Adamstown History
Notes and Residents
Adamstown was established in 1869 between the Borehole and New Lambton where Thomas Adams of Blane Street, Newcastle purchased 54 acres of Crown land. He planned to subdivide the land into small allotments to be sold at reasonable rates so as to encourage settlement however the land was sold to Thomas and Henry Bryant who later subdivided it.The Post Office constructed in 1875, was located in Victoria Street. Mrs. Anne Syme was the first postmistress. Also situated in Victoria Street for many years was the Police Station which was manned by one officer until 1899 when a second constable was appointed.
Described in the Newcastle Directory 1881 as a village about four miles from Newcastle, Adamstown could boast a stately Public School, Mechanics' Institute and Assembly Rooms where concerts etc were held. There were three hotels, four general stores and one place of worship to cater to the population of 400 - mainly coal miners and their families. The public school had an enrolment of 250 pupils The schoolmaster was Mr. R. McCredie with Miss Conolly the assistant.
The Newcastle Primitive Methodist Church established a church in Adamstown in 1874. Cornelius Decker commenced a Sunday School in May.
In 1884 the residents of Adamstown petitioned that their locality be created into a Municipality under the name of the Borough of Adamstown. The proposed area was two square miles and the population was about 1000. The area was described as 'commencing at the south-west corner of the Hamilton Municipality; thence east 24 chains 66 links; thence south to the south east corner of Thomas Adams' 54 acre block; thence west to the south west corner of the aforesaid Thomas Adams' 54 acres block; thence south one and a quarter mile to the south-east corner of Stephen Foyle's 320 acre block; thence west half mile; thence north about wo miles thirty chains, joining Lambton municipal southern boundary; thence east joining Waratah southern boundary, also the Hamilton municipal western boundary, to the point of commencement. The Petition was signed by more than 150 Adamstown, Commonage, Wickham and Glebe residents and was published in the New South Government Gazette on 21 January 1884. Select here to find the list of Petitioners
By 1891 the population of Adamstown had reached 2,030 and ten years later in 1901 the population had increased sufficiently to support communication with the city of Newcastle by rail, tramway and omnibus. A large public hall had been constructed as well as three churches, fire brigade, Council Chambers and a brick works - a popular spot for local children to fish for yabbies.
The School Master in 1900 was J.C. Cosgrove, Postmaster - William Lee, Fire brigade Captain - James Bullerwell, Baker - John Sheedy, Butchers - Arthur Bush and R. Talbott, Medical Practitioner - Dr. A. J. Harwood, Storekeepers - J. E. Davenport, A. E. Eldrid, T. Hedley, W. Johnson, T. Robinson, A. Taylor, C. Turnbull and Ann Turnbull
Soccer was a popular sport in Adamstown and many of the town's sons went on to represent Australia as Soccer internationals. The first meeting was held in a cricket shed at Adamstown Park on Monday 12 July, 1889. A further meeting was held on 21st August 1889 when the decision was made to name the club Adamstown Rosebuds. The first colours were - White shirt, blue sash and dark trousers of knee length. The 1925 squad won the State Championship - the Gardiner Cup - and helped move the balance of power in NSW soccer to the north. Seven members of that team were selected to play in the northern representative team against the touring English professionals that year.
Adamstown Rosebuds
Rosebuds Soccer Football Club under 18 premiers 1917. Back row: E. Bell, R. Pollock, R. Bruin, R. Walker, A. Lambert, F. Brockman.
Seated: T. Turpin, H. Johns, G. Blackmore, D. MacAlister
Front row: E. Cassidy, C. Davis
Adamstown School
Select here to read an article from the Sydney Herald written in 1936 giving a brief history of schools at Mayfield, Wickham, Bolton Street and Cooks Hill, Adamstown and New Lambton, Wallsend, Plattsburg, West Wallsend, Tighes Hill, Stockton, Islington and Merewether. Includes lists of headmasters of the various schools.Adamstown Public School Principals
(Showing Dates of Appointment)Robert McCredie - July 1877
Andrew Herd - January 1889
Louis Price - October 1889
William Bateson - April 1891
Arthur Buchanan - May 1896
John Cosgrove - June 1899
A. Cousins - November 1903
John Porteous - April 1904
Walter Vout - April 1911
J.R. Bridle - August 1913
Patrick Riley - January 1918
Stanley Callaghan - March 1924
George Martin - November 1924
W.L. Frew - May 1925
Michael Mahoney - May 1929
John Curry - January 1931
Horace Martin - November1935
Frederick Tyler - July 1940
Cyril Jones - January 1944
Samuel McMartin - January 1952
Arthur Butterfield - May 1958
Leonard Kaye - January 1961
Alan West - May 1963
John C. Brown (Acting Principal) - August 1973
Victor Bensley - January 1974
Adamstown Trades and Professions 1901
(Federal Directory of Newcastle)BAKER
Sheedy, John, Union Street
BLACKSMITHS
Baker, George M., Brunker Rd. Howell, David, Glebe Rd.
