Category Archives: Suburbs and Towns

Adamstown Hotel

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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 Histories
The 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.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 1 December 1906.
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.”

Licensees of the Adamstown Hotel

Newspaper articles

Article Date Event DateNotes
12 Sep 1874"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."
5 May 1906"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."
11 Sep 1906"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."
22 Nov 1906
19 Nov 1906		"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."
1 Dec 1906"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."
16 Jan 1919
14 Jan 1919		"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."
2 Feb 1927"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."
14 Mar 1927"TENDERS Invited, closing Noon, MONDAY, 28th MARCH, for erection and completion of the Adamstown Hotel, Adamstown, for Tooheys, Limited."
14 Nov 1947Union St renamed to Brunker Rd.
7 Aug 1953"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."

Hamilton North Sports

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For a number of years I used to cycle past the old Hamilton North gasworks site as I commuted to work. I watched as structures were demolished and the site rehabilitated, and wondered about its future use. Back in January 2016 I wrote the following in an e-mail to Mark MacLean …

My 14 year old son is obsessed with sport, and particularly with cricket at the moment and he reckons “they” (the mythical “they” who ought to do stuff) should build a cricket ground in Newcastle capable of hosting Test, ODI and T20 matches. I set him a little task of speculative urban planning, on thinking where “they” could build such a stadium, and I suggested the old gasworks site. As a little experiment, we grabbed an image of the Sydney Cricket Ground and laid it over the gasworks site in Google Earth at the same scale to see if it would fit. Not only did it fit, it looks like it belongs there!

Hamilton North Cricket Ground?

Fast forward to 2024 when there are plans afoot to take away green space from the community and convert existing playing fields into a new basketball stadium on Wallarah and Blackley Ovals. Surely the old gasworks site is a better choice? Using the same technique I used back in 2016, how would the planned basketball stadium fit?

Answer: It fits easily and with oodles of room left over for parking, green space, and future expansion.

Hamilton North Basketball Stadium?

Community Protest

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Sports at Wallarah Oval, 10 August 2024.

The photo above, from 10 August 2024, is of the supposedly “under used” Wallarah and Blackley Ovals in New Lambton. Newcastle’s Labor councillors want to obliterate this and replace it with 3 hectares of concrete and tarmac for a new basketball stadium, a plan riddled with problems and passionately opposed by local residents.

The photo below, also from 10 August 2024, is of a rally held on the adjacent Blackley Oval. Although invited by the rally organisers neither of the two Labor councillors for Ward 3 attended. It’s time to elect new councillors and a new Mayor who actually listen to, and engage with the community. Local Government election day is Saturday 14 September 2024, and there are plenty of alternative candidates. Go vote.

Rally to save Blackley and Wallarah Ovals, with Ward 3 Labor councillors as notable absentees, 10 August 2024.

Centre Pit Tragedy

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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 Photobank
The 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 1877
Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1877 to 1891
Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1891 to 1903
Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1903 to 1912
Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1912 to 1922
Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1922 to 1931
Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1931 to 1940
Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1940 to 1948
Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1948 to 1958
Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1958 to 1974
Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1974 to 2004
Comerford 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.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 25 January 1907.

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.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 16 November 1911.

Newspaper articles

Article Date Event DateNotes
30 Jul 1890Commonage land court hearings - David Hutchinson granted portion 1186 for £20.
19 Jul 1900Report 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."
25 Jan 1907
22 Jan 1907		"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."
16 Nov 1911
15 Nov 1911		"Mr. David Hutchinson, an old resident of New Lambton, died at his residence, Westcourt-road, at an early hour yesterday morning."

Marquis of Lorne Hotel

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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.

Additional Information

See also the entry for the Marquis of Lorne Hotel in my Lambton Hotels page.

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.

Queenscliff Sentinel, 10 May 1884.
Sir John George Edward Henry Campbell

Newspaper articles

Article Date Event DateNotes
18 Oct 1873"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."
6 Dec 1873"Mr. Alexander Smith is about to call for tenders for the erection of a large public house."
17 Jan 1874"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."
27 Jun 1874
20 Jun 1874		"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."
25 Jun 1874"Mr. Alexander Smith, one of our enterprising townsmen, has now opened his really commodious premises, under the title of the Marquis of Lorne Hotel."
27 Jun 1874"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."
27 Jun 1874Advertisement: "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."
1 Jul 1874
29 Jun 1874		"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.'"
2 Jul 1874
1 Jul 1874		"Mr. A. Smith opened his new billiard-room, yesterday, in connection with his new hotel the Marquis of Lorne."
9 Dec 1875
8 Dec 1875		Death of Alexander Smith’s wife.
2 Jun 1876Licence of Marquis of Lorne transferred from Alexander Smith to J Morris.

