Category Archives: Suburbs and Towns

Kotara Railway Station

Reply

In 1924 the Scottish Australian Mining Company, owners of the Lambton colliery, made plans to subdivide several hundred acres of their land to form a new suburb.  To make the estate appealing to potential purchasers, the company constructed a new station on the Great Northern Railway that ran through the middle of their development.

Both the suburb and the station were originally intended to be named “Exton”. However, the Railway Commissioners, concerned that the name was too similar to other existing stations, chose instead the name “Kotara”, the Awabakal word for a hunting club. To avoid confusion, the developers then agreed to rename their subdivision to match the station.

For the first sale of land, held on site on Saturday 17 January 1925, the agents Creer and Berkeley produced a 40-page booklet with panoramic photos, glowing prose for the suburb, and praise for the new station.

“In order that every facility might be afforded to the residents of Kotara, a modern Railway Island Platform, 520ft in length, has been constructed in the Heart of the Suburb, and a regular service is maintained between Newcastle, the other Suburbs, and the Lake.”

In 1925 there were twelve train services each day, but as the platform was unstaffed, travellers faced the inconvenience of having to alight at the next station on the line to purchase tickets.

A century later, Kotara station is largely unchanged. There are now 25 train services each weekday, but a very low patronage of 90 passengers a day. This may change if the state government delivers on their recently announced “Transported Oriented Development Program”, which aims to streamline the development of mid-rise housing (up to 6 storeys) within 400 metres of selected railway stations, including Kotara.

In examining the birth of Kotara 100 years ago, it is interesting to note how the development of housing and the provision of public transport occurred together. Now that’s a practice from the past I’d love to see followed in the future.

The newly constructed Kotara railway station in late 1924. From the 40 page promotional booklet produced for the initial land sale on 17 January 1925. National Library of Australia, Call Number mc N 1870 MCL HIST 553
Kotara railway station, 2024.

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

Additional Information

Kotara Railway Station

For the current day passenger numbers at Kotara Station, I used the Train and Metro Station Monthly Usage numbers from the NSW government Open Data website. This showed that entries and exits totalled 2747 for the month of July 2024. This equates to an average of 89 trips per day, to or from the station.

Kotara Estate

As early as July 1922 there were reports that the Scottish Australian Mining Company planned to subdivide their land adjoining the Tickhole Tunnel of the Great Northern Railway. By October 1923, plans had been drawn up for the subdivision. In 1924 the Kotara Railway Station was constructed, and the streets of the new subdivision prepared, in readiness for the initial big land sale to take place on Saturday 17 January 1925.

Advertisement for sale of Kotara subdivision. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 3 January 1925.

The plans have been prepared for the Scottish-Australian Mining Company of a subdivision of about 200 blocks of land contiguous to the railway line on both sides. For many years eyes have been cast on this area, which lies between the Adamstown railway station and the Tickhole tunnel, and is within easy distance of the city. The design of the big subdivision conforms with the new ideas planning for model suburbs, and provision has been made for park areas, children’s playgrounds, street gardens, plantations, and other recreative utilities. The company has entered into an agreement with the Railway Commissioners for the erection of a railway platform to serve the area.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 17 October 1923.
Kotara Subdivision Plan, Saturday 17 January, 1925. Newcastle University, Living Histories.

Although the initial reports of the auction on 17 January 1925 stated that “160 lots were disposed of in about two hours”, the land wasn’t formally sold at this time, it was just people signing up with intention to purchase. At that time New Lambton Council (the municipality in which the land was located) still hadn’t formally approved the subdivision, being in dispute with the developer about various matters including access to Charlestown Road, and the width of the main streets in the subdivision. After resolving matters, New Lambton council finally approved the subdivision in May 1925. The deposited plan DP13333 for the subdivision was lodged with the Department of Lands on 27 August 1925.

DP13333 lodged on 27 August 1925

Transfers of title arising from land sales in the subdivision subsequently appear in Volume-Folios 905-119, 3878-122, 4350-65, and 5604-172. The first transfer recorded is for Lot 97 Sec A to Leslie Arthur Fitness on 15 September 1925, and the final transfer was for Lot 51 Section B to Thomas Egginton on 21 October 1953.