BOOT and SHOEMAKERS Farmer, J.M., Brunker Rd. George, E., Brunker Rd. Hansen, P., Union Street
BRICK MANUFACTURERS Adamstown Steam Brick co. Cottrell, Thomas, New Lambton Estate Hammon, Wm., New Lambton Estat4e Wood, James, New Lambton Estate ;
BUS PROPRIETORS Dowling, W., William St. Howarth, Henry, Brunker St.
BUTCHERS Bush, Arthur, Narara Rd. Talbott, R. B., Union St.
CABINETMAKER Gray, James, Crown St.
CARRIERS Jenkins, S. Thomas St. Johns, James, Thomas St. Johns, Thomas, Fairfield Talbott, E.A., Thomas St. ;
DRAPER Shaw, Anthony, Brunker Rd.
HAIRDRESSERS Davis, William, Union Street Hall, J.F., Union St.
HOTEL KEEPERS Adamstown, Turnbull, S., Union Street Royal Crown, Carnley A., Union Street Royal Standard, Simmonds, Joseph Victoria Street,
MEDICAL PRACTITIONER Harwood, Dr. A. J., Charlestown Rd
MILK VENDOR Bell, Thomas Brunker Rd. Robinson J., New Lambton Estate
NEWSAGENTS Davis, J. Belmore Rd. Johnson, William, Brunker Rd
PIG FARMER Strick, Wm., Henry, Charlestown Rd.
STOREKEEPERS Davenport, J. E., Bourke Street Eldrid, A.E., Union Street, Hedley, Thomas, Brunker Rd., Johnson, William, Brunker Rd., Robinson, T. Union Street, Taylor, A.C., Glebe Rd., Turnbull, Charles, Victoria Street, Turnbull Ann, Union Street,
TAILORS Dodd, A. Union Street Shaw, A. Brunker Rd., ;
THEATRE COMPANY Carrington Hall Company
UNDERTAKER Gray, James, Crown Street.
CONSTABLE Daniel Fay
STATION MASTER Hall, William, Victoria Street
Newcastle Primitive Methodist Church Adamstown
Adamstown originally was part of the Newcastle Primitive Methodist Circuit, which began with the formation of a society in 1852. The beginning of the work in Adamstown came with the starting of a Sunday School there by Cornelius Decker in May 1874. About three months later Rev. Samuel Gilby, the second minister of the Newcastle circuit, conducted the first service in the open air beside a turpentine log. At the quarterly meeting, on June 1 1874, Adamstown is first officially mentioned in a brief minute, 'That Adamstown came on to the plan'.Much of the land on which the suburb now built was commonage. The church, like many of the residents, 'sat down' on the land, depending on the Governmental promise that the common would be sub divided and sold.
A little wooden church was first erected on the site now occupied by the Public School, financed by an arrangement with Richard Hall. When the Education Department required a site, it built a school close to the little church and told the Methodists to move to the opposite vacant corner. There was no alternative but to obey, and they removed their church bodily to the site of the Jubilee Church. In July, 1879, an addition was made to the building.
Expansion necessitated a larger church, and in 1884 the present Sunday School Hall was erected. This was a venture of faith, for the scheme cost 700 pounds, and there was still no title of the land. It was not until October 30, 1890 after 12 years had elapsed, and after strong efforts to dispossess them were made, that those pioneers had the land legally secured to them.
In 1885 the Newcastle Primitive Methodist circuit was divided with Rev. John Penman as first minister of the newly formed Burwood (Merewether) circuit. The work extended, and a second minister, Rev. Wm. Atkinson, was appointed three years later.
In 1892 the Charlestown circuit was formed, with Rev. James Green as first minister.
The saddest experience through which these circuits passed was the Dudley colliery disaster, on March 21 1898, when 15 lives were lost. Most of the men were Methodists, chiefly from the Charlestown circuit, but the disaster took from Adamstown its 'grand old man, ' Thomas Hetherington.
