol 1099-235.The location of David Hutchinson’s house in New Lambton, portion 1186 on Westcourt Rd.David Hutchinson, one of the trustees of the New Lambton Lay Methodist Church property in Rugby Road. Vol-Fol 1075-124.
Mrs. Elizabeth Hutchinson, wife of Mr. David Hutchinson, a well-known and respected resident of New Lambton, died at her residence, Westcourt-road, on Tuesday evening, after a long and painful illness. The deceased was in her 70th year, and was born in Chorley, Lancashire. With her husband she arrived in the State in the year 1870. Soon after arrival they settled down at what was then known as The Huts, now New Lambton, and for the past 36 years their residence in the locality has been continuous. When in good health the late Mrs. Hutchinson was an earnest member of the Lay Methodist Connexion, and her remains will be taken to the church this afternoon, where a short service will be held. The funeral afterwards will proceed to the Sandgate Cemetery per train.
Mr. David Hutchinson, an old resident of New Lambton, died at his residence, Westcourt-road, at an early hour yesterday morning. The deceased was in his 70th year, and for the past ten years had suffered from paralysis, and for a long time was bedridden. He was born in Bolton, Lancashire, England. He came to New South Wales in the year 1870, and for the past 40 years he lived continuously in New Lambton. He worked as a miner while in health in the Lambton Colliery, and was one of the rescue party that went down the shaft at the time that Messrs. Seymour and Brown were suffocated at the Lambton Company’s Centre Pit. He was a prominent member of the Lay Methodist connexion. His wife predeceased him some five years ago, and his only family relations are two grandsons and two great grandchildren. The funeral will take place this afternoon.
Report on a celebration tea for the Lay Methodist Church in New Lambton. David Hutchinson is listed as one of the ten original trustees of the debt associated with the building of the church. "Especial thanks are due to Mr. David Hutchinson, who deposited deeds of his property with the A.J.S. Bank, Wickham, when first commencing building. He is now in great trouble, his daughter Maggie being dangerously ill, having been bedfast and in the care of Dr. Stapleton for a number of years, and is now in Dr. Andrew Nash's charge."
"Mrs. Elizabeth Hutchinson, wife of Mr. David Hutchinson, a well-known and respected resident of New Lambton, died at her residence, Westcourt-road, on Tuesday evening, after a long and painful illness."
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 Hunter Photobank 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. Hunter Photobank, accession number 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. Hunter Photobank, accession number 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. Hunter Photobank, accession number 001 001618Army encampment at Old Racecourse, Newcastle, 13 April 1903. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Hunter Photobank, accession number 001 001620Troops at Old Racecourse, Newcastle, 14 April 1903. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Hunter Photobank, accession number 001 001619Troops at Old Racecourse, Newcastle, 14 April 1903. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Hunter Photobank, accession number 0001 001621.Lancers at Old Racecourse, Newcastle, 14 April 1903. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Hunter Photobank, accession number 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. Newcastle University, 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."
“There are at present no streets that can lay any claim to the name – they are simply cart tracks and foot tracks and when one of these becomes too bad to travel on owners of vehicles simply go and pick out another.”
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 29 March 1886.
Such was the state of roads in New Lambton in 1886 some 18 years after the town began. The need to improve the streets was a major impetus for formation of New Lambton council and was extensively discussed in their very first general meeting in March 1889. To turn rutted dirt tracks to solid roadways the council needed gravel, and as they owned no land, they sought assistance from the local collieries.
For the roads in the southern half of the town, the New Lambton Land and Coal Company allowed the council to obtain material from their quarry at the top of Addison Road. To transport the gravel down the hill, in 1890 the council constructed a 400-yard tramway down to Evescourt Road.
For the roads in the northern half of town, Thomas Croudace, manager of Lambton colliery and mayor of New Lambton, agreed in 1891 for the council to use the company’s quarry in the pit paddock hillside. As before, a tramway was constructed to get material down to the streets. Unsurprisingly, the combination of skips, rails, and a steep incline proved irresistible to local lads. In October 1891 a 13-year-old boy was severely injured when the skip he was riding down the hill left the rails.
After the initial construction of roads, the council does not appear to have used the Lambton colliery quarry again. The company sold the land to developers in 1956 and the location of the former quarry is now hidden by housing. In Addison Road the council purchased the quarry in 1896 and continued using it until the 1920s. The land is vacant today, but still has a few reminders of its past use lying amongst the undergrowth.
A 1906 view over New Lambton, with the Lambton colliery quarry in the hillside above. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Newcastle University, Living Histories.The Lambton colliery quarry is now obscured by housing.At the top of Addison Road a drill hole in a fallen rock is a reminder of the site’s past use as a quarry..Portion of Barrett’s 1910 map showing the Lambton colliery quarry, and the New Lambton Council quarry at the top of Addison Road. Newcastle University, Living Histories.
The article above was first published in the December 2023 edition of The Local.
Additional Information
New Lambton colliery began operations in June 1868 and a township soon formed around it. The following year The Newcastle Chronicle reported on the progress of the town, including the state of the roads …
As yet no streets have been formed, and, with the exception of a kind of a main road, leading through the mostly inhabited part of the township, there is no other thoroughfare, and from the multiplicity of the stumps that are still visible, even in close proximity to the houses, perambulating the village in a dark night must be a difficult undertaking. It would be most advisable for the residents to take early steps for making one or two tolerably passable streets, for the lack of this convenience in any township is a serious drawback.
Despite this advice for better roads, seven years later the roads were still in need of much attention.
Bad roads are now the order of the day, and between Old and New Lambton they are in a very bad and almost impassable state, owing chiefly to the recent heavy rain.
The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser, 5 August 1876
Twelve years on, the lack of decent roads was a leading inspiration for the residents of New Lambton to press for the creation of a municipal council.
