New Lambton Council was incorporated on 9th January 1889. The council chambers shown in the photo below on Lambton Rd, New Lambton was constructed in 1890 and officially opened in 1891. The building was destroyed by a fire on 15th April 1931.The council then met for a while in temporary accommodation at 10 Cromwell St New Lambton.
Because of the economic depression, and the looming prospect of the merger of local councils into a Greater Newcastle Council, new chambers were never built, the mood of the time expressed in the council meeting of 24 June 1931 where
Mr. Watson spoke of the desirability of delay, as it was not an opportune time to build, as the ratepayers were handicapped by the depression, and the cry of inability to pay rates was very strong in the municipality.
and
Mr. Walter Valentine also addressed the council, and said that a Greater Newcastle scheme would make a new building at New Lambton a “white elephant.”
Instead of a new building, the house formerly occupied by the Town Clerk (to the right of the old chambers) was used for council meetings until the end of New Lambton council in 1938.
During World War 2 the council building was used by military authorities. After the war the building was leased and then eventually sold to the Lambton/New Lambton R.S.L.
Timeline of events
| Article Date Event Date | Notes |
|---|---|
| 19 Jan 1889 9 Jan 1889 | New Lambton Council incorporated. |
| 27 Feb 1889 | Thomas Croudace nominates as a candidate for the first New Lambton Council election. |
| 9 Mar 1889 7 Mar 1889 | Thomas Croudace elected as the first Mayor of New Lambton. |
| 30 Aug 1889 | Council to petition the Governor to get New Lambton Municipality divided into three wards. |
| 17 Jan 1890 | Publication of the Governer's proclamation that New Lambton Municipality has been divided into three wards, including a description of the boundaries of each ward. |
| 5 Feb 1890 4 Feb 1890 | The nominations for the upcoming council election is described as taking place "in the Council-chambers, Regent-street." |
| 12 Feb 1890 11 Feb 1890 | Thomas Croudace re-elected as Mayor of New Lambton for another year, even though he is currently absent in New Zealand. |
| 5 Mar 1890 4 Mar 1890 | Alderman J.W. Oldham elected as mayor of New Lambton, replacing Thomas Croudace who was unable to accept his election as mayor the previous month due to his being absent in New Zealand. |
| 1 Aug 1891 29 Jul 1891 | Opening ceremony for the recently constructed New Lambton council chambers on Lambton Road. |
| 8 Feb 1892 6 Feb 1892 | In New Lambton, Thomas Croudace re-elected as an alderman for another three year term, and re-elected as Mayor for another year. [Alderman Thomas had been acting Mayor during the absence of Thomas Croudace.] |
| 18 Apr 1894 | Thomas Croudace retires from New Lambton council, with 11 months of his three year term remaining. |
| 16 Apr 1931 15 Apr 1931 | New Lambton Council chambers on Lambton Road burned down. |
| 12 Jun 1931 | Land on the corner of Regent and Victoria Streets (opposite the Post Office) has been purchased for the site of new council chambers. |
| 27 Jul 1931 | Plans for a new town hall for New Lambton have been shelved. The town clerk's residence is to be used instead. |
| 7 Aug 1931 | The business of New Lambton Council is now carried on at the former residence of the Town Clerk, adjacent to former chambers destroyed by fire. |
| 12 Nov 1931 | New Lambton council decide that there will be no referendum held on building new council chambers. |
| 21 Nov 1940 | Former New Lambton council chambers currently occupied by military authorities. |
| 4 Feb 1944 | The RSL are leasing the former New Lambton council chambers and are seeking to purchase the property. |
| 19 Dec 1947 | Lambton/New Lambton R.S.L. to purchase the site of the New Lambton council chambers. |