With the coming of Methodist Union in 1902, Adamstown was formed into a circuit comprising Adamstown, Cardiff, Charlestown, Dudley, Redhead and Belmont with Rev. John Calvert as first minister. The immediate need was a parsonage. The people rallied to the project and on July 10 1902, only three months after the minister's arrival, a contract for 500 pounds was signed.
A further step was taken when Rev. Alex Stephen initiated a scheme for a modern brick Church. Year by year funds were raised for the purpose, and in 1914 the scheme was about to be launched when the World War intervened. The proposal was delayed until 1824. Then a tender for 5000 pounds was accepted, and the foundation stone laid on May 17. The Jubilee church was opened and dedicated by the President of the conference, Rev. J.C. Hill, On November 15, in Rev. C. J. MacAulay's second term.
The circuit was divided to form the Charlestown circuit in 1925.
In its present activities the church maintains its tradition as a live spiritual agency. The young people are served by Intermediate and Junior C. E. Societies, Senior and Junior Knights and M.G.C. and Ryas. The Intermediate C. E. usually forms the morning choir. A strong Ladies' Church Aid is functioning also a Ladies' Auxiliary to Overseas Missions and a War Comforts Society.
Outside preaching places are Kahibah and Kotara. At the latter services are held in a private house - that of Mr. J. Davies, Gregory Parade. The N.S.W. Development Committee has undertaken the building of a church there as soon as preliminaries permit. A site to serve Kotara and Orchardtown has been secured.
Kahibah church was built by voluntary labour when Rev. Charles Viney was at Charlestown.
Ministers at Adamstown since Union have been Revs. John Calvert, J. Scharkie, A. Stephen, A. Cooper, C.J. MacAulay (twice), J.J. Boyd, J.W. Dains, J.H. Margetts, B.H. Willis, J. Wadkin, P. Williams, W.H. Butler, H.E. Cosier and A. Collins
(Glory Be 1845 - 1945. Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the opening of the First Wesleyan Chapel in Newcastle, p27)
Adamstown's Sons in World War 1
Select here to find a list of one hundred and fourteen Adamstown men who enlisted in the AIF in World War 1 (from AIF Project site)Adamstown's Mayors
1886 - Thomas Weir 1886 - Newcastle Morning Herald 8 March 18861888 - Thomas Hetherington - Australian Town and Country Journal Sat 15 Sep 1888
1889 - Alfred Edden - Australian Town and Country Journal Sat 17 Aug 1889
1894 - John Thwaites - Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate Wed 17 Oct 1894
1897 - Jeremiah Robinson - Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate Sat 22 May 1897
...Miner's CottageA List of Coal Miners living in Adamstown in 1901 - from the Federal Directory
Allan, David - Brickyards
Allan, William - Brickyards
Anderson, Sneddon - Wilton Street
Anderson, John - Glebe Road
Andrews, Frederick - Glebe Road
Angus, William D - William Street
Argyle, Charles - Crown Street
Armstrong, Robert - Belmore Street
Ashman, George - New Lambton Road
Ashman, James - New Lambton Road
Ashman, William - New Lambton Road
Ash, Robert - Crown Street
Atkinson, John - Glebe Road
Atkinson, John E - Glebe Road
Atkinson, Thomas - Crown Street
Avery, James - Thomas Street
Baillie, William - Gosford Road
Ballamy, William - William Street
Banfield, Thomas Henry - Regan Street
Bannister, T - New Lambton Estate
Bartley, James - Morgan Street
Bell, John junior - Brunker Road
Bell, John - Brunker Road
Bellamy, Richard - Bryant Street
Bird, George - Wood Street
Black, Alexander - Lambton Road
Black, William - Brickyards
Blakemore, Thomas - Victoria Street
Blakemore, John junior - Bryan Street
Blakemore, John senior - Victoria Street
Blanch, James - Teralba Road
Blanch, Samuel - Teralba Road
Blanch, Edward - Glebe Road
Blanch, Whitely - Union Street
Bone, Andrew - Victoria Street