It is rumoured that an effort is to be made to have this town incorporated and proclaimed a municipality. There are at present no roads or streets other than the main road to Newcastle that can lay any claim to the name. They are simply cart tracks and foot tracks and when one of these becomes too bad to travel on owners of vehicles simply go and pick out another, which for a time suits them, and so on. If the place was incorporated, this state of things would soon become a thing of the past, because regular streets would be laid out, made, and maintained, and every traveller and resident would enjoy the benefit – a benefit which would far more than recoup the few shillings per year the inhabitants would pay in rates.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 29 March 1886.
Addison Road Quarry
Within a year of the council being formed in 1889, the Improvement Committee was seeking permission from Alexander Brown (managing director of the New Lambton colliery) to use their quarry for road making materials. At the council meeting of 12 March 1890 the committee recommended …
That a deputation wait upon Mr. A. Brown to see what terms he would allow the council to open out quarries upon lots 36 and 37, near Mr. Hincks’ house; also to see upon what terms he would allow the council the use of 400yds of rails and sleepers. 2. That a tramway be laid from the proposed quarries down to near Mr. Hilton’s place, a distance of about 400yds; also that a tip and shoot be erected.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 14 March 1890.
Lots 36 and 37, Section R, DP1949 – the location of the quarry referred to in the 12 March 1890 meeting of New Lambton council. SIX maps.
The 12 March 1890 meeting of New Lambton council refers to the quarry being “near Mr Hincks” house. Land title Vol-Fol 1468-110 shows that Richard Hincks’ property was at the top of Addison Rd, opposite the quarry. Sometimes the newspapers referred to the quarry as “Hincks quarry”, simply because it was near his house.
The improvement committee’s report recommended that a tramway be laid “down to near Mr. Hilton’s place, a distance of about 400yds”. Land title Vol-Fol 992-68 shows that Matthew Hilton owned lots 22 and 23 near the bottom of Addison Rd.
Matthew Hilton’s property, Addison Rd, New Lambton. Vol-Fol 992-68.
We have no information on the exact route of the tramway, but a straight line of 400 yards in length (shown in yellow below) matches the distance between the quarry and Hilton’s property.
The quarry (left) and Hilton’s property (right), with the distance between them being approximately 400 yards.
The council’s request to use the colliery’s quarry proved successful. The council meeting of 26 March 1890 reported …
From the Mayor and Alderman Gray, who had interviewed Mr. A. Brown, when that gentleman offered to allow the council to work the gravel quarry on lots 36 and 37 on the New Lambton estate at the rate of 4d per yard, and the use of rails and sleepers for a tramway free of charge
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 28 March 1890.
Four tenders were received, resulting in the tender of Hinton & Co., being accepted for the sum of £23 18s 6d. The tender of Hinton and Co. was also accepted for the construction of a tramway hopper, for the sum of £79 18s.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 16 May 1890.
Hinton completed the tramway, but being more work than he anticipated he asked the council for extra payment. The curt response was that …
… the contractors to be informed of the previous decision of the council to the effect that they cannot feel justified in paying extras, as the work for which extras are claimed was provided for in the specifications.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 16 August 1890.
In February 1896 the council resolved to “negotiate with the New Lambton Company for the purchase of lots 36 and 37, section S, near Hinck’s, for a quarry” and also “to place the tramline in order.” The Company agree to sell the the two lots for £15 each, but after a further inspection of the site the Mayor reported that …
… he was of opinion that the council would act wisely in purchasing four allotments from the New Lambton Co., as it was clear the gravel extended with a much larger face in the two allotments through from the present quarry. Alderman Williams moved, “That £50 be offered to the company for the four lots.”
The sale of 4 lots of land totalling 1.2 acres was completed in September 1896.
Sale of land from “The New Lambton Land and Coal Company” to “The Borough of New Lambton”, September 1896. Vol-Fol 1203-130.
In October 1896, the newspaper reported that
A boy named Benjamin Taite met with a painful accident yesterday morning. He was walking along the rails of the Quarry line, and somehow or other slipped and fell on his arm, breaking both bones near the wrist.
It is not absolutely certain which “Quarry line” is referred to, but I strongly suspect that it is the Addison Road quarry line, as this is the quarry recently purchased by the council and which they had expressed their intention earlier in the year “to place the tramline in order.”
There are various references to the quarry in the ensuing years. At a 1924 council meeting, correspondence was received from “S.A. Mining Company, granting permission to council to remove gravel from Hincks’ quarry.” At first glance, this appears a little odd, as the council owned Hincks’ quarry, so why would they need permission from the Scottish Australian Mining Company? This can be explained by viewing the extent of the quarry in a 1944 aerial photograph, and overlaying land boundaries, and noting that the quarry extended into Scottish Australian Mining Company land holdings. Presumably this extension westwards was because that was where good gravel could be obtained.
A 1944 aerial photograph overlaid with council’s 1896 purchase of land for a quarry (white) and the extension purchased in 1925 (purple), which shows that the quarry also extended westwards into the land holding of the Scottish Australian Mining Company.
In October 1924 New Lambton Council …
… on the recommendation of the Mayor, decided to increase its quarry property. The council will acquire two blocks of land at a cost of £25 each. This land adjoins Hinks’s quarry, and includes another block. The land contains gravel for street construction and repairs.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 9 October 1924.
This land purchase (lots 3 and 25 of Section S of DP1949) was completed in April 1925. Vol-Fol 3735-122.) There is a brief mention of Hincks’ Quarry in 1926.
The steam lorry had been engaged for the fortnight in street patching with gravel from Fern Quarry. The motor lorry arrived on July 8, and was being used in carting gravel from Hincks’ quarry, and was doing good work.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 15 July 1926.