Despite the January 1925 article reporting that 160 lots had been sold, actual sales and transfers of title occurred over a very long period of time. Examination of the land title records shows that it took until 1944 before 160th lot sold. How much of this delay was due to slowness in purchasers finalising their transaction, and much due to purchases foregoing/forfeiting their lot due to economic pressures is uncertain.

Cumulative sales of lots in subdivision DP1333.
A 1938 aerial photograph of Kotara shows that only 36 dwellings had been constructed in the Kotara Estate subdivision (DP13333) in the thirteen years after the initial land sale in 1925. Newcastle University, Living Histories.
A 1944 aerial photograph shows considerable building work in the previous 8 years, with 67 dwellings now erected in the Kotara Estate subdivision (DP13333). NSW Historical Aerial Imagery

Newspaper articles

Article Date Event DateNotes
26 Jul 1922"At the present time the Scottish-Australian Company and the Kinnaird Land Syndicate are about to subdivide their estates adjoining the Tickhole Tunnel, and property running between New Lambton and Tickhole Tunnel and Charlestown. This property is most ideal for suburban residences, being four miles from the Broadmendow station, and served by two railways, the Sydney line and the Waratah coal line. At the present time it is anticipated that the Scottish-Australian Company will build a railway station on their land between Adamstown and the Charlestown Tunnel and then subdivide."
17 Oct 1923"The plans have been prepared for the Scottish-Australian Mining Company of a subdivision of about 200 blocks of land contiguous to the railway line on both sides … The company has entered into an agreement with the Railway Commissioners for the erection of a railway platform."
3 Oct 1924"It is authoritatively stated that the name of the station in connection with the new subdivision at present known as Exton has been altered to Kotara. This has been brought about by the suggestion of the Lands Department and the Railway Commissioners. The vendors of the estate, the Scottish-Australian Mining Company, Limited, having undertaken the cost of the construction of a new station, desired to have it named Exton in keeping with the township, but the departments pointed out the similarity to the name of other stations and the possibility of confusion arising. They suggested a native name, and with a view of obtaining something appropriate the agents. Messrs. Creer and Berkeley, enlisted the services of Mr. J. J. Moloney, who submitted a long list of local aboriginal names, from which Kotara was finally chosen. The construction work of the railway platform will be finished in a few weeks, and its train service will be of considerable advantage to all those people living on the northern side of Cardiff, at Charlestown, and the south-western side of New Lambton or Orchardtown, as it is more familiarly known."
9 Oct 1924
8 Oct 1924		New Lambton Council meeeting … "Correspondence was received from S.A.M. Company, stating that as the Railway Commissioners had decided to call the railway station situated near Cardiff tunnel, in their subdivision, Katara (sic), they had renamed the subdivision Katara in lieu of Exton. The Mayor said that the Railway Commissioners had acted discourteously in not conferring with the council re the naming of the station."
10 Nov 1924"The new railway station at Kotara, on the Newcastle to Sydney line, has been completed by a Scottish-Australian mining company. The cost was borne solely by the company which, however, may be compensated after three years by the Commissioners if traffic justifies it. The new station is situated between Adamstown and the Cardiff tunnel, and will serve a fairly large population. The necessary overhead bridges have been erected, and the platform is of island design."
19 Nov 1924"The new railway station at Kotara is already being availed of, as certain trains from Toronto are stopping there."
16 Jan 1925
17 Jan 1925		"Kotara, the newly subdivided suburb of Newcastle, has been the object of considerable interest for some time past amongst land speculators and investors generally. The sale of the land will be conducted to-morrow (Saturday), by Messrs. Creer and Berkeley. Easy terms of payment have been arranged, and the sale should be a big success."
20 Jan 1925
17 Jan 1925		"One of the most successful land subdivision sales held in this district was that of Kotara, conducted by Messrs. Creer and Berkeley, on Saturday afternoon last. The result evidences the importance of transit. The vendors, the Scottish-Australian Mining Company, Limited, realising this, undertook the responsibility of having a railway station erected in the centre of the estate. This convenience, a run of only 19 minutes from the central station, Newcastle, with a service of some 12 trains a day, each way, was no doubt a great factor in attracting upwards of 600 people to the sale, when 160 lots were disposed of in about two hours."
30 Jan 1925
29 Jan 1925		"A well-attended meeting of purchasers of land at Kotara was held last night at the rooms of Messrs. Creer and Berkeley, when a progress committee was formed. The meeting prepared a lengthy agenda of work and improvements to be effected, and the association will particularly watch the parks, railway facilities, supply of water, gas and electric light, and generally assist home builders to embrace modern ideas in keeping with a district so full of residential possibilities."
10 Feb 1925"New Lambton Council is not satisfied with the plans for the subdivision of portion of the Scottish-Australian Mining Company's Estate at Kotara … The plans did not provide for any outlet to Charlestown-road … the council would insist on the main road being 22 feet wide, instead of 16 feet."
8 May 1925"The Kotara Estate subdivision has at last received the legal approval of New Lambton Council. For a considerable time the finalising has been held up, although the greater part of the subdivision has been sold."
22 May 1925"As [Kotara] is gradually growing in importance, and trains are being stopped to pick up and set down passengers, the regulations that tickets must be got at Adamstown is becoming more and more irksome. The other morning half a dozen persons, who got into the train at Kotara, had to alight at Adamstown to get their tickets en route to Newcastle. The train, in consequence, was delayed for about two minutes."
29 May 1925"The monthly meeting of the Kotara Progress Association was held last night … the vendors of the estate, the Scottish-Australian Mining Company, Limited, set aside large areas for park and recreation purposes, and it is the planting and improvement of these reserves that is engaging attention."
30 Sep 1925"One of the biggest residential estate developments in the Newcastle district was inaugurated at the beginning of this year, when the Kotara subdivision was made available. It comprises several hundred acres, lying between Adamstown railway station and Tickhole tunnel, five miles from Newcastle. The first sale in the estate was conducted on January 17 by Messrs. Creer and Berkeley acting for the Scottish-Australian Mining Company. There were 191 allotments offered and over 160 were sold on the day. The success of the sale was largely due to the enterprise of the vendors. About three miles of streets had been made, and a railway island platform 520 feet in length constructed in the centre of the new suburb. With the object of assisting in the development of the suburb, purchasers of blocks formed a progress association, which now has a membership of between 70 and 80."