Lambton Drill Hall

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This month marks 125 years since the Drill Hall in De Vitre Street Lambton was formally opened in 1899.

In 1885 the government authorised the formation of a Volunteer Infantry Corp in the town of Lambton, to be part of the 4th Infantry Regiment of the northern district. The regiment was expanded in response to the threat of war between England and Russia, with the Newcastle Morning Herald and Miner’s Advocate noting that “when Russia is ready for war she will easily find an excuse for making it.”

Initially the volunteers had no permanent base and they performed parade drills in Lambton Park and shooting practice at a rifle range in North Lambton. In October 1898 the Government reserved a block of land in De Vitre Street, and contracted Mr Reffshaw of Sydney to erect a large drill hall with adjoining offices. The official opening was celebrated with a military social on Saturday 3 June 1899.

The hall became the training depot for the Lambton volunteers, and its importance increased with the outbreak of World War 1. On 8 December 1915 a recruiting campaign march began in Narrabri, with 43 men setting off to walk 300 miles to Newcastle.  Nicknamed the “Wallabies”, the marchers held meetings in each town along the way to persuade young men to enlist and join the march. On 7 January 1916, the “Wallabies”, now numbering over 200, reached Lambton and were accommodated in the drill hall. Meetings held that evening added fifteen recruits to their number. In World War 2 the drill hall once again played a crucial role, and was used for recruiting, medical examinations, and training of new enlistments. After the war it was leased for various purposes, including a gymnasium for the National Fitness Committee, and headquarters for the Forestry Commission. The army began using the hall again in 1955, and later the site was used as a Telecom depot. The drill hall was demolished in 1990 and replaced with townhouses.

Lambton Drill Hall in De Vitre Street. Photo from “The March of the Wallabies” by David H Dial.
Site of the former Lambton Drill Hall, 2024.

The article above was first published in the June 2024 edition of The Local.

Additional Information

The article above speaks of the establishment of a volunteer infantry corp in Lambton in 1885. However there was an earlier volunteer rifle corp that existed for a a short time. Just a few years after Lambton was established as a mining town, some residents organised a public meeting in September 1866 to form a volunteer rifle corp. Mentions of this group in Trove seem to disappear in 1870. In April 1878 the inhabitants of Lambton again organise a public meeting “for the purpose of taking into consideration the advisability of forming a Volunteer Corps for the defence of the port, in the event of war taking place.” Nothing seems to have come of this meeting, for there are no further mentions of a volunteer corp at Lambton until the establishment of the infantry corp in March 1884.

Parish map showing location of Lambton Drill Hall on portions 844 and 845, reserved “for Military Purposes. Notified 22 Oct 1898.” Historical Land Records Viewer
Tender for erection of Lambton Drill Hall. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 24 December 1898.

Mr. Reffshaw of Sydney, the contractor for the drill hall to be erected in De Vitre-street, has commenced operations, and the men are now at work laying the concrete foundations. The building will be a large and costly one, and will be for the exclusive use of the Military Department. The material used in the structure is to be wood and iron. The main hall will measure 60ft x 30ft. Adjoining the same there are to be three offices, measuring 11ft x 11ft each. The site is an elevated one, only a few yards from the courthouse, and is very central and suitable for the purpose. The block of land is a portion of the Newcastle Pasturage Reserve, having an area of 200ft by 100ft, the whole to be enclosed with a picket fence. The contract price was £530, the work to be completed in eight weeks.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 13 February 1899.
Infantry Volunteers, Lambton Drill Hall, 28 September 1907. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Newcastle University, Living Histories.

There are not many photos of the old Lambton Drill Hall. However given the size of the building it often appears in the background of general photos of Lambton.