After this date there are no more mentions of this quarry being actively used, presumably because the council was now sourcing its gravel requirements from the larger Fern Quarry (located on Peatties Road Kotara) that they purchased in August 1926. (Vol-Fol 3808-23)
Lambton Colliery Quarry
A note on street names: The Lambton colliery quarry was used for the construction of streets in the northern part of New Lambton, on the Commonage. Due to a mix up many of these streets were given one name by the council, and a different name by the Lands Department in Sydney. Eventually the council had to give way to the Lands Department names. Hence a number of street names mentioned below in council reports are now known by a different name. See the article “Sadly Bungled Street Names” for further details.
In June 1890, Thomas Croudace, alderman on the New Lambton council and also manager of the Lambton Colliery …
… offered on behalf of the company, to allow the council to quarry chatrock on the Lambton Company’s estate at a price to be fixed at a future date.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 7 June 1890.
Chatrock is gravel smaller than pea gravel, but larger than sand. In April 1891 the council made formal moves to request use of the Lambton colliery quarry.
Alderman THOMAS moved, that a deputation, consisting of Aldermen Capewell, Lonsdale, and Hitchcock, wait upon Mr. Croudace, and ask his permission to use the colliery quarry for Dent and Gibson streets contracts.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 24 April 1891.
The Mayor (Thomas Croudace) intimated that he would do his utmost as regards letting the council have gravel to make Dent and Gibson-streets.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 8 May 1891.
The request was granted and the council then called for tenders for the extracting gravel from the quarry. In July 1891 the contractors, Messrs Friel and Curran, wrote to the council …
… stating that the gravel in the colliery quarry was much heavier than in Russell-street, and asking for consideration; the means of conveying it would also be inconvenient and costly.
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 3 July 1891.
Although no formal resolution of the council regarding the transportation of gravel is recorded in newspaper reports, the council decided that a tramway down the hill was required, and sought the co-operation of the Lambton Colliery in its construction. In October 1891 the council resolved …
… That Aldermen Lonsdale and Capewell wait upon Mr. F. Croudace in regard to the speedy completion of the quarry tramway … The MAYOR and Alderman DEAN reported that Mr. F. Croudace had promised to provide rails and sleepers for the tramway in Dent-street.”
With a lack of worksite security combined with the lure of adventures, soon afterwards the paper reported that
ON Tuesday evening a serious accident happened to a boy, aged 13 year, son of Mr. Simeon Davies, New Lambton. It appears the boy, with a companion, was riding on some full skips, which were being brought down a steep incline from the quarry in the Lambton Colliery paddock. The skips left the rails and threw the boys off, injuring the boy Davies severely. He was at once conveyed home and medical assistance procured, when it was found that his arm had suffered a compound fracture, and his leg was fractured above the ankle. It is feared the injuries to the arm will necessitate amputation. The boy at present is in a critical condition.
It is unclear when the council ceased using the Lambton colliery quarry as a source of gravel. The last mention in the newspapers is in June 1892 where the Mayor is permitted to engage men “in quarrying gravel in Russell-street, also in the colliery quarry.” Presumably after the council purchased the Addison Road quarry in 1896, there would have been little need to use the Lambton colliery quarry.
Portion of Parrott’s 1893 map, that shows the Lambton colliery quarry, the tramway leading down to Wickham Road, with the words “Tram” and “Quarry” colourised for emphasis. National Library of Australia.
Close up view from 1906 of the Lambton colliery quarry and the path of the former tramway down to the streets of New Lambton. Newcastle University, Living Histories.
In a 1938 aerial photograph the path of the quarry tramway can be clearly seen leading from the former quarry near the intersection of Croudace St and Russell Rd, down to Wickham Rd. Newcastle University, Living Histories.
The land on which the quarry was located was sold by the Scottish Australian Mining Company in July 1956 (Vol-Fol 7114-143) and by the mid 1960s suburban development of the area was well underway.
Aerial photography from 1966 shows ongoing suburban development in the former Lambton colliery pit paddock and quarry area. NSW Historical Imagery.
Other New Lambton quarries
The reports of the meetings of New Lambton council mention numerous other local quarries in the period 1899 to 1938. Some of these are named by location. Some are named after a person, although it is often not clear whether the person is the owner of the quarry, the main worker in the quarry, or just someone who lived nearby as was the case with Hincks’ quarry.
"Alderman CROUDACE offered, on behalf of the company, to supply the ashes and to allow the council to quarry chatrock on the Lambton Company's estate at per yard; the price to be fixed at a future date."
"The foreman reported verbally that the Mayor had promised to allow the council to obtain gravel from the colliery quarry. Alderman THOMAS moved, that a deputation, consisting of Aldermen Capewell, Lonsdale, and Hitchcock, wait upon Mr. Croudace, and ask his permission to use the colliery quarry for Dent and Gibson streets contracts."
"From Messrs. Friel and Curran, stating that the gravel in the colliery quarry was much heavier than in Russell-street, and asking for consideration; the means of conveying it would also be inconvenient and costly."
"From Mr. Alexander Brown, managing director of the New Lambton Company, offering lots 36 and 37, section R, for £15 each as a quarry, the council to pay cost of transfer."
Motiona at New Lambton Council "That the managing director of the New Lambton Land and Coal Co. (Mr. A. Brown) be requested to dedicate and align Carrington Parade and Addison-road for the purpose of enabling the council to form and make the roadway to the quarry in a proper manner."
"A boy named Benjamin Taite met with a painful accident yesterday morning. He was walking along the rails of the Quarry line, and somehow or other slipped and fell on his arm, breaking both bones near the wrist."
Correspondence from "S.A. Mining Company, granting permission to council to remove gravel from Hinck's quarry, at the same royalty and conditions applicable to Fern quarry, until such time as the latter quarry was again available."