Bradley, William - Brickyards
Bullerwell, George - Railway Street
Bullerwell, James (under colliery manager) - William Street
Bullerwell, William - Brunker Street
Burman, George - Wood Street
Burns, Henry - Morgan Street
Butler, Richard - Victoria Street
Cain, William - Victoria Street
Cairns, John - Brickyards
Cameron, Allan - Brickyards
Campbell, Robert - Glebe Road
Campbell, George - Brickyards
Chapman, William - Thomas Street
Clarke, John - Popran Road
Collin, Ralph - Wood Street
Comerford, R - Teralba Road
Cook, David - Crown Street
Cook, James - Thomas Street
Cooke, James - Glebe Street
Cooke, William - Glebe Road
Cooper, William John - Glebe Road
Court, William (colliery weighman - Union Street
Cowen, James - Victoria Street
Cowen, William - Victoria Street
Crook, Daniel - Brickyards
Crook, John - New Lambton Estate
Cummings, John - Regan Street
Cutherbert, William - Glebe Road
Davey, John - Narara Road
Davies, Edwin - Brunker Road
Diggins, Henry - William Street
Dixon, E - Teralba Road
Dunn, A.J - Bourke Street
Easton, James - Victoria Street
Egginton, Samuel - Victoria Street
Elliott, Abraham - Morgan Street
England, William - Morgan Street
England, Josiah - Morgan Street
Errington, James R - Glebe Road
Farmer, John F - Brunker Road
Faulds, John - Balla Road
Faulds, William - Brunker Road
Fisher, John - Victoria Street
Fisher, W.J - Victoria Street
Francis, David - Brickyards
Freeman, Ralph (screenman) - Union Street
Frew, Francis - Teralba Road
Frost, Joshua - Brunker Road
Gardener, Charles E - Narara Road
Gardener, William - Narara Road
Gardner, John - Brunker Road
Geatches, William - Glebe Road
George, Charles - Narara Road
Gibson, John C - Regan Street
Gillan, Hugh - Glebe Road
Gillard, John - Glebe Road
Golightly, Christopher - Brickyards
Graham, C - Railway Street
Greig, Walter - Gosford Road
Greig, Robert - Gosford Road
Greig, John - Gosford Road
Griffiths, William - Glebe Road
Hall, James - Narara Road
Harland, Thomas - Glebe Road
Harris, Samul A - Teralba Road
Harrison, Thomas - Narara Road
Harrison, John J - Bourke Street
Harrison, John W - Narara Road
Harrison, Samuel - Glebe Road
Hatch, George - New Lambton Estate
Hawkins, Josephoff - Victoria Street
Hayes, Henry - Morgan Street
Hetherington, William - New Lambton Estate
Hill, James - William Street
Hill, Arthur - William Street
Hill, John - William Street
Hope, James - Crown Street
Hopton, Thomas Henry - Glebe Road
Howell, Evan - Bryant Street
Howell, Joshua - Bryant Street
Howell, Thomas - Bryant Street
Howell, Griffith - Thomas Street
Hunt, A.H. - Glebe Road
Hunt, Morgan - Glebe Road
Hunter Robert - Teralba Road
Hunter, R junior - New Lambton Estate
Hunter, Joseph - Teralba Road
Jackson, William - Brunker Road
Jenkins, John - Belmore Road
Jennings, Jeremiah - Gosford Road
Jennings, Patrick - Gosford Road
Johns, Thomas J - Glebe road
Johns, Thomas D - Glebe Road
Johns, Henry - Bourke Street
Johnson, James - Victoria Street
Jones, Charles - New Lambton Estate
Jordan, George - Brickyards
Kellett, William - Glebe Road
Kelly, Henry - Glebe Road
King, David - Buxton Street
King, John - Morgan Street
Laidlaw, William - Union Street
Lake, J.T - New Lambton Road
Lambert, James - Morgan Street
Lambert, Thomas - Victoria Street
Lambert, William - Victoria Street
Lewis, John - Victoria Street
Lewis, Joseph - Victoria Street
Lonsdale, Edward senior - Thomas Street
Lonsdale, John - Thomas Street
Lonsdale, William - Dibbs Street
Lowbridge, Abel - Gosford Road
Lowbridge, Arthur - Chatham Road
Lowbridge, John - Chatham Road
Lowbridge, Moses - Chatham Road
Loyden, Mathew (screen overseer) - Victoria Street
McClennan, James - Victoria Street
McNamara, John - Teralba Road
McNamara, John - Narara Road
McNamara, Michael - Narara Road
McNamara, Michael - Teralba Road
Magill, Thomas - Sixth Street
Marsh, Thomas - Victoria Street
Mason, James - Morgan Street