Community disengagement

Posted on by
3

The project to build a new basketball stadium on Wallarah and Blackley Ovals has now been listed on the NSW government’s Major Projects Planning Portal. I had a quick skim through the available documents, and two things stuck out.

Firstly, the Scoping Report has a section on Community Engagement, that has a list of stakeholders that Newcastle Basketball has “undertaken consultation with to inform the project planning.” Conspicuously missing from this list are the two groups that will be most negatively impacted by the project.

  1. The sporting groups who currently use the ovals.
  2. The local residents who will have to suffer the traffic and parking chaos the development will cause.

I am at a loss to decide whether these omissions are due to incompetence, error, conflict avoidance, or deliberate action to keep the community in the dark.

List of community consultation engagements, from page 19 of the Scoping Report.

The second item that caught my eye, was in the “Heritage NSW Advice on SEARs” document, which states that “the site does not contain any known historical archeological relics.” During World War 2, the site of Wallarah Oval contained four gun emplacements, as shown in the 1944 aerial photograph below.

As recently as 2014, aerial photographs show parch marks that hint that some remnant of these gun emplacements may still be under the surface. The extent and significance of these remains is uncertain.

Parch marks in a 2014 aerial photo show hints of the two southern gun emplacements. Google Earth.

Update, November 2024: After the initial writing of this blog post, additional documents were made available on the project portal, including “Appendix HH – Historical Archaeological Assessment” which does include details of the WW2 gun emplacements, which apparently were dummy guns.

Adamstown Hotel

Reply

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

Posted on by
Reply

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

Posted on by
Reply
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

Reply

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. Newcastle Libraries Online Collection 001 000929
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

Reply

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.