"The steam lorry had been engaged for the fortnight in street patching with gravel from Fern Quarry. The motor lorry arrived on July 8, and was being used in carting gravel from Hincks' quarry, and was doing good work."
"A landslide in Addison-road, New Lambton, was not due to mine subsidence, according to an expert's report. An inspection of a nearby disused gravel quarry indicated the underlying strata consisted of about
four feet of clay shale sub-soils lying on a bed of hard conglomerates."
In March 1891, Thomas Williams purchased land near Broadmeadow station, and submitted an application for a a conditional publican’s licence “for premises proposed to be erected at the intersection of the Adamstown and Newcastle-Wallsend roads to be known by the sign of the Jersey Hotel.” Williams engaged James Henderson, the eminent architect of the ornate Victoria Theatre in Perkins Street Newcastle, to design a three storey, 15-room brick hotel.
With the building completed in early 1892 and after a change of mind on the name, Williams applied for the publican’s license he needed for his Premier Hotel to commence trading. On Thursday 17 March 1892 the Licensing Bench approved his application, but instead of downing drinks in celebration, Williams found his hotel in the drink due to inundation. That very night the heavens opened and Newcastle was drenched with torrential rain, with flooding reported at Wallsend, Waratah, Lambton, and New Lambton. At Broadmeadow “the flat between Adamstown and New Lambton and down to Lambton-road was one sheet of water on Friday morning.” Ralph Snowball photographed the newly licensed hotel, an island of refuge in an expanse of water.
The deluge had tragic consequences when “an elderly man named Edward Atkinson fell into a waterhole while looking for cows in a paddock near Adamstown and was drowned.” Once again, citizens called on the government to get on with its long-promised drainage scheme for the area. The main stormwater drain through the Broadmeadow flats was completed in 1895, but the area around the Premier Hotel continued to be impacted by flooding until the completion of the Adamstown branch of the drain in 1899. In 1939 the hotel was rebuilt as an attractive two storey structure in the art deco style. Having survived a natural disaster in 1892, the hotel suffered damage in the 1989 earthquake and was repaired as a smaller, simpler building. Plans for a $34 million redevelopment of the site are now before Newcastle Council, for a nine-storey apartment building with ground floor pub.
Details from Land title Vol-Fol 1021-71, showing purchase of portion 2101 of the Newcastle Pasturage Reserve by Thomas Williams on 11 March 1891.
Pages 227-229 of “Early Architects of the Hunter Region” by Les Reedman shows three drawings by James Henderson of “New brick hotel, Newcastle Pasturage Reserve, near Broadmeadow Station, 1891”. The inscription on the top of the facade shows the originally proposed name of “Jersey Hotel”.
Premier Hotel, Broadmeadow, 18 March 1892 – looking westwards along Denison St. Photo by Ralph Snowball. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.Denison St Hamilton, August 2023. (The present day Premier Hotel is hidden behind the building with the blue awnings at the end of the street.)Premier Hotel, Broadmeadow, 13 September 1902. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Newcastle Library, Hunter Photobank, Accession Number 001 001055.Nineways, Broadmeadow, with Premier Hotel in the background, September 1923. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.Premier Hotel, Broadmeadow, 1959. Newcastle Library, Hunter Photobank. Accession Number 460 000055.The Nineways, Broadmeadow, NSW, Australia [c.1960’s]. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.
2023 Development Application
In a curious coincidence, just a week after I had completed writing this article for “The Local”, news emerged that the owners of the Premier Hotel have submitted a Development Application (DA2023/00886) to Newcastle Council for a $34 million development to demolish the existing structure and erect an nine-story building with hotel on the lower floors, and 48 apartment units on the upper floors.
Proposed re-development of the Premier Hotel at the intersection of Brunker Road and Chatham Street. Image from the architectural plans for DA2023/00886.
Update 20 Feb 2024: The Hunter Central Coast Regional Planning Panel has rejected the proposed development, stating that “The proposed development does not respond to its current context and is out of scale with surrounding development.”
"I, THOMAS WILLIAMS, of Carrington,
Landholder, do hereby give notice that
I desire to obtain, and will, at the next
Quarterly Licensing Court, to be holden at
Newcastle on the ninth day of April next,
apply for a Certificate, authorising the issue
of a Conditional Publican's License, for pre
mises proposed to be erected at the Junction
of the Adamstown-road with the Newcastle-
Wallsend-road, to be known by the sign of
"Jersey Hotel," and to contain fifteen
rooms, exclusive of those required for the
use of the family."
Licensing court … "Thos. Williams applied for a conditional publican's license for premises
proposed to be erected at the intersection of the Adamstown and Newcastle-Wallsend roads to be known by the sign of the Jersey Hotel." Despite objections from the police "the Bench said the plans showed
that the house would be a good one; and, as there was nothing against the character of Mr. Williams, the application was granted."
James Henderson, architect, tenders invited for “the Erection and Completion of extensive BRICK HOTEL PREMISES at Adamstown, near Broadmeadow Railway Station, for Mr. Williams.” Tenders close 20 June.
"The Premier Hotel, the property of Mr. T. Williams, situated at the intersection of Adamstown. Lambton, and Waratah roads, is near completion.” [This is the first mention of “Premier Hotel” in the newspapers.]
At "he Licensing Bench yesterday … an application for a license for new premises situated at the junction of the Adamstown and Wallsend roads was also granted."
"Waratah. The heavy rain which fell during Thursday night again caused a considerable overflow in the streets, and particularly in the vicinity of the station."
"New Lambton. THE HEAVY RAIN. The heavy rain, which fell during Thursday night, flooded the properties on the Lambton Road, adjoining the tramline. The large drains overflowed, and across both the road and the tramline was one sheet of water. Some of the residents had to leave their houses to take care of themselves, and seek shelter in the tramwaiting shed at the Raspberry Gully line crossing."