Lambton Drill Hall, 1900. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Newcastle University, Living Histories.
Lambton Drill Hall, 1904. Photo by George Henry Dawkins. Newcastle University, Living Histories.
Lambton Drill Hall, 1908. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Newcastle University, Living Histories.
Lambton Drill Hall, 1909. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Newcastle University, Living Histories.
Lambton Drill Hall, 1912. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Newcastle University, Living Histories.

A number of additions and alterations were made to the Lambton drill hall over the years. The Fort Scratchley archives has a plan showing “the “Proposed Additions & Improvements”. It is hard to tell with the quality of the scan, but the date adjacent to the signature appears to be “20.12.25”. If so then this plan relates to the “erection of additional offices” for which five tenders were received in July 1926. The successful tenderer, announced on 11 August 1926, was H B Sudlow of New Lambton, with a price of £284.

Plan drawing for “Proposed Additions & Improvements” to Lambton Drill Hall. Fort Scratchley archives.
Voluntary helpers, mainly school teachers, at Lambton Drill Hall, checking and sorting enrolment forms and compiling records of men who were called up to enrol for military service in Classes 2 and 3. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 30 January 1942.

Aerial photographs show that the drill hall was still standing in 1987, but by 1993 townhouses had been built on the site.

19871993

Newspaper articles

Article Date Event DateNotes
Lambton Volunteer Rifle Corps - 1866 to 1870
8 Sep 1866"On Thursday evening next, a meeting will be held at Mr. Dent's, Northumberland Hotel, for the purpose of forming a Volunteer Rifle Corps to act in conjunction with Waratah."
15 Sep 1866Public meeting resolves "that the inhabitants of Lambton join those of Waratah in forming a volunteer rifle corps, to be named the Waratah and Lambton volunteer rifle corps."
22 Sep 1866"The volunteers held their committee meetingin the large room of the Northumberland Hotel … a sub-committee to draw up a memorial tendering their services to the Government as a Volunteer Rifle Corps. The corps now numbers at Waratah, fifty-four, and Lambton 31 ; total, 85 strong."
7 Nov 1866"There is some prospect, we understand, of a company of sappers and miners, in connection with the volunteer movement, being formed at Waratah and Lambton. The new corps would take the place of the rifle corps recently established, and would certainly be more in character and better adapted, we should fancy, to the major portion of the population. The suggestion, we are informed, originated with Mr. M. W. Lewis, Esq., who has kindly offered to instruct the corps, should one be formed, in the science of fortifications."
1 Nov 1870Review of Hunter District rifle corps, with Lambton included in list.
16 Apr 1878"A public meeting of the inhabitants of Lambton and neighbourhood was held in the Druids' Hall, Lambton, on Monday evening, for the purpose of taking into consideration the advisability of forming a Volunteer Corps for the defence of the port, in the event of war taking place."