Miller, William - Teralba Road
Millington, A - Morgan Street
Mitchell, William Henry - Bryant Street
Morgan, Watkin - William Street
Mowbray, Peter - Wood Street
Moyle, Edward J - Glebe Road
Murray, James - Glebe Road
Naylor, Samuel - Dibbs Street
Newman, James - Wood Street
Newton, George - Narara Road
Nichols, G.K. - Buxton Road
Nichols, George J - Hay Street
Nichols, William J.P., - Belmore Street
Onslow, AG. - Victoria Street
Parsons, George - New Lambton Road
Paton, David - Brickyards
Pendleberry, John - Victoria Street
Phillips, J - New Lambton Estate
Phillips, Sydney - Glebe Road
Phillips, William - Buxton Street
Pollock, George - Gosford Road
Pollock, James - Glebe Road
Pollock, William John - Gosford Road
Prescott, Nathan - Teralba Road
Price, Jason - Wood Street
Reay, James - Brunker Road
Rees, John (Under Colliery Manager - Thomas Street
Rees, William D - Thomas Street
Regan, James - Glebe Road
Regan, Thomas - Buxton Street
Reid, J.G.R. (Coaltrimmer) - Teralba Road
Richmond, James - Victoria Street
Richardson, John T - Victoria Street
Roach, Alf - Teralba Road
Roberts, Thomas - Brunker Road
Roberts, William - Thomas Street
Robinson, A - Belmore Street
Robinson, G. Mc.D - Belmore Street
Robinson, B - New Lambton Road
Robinson, J - New Lambton Estate
Robson, Joseph - Brickyards
Robson, William - Narara Road
Robson, Thomas - Narara Road
Roddom, John W - Brickyards
Roddom, George - Brickyards
Rotherham, Thomas - Buxton Street
Rouse, Ernest - William Street
Rouse, John - Bryant Street
Rouse, Joseph - William Street
Rudd, James - Morgan Street
Rushton, John - Gosford Road
Rushton, Frank - Gosford Road
Russell, Samuel - Brickyards
Russell, William - Gosford Road
Savage, Walter - Glebe Road
Scarlett, Robert - Gosford Road
Shackleton, H - Victoria Street
Smailes, William - Glebe Road
Simmonds, Thomas - Bryant Street
Smailes, William junior - Glebe Road
Smith, William - Gosford Road
Snedden, William - Teralba Road
Southward, John R - Bryant Street
Spark, Edward junior - Teralba Road
Spark, Edward - Teralba Road
Stewart, Samuel J - Victoria Road
Stokes, William - Brickyards
Syme, Stephen - Victoria Street
Talbot, Robert - Brunker Street
Tarrant, Joseph - Victoria Street
Tesser, Charles William - Edden Street
Thompson, Alexander - Thomas Street
Thompson, Daniel - Buxton Street
Thompson, James junior - Buxton Street
Thompson, John - Buxton Street
Thompson, John - Teralba Street
Thwaites, John - Brunker Road
Timmins, S - New Lambton Estate
Tripney, D - New Lambton Estate
Tripney, Adam - Dibbs Street
Tunnifcliff, John - Glebe Road
Turnbull, Thomas - Thomas Street
Turpin, William - Teralba Road
Tyson, Richard - Regan Street
Vale, John - Buxton Street
Vale, William - Victoria Street
Walker, Hugh - Brunker Road
Walker, Joseph - Glebe Road
Wall, James - Brunker Road
Wallwork, Edward - Morgan Street
Wallwork, John - Morgan Street
Walton, Joseph - Victoria Street
Warner, Charles - Victoria Street
Watson, John - Glebe Road
Waugh, Robert - Brickyards
Weatherburn, J - Victoria Road
Wellham, Charles - Morgan Street
White, James - Glebe Road
Williams, David - Brunker Road
Wills Robert - Morgan Street
Wilmott, Charley - Glebe Road
Wilmott, James - Morgan Street
Wilson, George - Union Street
Wilson, Alexander - Narara Road
Wilson, John - Union Street
Wilson, Robert - Narara Road
Winnon, John J - Hay Road
Winwood, Joseph - Teralba Road
Wood, James - Brickyards
Worrall, Ralph - Wood Street
Wright, Charles - Brunker Street
References
Newcastle Morning, Herald article 8.7.1989, Newcastle Morning Herald 3.9.1976,Newcastle Federal Directory 1901,
The Newcastle Directory 1880.
Adamstown Public School Centenary booklet 1877 - 1977
Glory Be 1845- 1945 - Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the opening of the First Wesleyan Chapel in Newcastle. Camden Theological Library
Arthur Lambert Newcastle Soccer. c. 1980's