"Plattsburg. STORM WATERS. The exceptional downpour of rain early on Friday morning very soon flooded all the low-lying land, and the result was that the residents of Nelson-street, from John-street to the bridge, were again flooded. On this occasion the water rose some 9in higher than the former floods."
"Lambton. During Thursday night the heavy rains caused a good deal of damage to the streets of the municipality by washing gravel and other road material away. Pearson and Howe streets were flooded, but fortunately not high enough to enter the houses. A thorough system of drainage at the lower end of the district from New Lambton downwards, through Hamilton, is necessary to prevent these periodical floods, as the water then would have an opportunity of free access to the main channels to the sea. But at present it is a source of trouble and expense to the whole of these municipalities, and the sooner the proposed scheme of the Hamilton, New Lambton, and other councils is carried out the better for everybody concerned."
"It was reported yesterday morning that an elderly resident named Edward Atkinson was missing, and supposed to be drowned in Yates' paddock, between Adamstown and New Lambton … which proved to be correct, for after some time the body was brought to the surface, at about 10.30 am. The deceased was 72 years of age."
"In common with other parts of the district the rain has done a deal of damage to the roads in the municipality. The low lands have suffered considerably. The flat between Adamstown and New Lambton and down to Lambton-road was one sheet of water on Friday morning. Numerous dwellings were flooded. People who have lived on the Lambton-road for 17 years say that they never knew the water to be so high as it was on Friday. The proposed high drain will be a blessing to the district, and till it is completed the low lands between Adamstown, New Lambton, and Broadmeadow will continue to be under water in wet weather."
"One of the finest pieces of work done in this district is the much-spoken-of Commonage
drain. The other day we visited the work and were greatly surprised at the proportions of the huge drain. In fact it is— or will be in rainy seasons — a regular canal. It begins half way between New Lambton and Hamilton, and runs in a fairly straight line towards a creek flowing into the Hunter. The drain will easily carry off the storm waters from the large area of country comprising the Commonage."
"BROADMEADOW. Last night at 9 o'clock the flood waters were over Brunker-road, and people from Adamstown who wished to got to the tram were forced to wade through a foot deep of water on the road. A large number of dwellings in the locality, including the Premier Hotel, were surrounded by water."
"The construction of the Adamstown branch of the Commonage drainage work has been delayed while the culvert under the Government railway was in course of construction. With the exception of a small portion near the railway culvert, the drain is completed to near the Adamstown-New Lambton road."
"The Adamstown branch of the Commonage drain has stopped within a few chains of the Adamstown-New Lambton road near the railway station. The cause of the drain stopping at that point is in consequence of it being found necessary to carry it through private property, and as the authorities have not come to terms with the Waratah Company and other property holders work is suspended and the municipality suffers."
Report on how the flooding in the Broadmead area was not as bad as former times “which is directly due to the Adamstown branch of the Commonage drainage works being opened cross the Lambton-road, and the Adamstown water thus being given straight course to the main drain.”
"Mr. M. S. Love, Acting S.M., yesterday granted Thomas Williams permission to transfer his license of the Premier Hotel, Broadmeadow, to Henry Joseph Denney."
"The Premier Hotel at Broadmeadow,
is to be demolished. On the site will be
erected a modern hotel, in two storeys,
the cost of which will be £20,000.
The architect is Mr. C. Ruwald, of
Sydney."
"To-morrow an official opening ceremony will be held at noon at the Premier Hotel at Broadmeadow to mark the completion of a most attractive and modernly designed addition to the hotels of the district.
The new building has a frontage to two main roads and a striking architectural treatment coupled with most up-to-date interior facilities and furnishings provide an outstanding example of a modern trend in hotel design"
Some things change, some things stay the same. When we look at Ralph Snowball’s photograph of Morehead St Lambton from 125 years ago, the most striking difference is a complete absence of cars. Occupying the street instead is something very familiar to us, people enjoying an outdoor activity on a public holiday. The photo, from the morning of 13 October 1898, shows a group of cyclists at Lambton about to set off on the next leg of a “cycling century run”, a 100-mile ride to Stroud and back.
The event was held as part of the Eight-Hour Day celebrations, the forerunner of our Labour Day public holiday. The ride was a test of endurance rather than speed. There were no trophies for the fastest, but a badge for everyone who finished within the allotted time. The ride was intended for fun, but within limits. At a planning meeting for the ride the committee noted that “any exhibition of larrikinism will lead to disqualification.”
The ride was divided into several legs, with predefined stops where participants would have a paper ticket punched by an official. At 6:30am, 46 cyclists set off from Newcastle Post Office, with the first leg detouring through Adamstown to Lambton to make the total distance up to 100 miles. With the next leg to Raymond Terrace the cyclists enjoyed a short break as they crossed the Hunter River on the Hexham punt. The group reached Stroud at 12.26pm and after an appetising snack commenced the return journey at 1.09pm. Despite darkness falling, and the necessity of walking their bikes up the Sandgate hill due to road repairs, 38 participants arrived back at Newcastle Post Office by 7:30pm, having completed the 100 miles in under 13 hours. Special mention must be made of the three women who completed the course, not only keeping up with the men, but doing so while wearing highly impractical ankle length skirts!
Participants in the Cycling Century, Morehead St Lambton, 13 October 1898. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Newcastle Library. Newcastle Library, Hunter Photobank, Accession Number 163 003938.The same view in Morehead St in 2023.
The article above was first published in the September 2023 edition of The Local.
Additional Information
The full text of the newspaper report on the cycling century run is reproduced below.