In the period 1871 to 1884, there appears to be no other mentions of a volunteer corp at Lambton until the establishment of the Infantry corp in March 1884.
Lambton Volunteer Infantry Corp, H company of 4th Regiment - 1884 to 1914
7 Mar 1884"His Excellency the Governor, with the advice of the Executive Council, has been pleased to approve of the Infantry in the Northern District, at present consisting of four companies, with head quarters at Newcastle, West Maitland, Singleton, and East Maitland respectively, forming an Administrative Regiment, to be styled the "4th Regiment of New South Wales Volunteer Infantry."
7 Feb 1885"His Excellency, with the advice of the Executive Council, has given authority for the formation of a Volunteer Infantry corps in the town of Lambton, with a captain, first and second lieutenants, colour-sergeant, three sergeants, four corporals, two buglers, and fifty-three privates."
7 May 1885"THE fact of a meeting having been held in the Protestant Hall on Tuesday evening to inaugurate a new Volunteer Infantry Corps, reflects great credit upon those citizens who were present. The probabilities of an immediate war between Russia and England do not appear so imminent as they were a short time back, but it cannot for one moment be supposed that the matters in dispute are finally disposed of."
" … when Russia is ready for war she will easily find an excuse for making it."
"There were 1000 or 1100 volunteers enrolled in and around Newcastle, Lambton, Wallsend, Maitland, etc., which he believed were to defend Newcastle in case of any outbreak."
19 Aug 1885William Francis Xavier Byrne gazetted first lieutenant of the Lambton corps of volunteer infantry.
26 Nov 1887"The Lambton corps of the Volunteer Infantry will parade on the Reserve at 4.30 o'clock this afternoon, for practice in the march-past competition at December 1st."
19 Jul 1888First mention of "H company" of the volunteer force at Lambton.
25 May 1892"The H Company 4th Regiment Infantry enlivened matters considerably in the town by parading the principal streets. The men were commanded by Captain J. B. Nash and Lieutenant S. Williams, and presented a fine appearance. They afterwards were put through several manoeuvres on the parade ground in the park, and at noon fired three volleys in succession in honour of her Majesty. The men in the afternoon again mustered at the shooting range, North Lambton, when the rifle corps match, already in progress, was continued."
16 Feb 1895Request to council "From Dr. J. B. Nash, captain 4th Regiment Infantry, asking for the electric lights to be put on in the rotunda from the 1st instant until further notice, for the purpose of holding recruit drill on the park."
22 Oct 1898"RESERVES FROM SALE FOR MILITARY PURPOSES … County of Northumberland, parish of Newcastle, containing an area of 1 rood 27 perches. The Crown Lands within the boundaries of measured portions 844 and 845 of 1 rood 4¾ perches, and 22¼ perches respectively."
24 Dec 1898Invitation to tender for erection of Lambton drill hall.
13 Feb 1899"Mr. Reffshaw of Sydney, the contractor for the drill hall to be erected in De Vitre-street, has commenced operations, and the men are now at work laying the concrete foundations."
2 Jun 1899"THE Adjourned MILITARY SOCIAL in connection with the Opening of the Lambton Drill Hall will be held THIS FRIDAY NIGHT."
3 Jun 1899
2 Jun 1899		"A military social under the auspices of the Lambton Company, 4th Infantry Regiment, was held to-night in celebration of the opening of the new drill hall at Lambton Major Nash presided."
28 Sep 1903
26 Sep 1903		"A successful social promoted by the members of the Lambton Company, 4th Regiment, was held in the drill hall on Saturday evening."
March of the "Wallabies" - December 1915 to January 1916
24 Dec 1915"The Sergeant Major outlined the programme, and said that the Wallabies now numbered 130, and he hoped they would enter Cessnock on New Years Day about 160 or 170 strong, and number 400 when they reached Newcastle. Offers were accepted of the drill halls at Lambton and Newcastle for the accommodation of the men."
8 Jan 1916
7 Jan 1916		"The arrival of the Wallabies at Lambton was the occasion of great rejoicings among the residents, and will long be remembered as an event that will prove to be historical."
"On their entry into Elder-street they were greeted with cheers by a large crowd of residents. The march proceeded to the drill hall, where the men indulged in a wash.
Fifteen recruits were obtained during the evening, and among the volunteers was Mr. T. Pease, a former delegate of the Colliery Employees' Federation.”
8 Jan 1916"The 'Wallabies' nearly 200 strong, this afternoon completed the Newcastle section of their long and successful recruiting march from Narrabri to Sydney. They left Lambton after breakfast this morning and marched through New Lambton and Broadmeadow to Hamilton … After lunch they completed the two miles to town."
10 Jan 1916
8 Jan 1916		The "Wallabies" march from Lambton to Newcastle.
8 Mar 1916
7 Mar 1916		March of the "Wallabies" from Wallsend to Lambton.
Between WW1 and WW2 - 1919 to 1939
21 Jun 1926"Lambton Drill Hall.—Erection of additional offices. Five tenders received and referred to Works Director."
11 Aug 1926Successful tenderer for additions to Lambton drill hall, H. B. Sudlow, New Lambton, £284/15/-.
19 Aug 1926
