In September 1869 when New Lambton was in its infancy, the Newcastle Chronicle reported there was already two hotels and “a third public-house is in course of erection, and the proprietor, Mr Johns, expects a license for it shortly.” Built on the north-west corner of Regent Street and Portland Place, Nicholas Johns opened the Sportsman’s Arms Hotel for business on 22 January 1870.
After three decades of operation, Marshalls Paddington Brewery purchased the land and building in 1899 and commenced plans for a new hotel building in a different location. In April 1903 the Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate reported: “A large brick hotel is now being erected overlooking the reserve, close to the tram terminus. The roof which is of red tiles, is now completed, and the contractor, Mr. Viggers. is busy finishing the interior to the designs of Mr. Henderson, architect.” In July 1903 the license of the Sportsman’s Arms hotel was transferred to the new two storey building on the corner of Hobart Road and Rugby Road, with William Thompson as licensee.
The old hotel in Regent Street closed and was used as a private dwelling for two years before it was destroyed by fire in June 1905. There are no known photographs of the original hotel. In 1922 the Methodists purchased the site and constructed a church building.
In Hobart Road in 1903, in addition to his new hotel, William Thompson also built a large assembly room and named it the Commonwealth Hall. For a decade it was used for socials, fundraisers, community gatherings, political meetings, and concerts. In 1912 John Sperring, licensee of the Belmont Hotel, purchased the hall and arranged to have it dismantled, transported, and re-erected on a site adjoining his hotel in Belmont. The second Sportsman’s Arms Hotel in New Lambton continued trading until 1987, when the Wests Leagues Club demolished it to allow an extension of their premises.
The article above was first published in the May 2025 edition of The Local.
Additional Information
See the following sections in my New Lambton Hotels page:
Newspaper articles
| Article Date Event Date | Notes |
|---|---|
| 16 Sep 1868 | "A third public-house is in course of erection, and the proprietor, Mr. Jones [sic], expects a license for it shortly after it is finished. There will then be three licensed houses at New Lambton - a number quite equal to the wants of the people." |
| 22 Jan 1870 | "NICHOLAS JOHNS begs to inform the inhabitants of New Lambton and surrounding districts, that he will commence business as a PUBLICAN in the Sportsman's Arms, New Lambton, on THIS DAY (Saturday), January 22nd." |
| 26 Mar 1902 | William Masefield Bostock advertised … "that I desire to obtain and will at the next Quarterly Licensing Court to be holden at Newcastle on the Third Day of April Next apply for a Certificate authorising the issue of a Conditional Publican’s License for premises proposed to be erected and situated at the corner of Alma-road and Lambton-road, and to be known by the sign of 'Sportsman’s Arms,' and containing eleven rooms, exclusive of those required for the use of the family." |
| 15 Apr 1902 14 Apr 1902 | At the licensing court held on 14 April 1902, Bostock stated … "that he was an agent for Marshall’s Brewery Company, who had an hotel known as the Sportsman’s Arms Hotel, New Lambton, and he proposed to remove the license of that house to that for which he was applying for a conditional license. He had a guarantee, which he produced, from his company to close the Sportsman’s Arms should the new license be grant ed. The site of the proposed hotel was at the intersection of Alma-road and Lambton-road, opposite Roberts’ store. He did not own the land, but had taken certain steps to procure it." |
| 5 Jul 1902 4 Jul 1902 | Application for conditional license for new premises to be constructed for the Sportsman's Arms Hotel. |
| 16 Jul 1902 15 Jul 1902 | Licensing court approves conditional license for the new Sportsman's Arms building to be erected in Hobart Road. |
| 17 Apr 1903 | "A large brick hotel is now being erected for Mr. Thomson overlooking the reserve, close to the tram terminus. The roof which is of red tiles, is now completed, and the contractor, Mr. Viggers. is busy finishing the interior to the designs of Mr. Henderson, architect." |
| 4 Jul 1903 | "The old Sportsman's Arms Hotel in Regent-street, which is one of the oldest buildings in the municipality, and in the early days was considered to be among the best of its class, is now closed, the license having been transferred to the new building recently erected by the Marshall's Brewery Company in Hobart-road." |
| 19 Oct 1903 16 Oct 1903 | "The members of the New Lambton Fire Brigade held a social in Thompson's new hall on Friday evening ... the Mayor (Alderman Errington), on behalf of the proprietors, declared the hall open. In doing so he explained that the building was to be known as the Commonwealth Hall." |
| 5 Jun 1905 4 Jun 1905 | "Shortly before nine o'clock yesterday morning a fire occurred in an old unoccupied building at the corner of Regent street and Portland Place. The building, which was owned by Marshall's Brewery Co. was formerly known as the Sportsman's Arms Hotel, and about two years the license was transferred to the new hotel belonging to the same firm, situated in Hobart-road. For some time the structure was occupied as a private dwelling, but for the last few months has been untenanted ...After burning for about three-quarters of an hour, the old building collapsed, the debris falling with a crash into the middle of the street. The only portion that remained standing was the chimney and part of the kitchen, which was detached from the main building." |
| 6 Jul 1912 | "TENDERS are invited for taking down the Commonwealth Hall, situated at New Lambton, Removing, and Erecting at Belmont. Tenders close 13/7/'12. Lowest or any tender not necessarily accepted. Apply for particulars. John Sperring, Belmont Hotel." |
| 25 Dec 1913 | "The town possesses accommodation in the way of halls for entertainment, and within the past year Mr. Sperring, licensee of the Belmont Hotel, has erected a large hall adjoining the hotel grounds. The building is 70 feet long by 30 feet wide, and will seat comfortably about 500 persons. It has a large stage capable of mounting big acts. and the floor is well adapted for dancing. The building was previously the Commonwealth Hall at New Lambton, which Mr. Sperring purchased, and had re-erected, strengthened, and generally improved in its interior decorations. The hall is frequently used by moonlight excursion parties." |