The Cycling Century Run. This event came off yesterday, and proved a thorough success. The route was to Stroud and back, a deviation being made in the morning through Hamilton and Lambton and across to Waratah to make up a deficiency in the mileage. The start, was made very nearly sharp to time, 6.30, though there were several laggards, who came on late. Forty-six started, including four ladies, with the intention of trying to get right though, and there were two others who went as far as the Twelve Mile only. Mr. J. D. Smith set the pace to Hexham Punt, 14 miles, which was reached at 7.57, three minutes late, some delay occurring at Lambton, where the second puncturing of tickets was made, because the secretary had hung behind with the puncturing instrument to puncture the tickets of the idle starters. The punt was left at 8.10. From this point Mr. W. T. Gibb, jun., set the pace. The Terrace, six miles, was reached at 8.40, about 6 min being made up, loss 1 min, and after 15min spell, another start was made for McNiven’s, Derlang, or the Twelve Mile, Mr. Gibb still pacing. The Twelve Mile was reached at 10.3, time table time exactly. Here a most excellent breakfast was provided. Sharp to time. 10.33, another start was made, Mr. H. A. Graham setting the pace to Stroud, F. Woods’ hotel (21 miles). On this section the pacemaker being as a matter of fact paced pace was broken, and despite an unprogrammed halt of 10 minutes being called halfway, the arrival at Stroud was made at 12.26, 13 minutes ahead of schedule time. A most appetising snack was here provided, a rest being taken of 30 minutes for those who ran to time, the scorchers, and among them the pacer and his hustlers, and those who allowed themselves to be bustled with him, getting 43 minutes. Nevertheless there was some complaining. Mr. Flood provided a very appetising snack. Sharp at 1.9-the schedule time-the return, journey was commenced, Mr. Brett setting the pace back to Witt’s Half-way House at Limeburner’s Creek for dinner, the bustled pacemaker on his last century closing up the rear. Witt’s was reached (16 miles) at 2.50, five minutes behind schedule time a five-minute spell (uncatalogued) being taken half-way. The three nasty hills, up and down, up and down in sharp succession, going into and coming out of Stroud, proved very trying. Mr. Witt provided a very excellent dinner. Leaving Witts’ to time, 3.45, the run to Raymond Terrace (16 miles) was made with Mr. Krempin setting the pace, inside schedule time, the arrival being made at 5.15 instead of 5.21. Leaving here at 5.36, after 21 minutes’ spell, Hexham punt was made, in schedule time, and the departure thence, with plenty in hand for completing the journey in schedule time, despite the darkness and the necessity for walking the Sandgate Hill, now under repair. From Hexham punt to Waratah Mr. D. Gordon set the pace, and thence home, Mr. H. Warr. Thirty-eight tickets were handed in at the Newcastle Post-office, which was reached at 7.28, two minutes inside schedule time, the distance proving fully the 100 miles, cyclometers saying 101 to 102. It is reasonably believed that one name may have to be added to the list, that of a rider who had to inflate his tyres every three quarters of a mile or so, and who is believed, to have arrived home at about 10 minutes to 8, and to have been unable to find the secretary to hand in his ticket, though that functionary was standing at the Criterion Hotel corner till 7.45 on the lookout for stragglers. It was a very pleasant day, and although the heat was pretty severe, and the dust rather bad in places, it must necessarily be called a pleasant ride of its kind, no wind of any moment interfering either way; and regarding these century runs it has always to be remembered that there are scores of young athletic men about to whom they are by no means a severe trial. All the same, they are a very fair average test of one’s capabilities of enduring physical fatigue; and, for instance, those able to perform such a feat are fit, without, much preliminary hardening, for active military service in emergency. Skill, however, is of course no small item in the programme. The names of those who handed in their tickets at the post office are given hereunder: – Ladies: Mesdames Snow (North Sydney Bicycle Club), Greenwood, and Harry. Men: Messrs. W. T. Gibb, jun., T. Snow (North Sydney Bicycle Club), – Patey, T. S. Everett, F. Hughes, F. W. Krempin, H. Warr, Albert Hopkins, E. Barnes, George Proctor, A. W. Judd, W. J Greenwood, Percy Taylor, – Hawthorne, Walter Taylor, D. Meldrum, J. H. Parker, – Garrett, D. Gordon, C. Sanders (pumping for an obscure puncture every five miles), T. Lee, D. Murray, W. Brett, J. Quinn, E. Bruderlin, R. Gordon, H. A. Graham, J. T. Smith, James Blanch, W. Welford, A. Quinn, D. Powell, W. H. Bartrop (Singleton), D. J. Young, and J. D. Smith.
"Matters in connection with the proposed century run on Eight Hour Day are in active progress, and in the hands of a reliable committee. Newcastle to Singleton and return will probably be the chosen route, in consequence of the immediate proximity of the road to the railway line, which would give exhausted wheelers a chance to take the services of the train if so desired."
A meeting of the committee organising the cycling century run. Decision to ride to Stroud and back. "Any riders passing the pace-makers will be disqualified, and any exhibition of larrikinism will also lead to disqualification. Those successfully completing the journey will receive a badge."
Thanks to Ralph Snowball’s extensive archive of glass plate negatives, we have thousands of clear views into our city’s past. But Snowball also dabbled in one of the photographic crazes of the 19th century, stereoscopy.
Our perception of a three-dimensional world comes from having two eyes, each seeing the same scene from a slightly different point. Our brain combines the images to give us sense of how close or far away objects are. Stereoscopic photography mimics this by using a camera with two horizontally separated lenses, that capture two images of a scene. Prints can then be mounted on a stereoscopic viewer, a goggle like apparatus that uses lens to combine the two images to give us the impression of a three-dimensional view.
Newcastle University’s Living Histories collection contains eight stereoscopic images by Snowball, including views of New Lambton, Newcastle harbour and the beach. The negatives have varying degrees of damage, with the best-preserved example being of a Chinese market garden vendor at the foot of the steps of Snowball’s home in Clarence Road, New Lambton.