17 Aug 1926		Lambton council meeting, letter from "Defence Department (per D. Watkins, M.H.R), with regard to the erection of a miniature rifle range in the drill hall ground, Lambton. It was pointed out that similar ranges were erected through out the Commonwealth, and that few complaints had been received. The department would, however, be glad to receive any suggestion which would adjust the matter, provided that any such proposal would not interfere with military training requirements. Alderman Smith moved that the department be asked to remove the range to the western side of the drill hall."
5 Oct 1927
9 Oct 1927		Lambton Drill Hall used for polling place in NSW State election.
26 Jan 1933
28 Jan 1933		"The official opening of the Sergeants' Mess, of the 35/33rd Battalion at Lambton Drill Hall will be observed by the mess members' on Saturday night."
27 Jan 1937Tenders for repairs and re-roofing of Lambton Drill Hall. Lowest tender received, S. Gabriel, £309/17/6.
World War 2 - 1939 to 1945
2 Jul 1940"In view of the number of dispatch riders who have left the regiment to enlist with either the A.I.F. or R.A.A.F., a number of vacancies exist for motor-cyclists with their machines. Interested motor-cyclists should also apply at the Lambton Drill Hall next Saturday."
3 Sep 1940"Vacancies still exist for trained cooks, preferably with military experience, also batmen and drivers. Applicants must be between 18 and 20, or between 25 and 45, and should apply at the Drill Hall, Lambton, on Tuesday nights at 7.30 o'clock."
1 Aug 1941"There will be a full-day parade of the Newcastle troops of the 16th Machine-gun Regiment at Lambton Drill Hall to-morrow."
7 Jan 1942Medical examinations of Class 2 call-ups to take place at Lambton Drill Hall.
Post World War 2
10 Jan 1946"The first gymnasium organised by a National Fitness Committee in the Newcastle district is to be opened in the Lambton Drill Hall. Secretary of Lambton National Fitness Committee (Mr. R. Hitchcock) said it had been decided this week that the gymnasium would be open two nights a week for boys and youths, and two nights for young women and girls."
10 Apr 1946"Hamilton Division of the St. John Ambulance Brigade had offered to conduct first-aid classes at Lambton Drill Hall. Members of the division will be asked to attend a meeting on April 29 to outline arrangements for the classes. The gymnasium classes will be under Mr. and Mrs. W. Hinton. The gymnasium is open for boys on Monday and Thursday nights and for girls on Tuesday and Friday nights."
25 Sep 1947"Newcastle has no more 'drill halls.' In future they will be known as training depots for members of Australia's Citizen Army. The new name is part of a drive to brighten the training of the citizen soldier. Added facilities to make training depots attractive for young men included the provision of messes and recreational amenities, the Newcastle Area Brigade Major (Major A. C. McInnes) said yesterday."
28 Apr 1949"Offers are invited for the leasing of the Drill Hall property situated in De Vitre-street, Lambton, New South Wales, for a period of three years."
5 Jan 1950Request made "to the G.O.C. Eastern Command (Lieut.-General Berryman) to have the Lambton Drill Hall made available to the council for use as a distribution centre for the [Lambton branch] library. The Lord Mayor said the drill hall could be used to house books and provide room for the staff to catalogue and repair them."
10 Feb 1951The Forestry Commission seeking a site for its headquarters in Lambton.
6 Mar 1953"Lambton Drill Hall, which has been used for some time by the Forestry Commission, was returned to the Army this week. It will be used as headquarters of a City of Newcastle Regiment company."
30 Jun 1955
27 Jun 1955		"Thieves stole three sub-machineguns and five .303 rifles from an army drill hall at Lambton (Newcastle) on Monday night."

Army Encampment, 1897

Reply

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 001618
Army encampment at Old Racecourse, Newcastle, 13 April 1903. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Hunter Photobank, accession number 001 001620
Troops at Old Racecourse, Newcastle, 14 April 1903. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Hunter Photobank, accession number 001 001619
Troops 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 001616
Portion 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.

  1. Searching Trove for information about army encampments in May 1899 reveals no results.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.

Newspaper articles

Article Date Event DateNotes
28 Apr 1894
26 Apr 1894		"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."
4 May 1897"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."
11 May 1897"The military encampment to be held in Newcastle this month is being looked forward to with considerable interest."
18 May 1897"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."
19 May 1897"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."
22 May 1897
21 May 1897		"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."
22 May 1897
21 May 1897		"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."
24 May 1897"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."
24 May 1897"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."
25 May 1897
24 May 1897		Detailed description of the sham fight and mock battles undertaken by the encamped soldiers.
25 May 1897
24 May 1897		"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."
26 May 1897
25 May 1897		"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."
26 May 1897"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."
27 May 1897
26 May 1897		"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."
4 Sep 1914Last reported army encampment in the inner Newcastle suburbs.
4 Nov 1915"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."