Not many people have an antique stereoscopic viewer lying around the house, but YouTube, that modern purveyor of DIY solutions has an alternative. A video (https://youtu.be/jIh8zetHB9E) demonstrates how to create your own viewer using a few tools, cheap plastic reading glasses from a bargain store, and a small threaded bolt.
I achieved best viewing results when photos were printed with each image 7cm wide. I placed the images on a well-lit horizontal surface with a gap of a few centimetres between them. With the connecting bolt of the glasses against my nose, and at a viewing distance of about 40cm, I used my left eye to focus on the left-hand image and slowly moved the right image inwards until the two images merged. It can take a while to master the technique, but when you do, the effect is both startling and enchanting to suddenly see history in 3D.
Chinese market garden vendor at Ralph Snowball’s residence, Clarence Road New Lambton, September 1886. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.The DIY 3D glasses viewer, with examples of Snowball’s stereoscopic images.
The article above was first published in the August 2023 edition of The Local.
Many readers will have memories of the iconic corner shop, selling groceries and daily necessities in the midst of suburban housing. But it was not only the mixed businesses that set up on the prominent and prized corner blocks.
In 1892 the Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate in a feature article on the “rapidly-rising mining suburb of New Lambton” noted “a hairdressing saloon is kept by Mr. T. Griffiths.” In 1903 Ralph Snowball photographed Thomas Griffiths’ hairdresser and tobacconist shop, situated on the corner of Lambton Road and Rugby Road. The subsequent history of the business is somewhat difficult to determine, there being at least four different Thomas Griffiths in early New Lambton, two of whom lived on Lambton Road. Aerial photographs from the NSW Historical Imagery website show that the shop building was demolished sometime between 1966 and 1974.
The other end of Lambton Road, at the intersection with Railway Street, was another location of corner commerce. William Oldham originally intended to open a hotel there, and in 1876 he applied three times for a publican’s license, without success. Advertisements indicate that by 1878 he was running a butcher shop there, and when William died in 1889 his son Joseph took over.
However, it seems Joseph Oldham was more interested in civic service than continuing the family business. When New Lambton Municipality formed in 1889, Joseph was one of the nine aldermen first elected to the Council. In March 1890 he was elected as New Lambton’s second mayor.
Thomas Griffiths’ residence and shop, corner of Rugby Road and Lambton Lane, 12 February 1903. Photo by Ralph Snowball. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.While suburban corner shops have mostly disappeared, town shopping precincts such as Regent Street in New Lambton have survived, despite the dominance of the corporate shopping centres.
The article above was first published in the May 2023 edition of The Local.
Additional Information
Thomas Griffiths, hairdresser
Identifying the location of Thomas Griffiths hairdressing salon photographed by Snowball in 1903, was a tricky process, due to scant information, and there being more than one person named Thomas Griffiths in New Lambton at the time.
Personal notices in the newspaper on 5 February 1885 and 7 February 1885 show that Thomas and Mary Griffiths had a house “opposite the public school”, and that Mary, not Thomas, was the owner of the house. This area was part of the Newcastle Pasturage Reserve, also known as the Commonage. After the government had passed legislation to allow residents of the Commonage to purchase the land they were living on, an application by Mary Griffiths to to purchase portion 1306 for £78 16s was accepted by the Land Board on 14 August 1890. On 13 September1892 there is a brief mention in a newspaper article on the progress of New Lambton that “a hairdressing saloon is kept by Mr. T. Griffiths.”
Mary’s purchase of land portion 1306 was later registered on 20 June 1901 in Vol-Fol 1365-3, with the purchaser shown as “Mary Griffiths, a married woman of New Lambton.”
Purchase of Portion 1306 by Mary Griffiths.
In October 1901, portion 1306 was subdivided into two halves, with the western half (on the corner with Lambton Lane) sold to “Thomas Griffiths of New Lambton, Hairdresser” in Vol-Fol 1377-2.
Vol-Fol 1377-2
The northern half was retained by Mary Griffiths, however the land title Vol-Fol 1377-14 on 16 October 1901 now lists her as “Mary Griffiths of New Lambton, Widow“. This suggests that her husband Thomas had died sometime prior to October 1901, and that she had a son. also named Thomas, who was the hairdresser.
Vol-Fol 1377-14
The Federal Directory of Newcastle and Districts in 1901, lists Thomas Griffiths as a barber in Lambton Road.
Ralph Snowball took a second photograph of Thomas Griffith’s residence and shop, from a different angle. 12 February 1903. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.A 1906 Snowball photograph shows Thomas Griffiths shop and house in Rugby Rd, with the shop now having an awning extending over the footpath. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.An aerial photograph from 1944 shows T Griffiths shop and house on the corner of Rugby Rd and Lambton Lane. NSW Historical Imagery.
I have not been able to determine how long Thomas Griffiths operated as a hairdresser at the Rugby Road site. Griffiths retained ownership of the land until 1955, when it was sold to “Glen Maloney of New Lambton, hairdresser.”
Transfer of land from Thomas Griffiths to Glen Maloney. Vol-Fol 1377-2
Although there’s no indication of where exactly in New Lambton the following photo of Glen Maloney was taken, as I hated having my hair cut as a kid I couldn’t resist including this photo.
Glen Maloney, barber in New Lambton. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 20 May 1950.
Also living on Lambton Road, was another Thomas Griffiths, who was a miner. On 14 August 1890, Griffiths’ application for portion 1300 on the Newcastle Pasturage Reserve was accepted, and the purchase later registered on land title Vol-Fol 2141-172., when the land ownership was transferred to his wife Mary after his death on 7 March 1910.
Mr. Thomas Griffiths, an old and respected resident of New Lambton, died very suddenly yesterday … He followed the occupation of a miner, and worked in the old Borehole mine in its early stages and afterwards at the Lambton Colliery when first opening out. He continued at this mine until it temporarily suspended operations, some few years ago, after which he retired from active work.
Newcastle Morning herald and Miners’ Advocate, 8 March 1910.
The first mention of William Oldham as a butcher in New Lambton is on 14 September 1878, in a public notice advising that Oldham was taking sole control of the butchering business formerly conducted in partnership with Michael Fenwick. The exact location of the business is not stated in the notice, nor in subsequent advertisements.
Advertisement for W Oldham, butcher, New Lambton. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 1 December 1880.
The first time the location of Oldham’s butcher shop is revealed, is in an advertisement on 5 June 1886 where the premises are described as being “near New Lambton Bridge.” An 1887 article on tramway stops makes it clear that the bridge referred to was the Lambton Colliery bridge.
If the traffic manager would appoint a stopping place on the New Lambton side of the railway bridge near Mr. Oldham’s butcher’s shop, he would confer a boon on the large number of people living around.
On 19 August 1890, the application by Joseph W. Oldham to purchase portion 1890 of the Newcastle Pasturage Reserve was granted by the Land Board, and the ownership subsequently registered on land title Vol-Fol 1061-30.
Portion 1290 of the Newcastle Pasturage Reserve purchased by Joseph W Oldham in 1890.
Advertisement for sale of Oldham’s butcher shop. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 28 February 1891.
Joseph Oldham died on 15 January 1929, with his obituary outlining a very varied career …
Born at Lambton in 1861, Mr. Oldham had a varied career. At one period he was a master butcher at New Lambton, but sold out, and was appointed works foreman of New Lambton Council. In addition, he was an alderman and was the second Mayor to occupy the chair of New Lambton Council. He occupied the position of works foreman for five years, and then became the licensee of the Commercial Hotel. The South African diamond mines next claimed Mr. Oldham’s attention, and he was away from Australia for nearly two years. Returning, he was engaged at the West Wallsend and Lambton collieries as a miner and check inspector. Mr. Oldham next accepted the position of town clerk of Lambton. He remained there seven years, and 18 years ago was appointed town clerk at Stockton. He occupied this position for 11 years, and resigned to again enter into business on his own account. Real estate claimed his attention, and he also assisted his sons with their butchery business.Mr. Oldham is survived by his wife, four sons (Messrs. Joseph, Leslie, Eric and Hiram Oldham), and six daughters (Mesdames J. Collinson, J. Webster, E. M. Hughes, H. Hutton, C. L. Sutton and Miss Jean Oldham). One son was killed at the war.
The first modern shopping centre to open in Australia, was a Chermside in the suburbs of Brisbane, in May 1957. In Newcastle the first shopping centre was opened by Woolworths at Jesmond in 1964. Named the Jesmond Regional Shopping Centre, the 12 acre site on Bluegum Road Jesmond had 25 shops including a Big W store.
Jesmond Regional Shopping Centre. Woolworths advertisement in The Canberra Times, 9 November 1965.
"NOTICE TO BUTCHERS, STOREKEEPERS, AND OTHERS. I WILL not be responsible for any debts contracted by my wife Mary Griffiths, on and after this date. THOMAS GRIFFITHS, Opposite Public School, New Lambton."
"CAUTION. THE public are hereby cautioned not to PURCHASE the HOUSE opposite the Public School, New Lambton, which was advertised for sale by Thomas Griffiths, as the house belongs to me. MARY GRIFFITHS."
"LOST, a Silver-plated Lamp Socket bebetween Young-rd. extension and Broadmeadow. Reward on leaving the same with Thomas Griffiths, Hairdresser, New Lambton."
"A meeting of the friends Mrs. Parson, of Lambton-road, whose husband died a few weeks ago leaving her and 11 children in destitute circumstances, was held at Mr. Thos. Griffiths' hairdresser, last night."
Woolworths report on operations in 1964 ..."During the year , 63 new stores were opened in Australia, many of which were relocation of existing stores.. The most notable development was the establishment of the 25-unit Jesmond Regional Shopping Centre."
"Woolworths Ltd would open a £2 million shopping centre at Kotara, Newcastle, in October, Mr Theo Kelly, chairman and managing director of the company, said today. It would be known as Kotara Fair and would be
the firm's second drive-in shopping centre in the Newcastle district. "The Kotara Fair will provide one-stop shopping for a wide circle of suburbs, being readily accessible from all parts of Newcastle," Mr Kelly said.
The shopping block covers 17 acres and has 170,000 square feet of trading space, comprising an air-conditioned 67,000 sq ft "Big W" department store, a 28,000 sq ft Woolworths supermarket and 27 smaller
shops, available for leasing."
"William Oldham applied, for the third time, for a license for a house situated on the Commonage Reserve, near the Lambton Colliery." Application withdrawn after objections made.
"Mr. W. Oldham, who three times applied for a publican's license, and each time was refused, chiefly through the opposition of Mr. Croudace, has now, I understand, applied for a colonial wine license. Mr. Croudace, determined not to be beaten, has commenced to erect a fence round Oldham's house, so
that if he gets the wine no one shall go near to drink it. They seem determined to fight it out."
"EDWARDS & TIGHE have received instructions from Mr. Oldham, to sell by auction, at his premises, near New Lambton Bridge …50 pigs, 2 double seated buggies …"
"If the traffic manager would appoint a stopping place on the New Lambton side of the railway bridge near
Mr. Oldham's butcher's shop, he would confer a boon on the large number of people living around."
"CLEARING-OUT SALE. Butchers' Plant, shop to be removed, &c., at New Lambton. To Butchers, Dealers, and Others. GEO. T. EDWARDS has been instructed by Mr. Oldham to sell by auction at his shop, near the bridge, Lambton … the W.B. Building now used as shop, … Sausage Machine and Filler; Scales and Weights, Shop Bars and Hooks."
