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GEORGE & DRAGON (East Maitland) The George & Dragon was built by George Furber who was a son of Mary (Furber) Smith. Mary's second husband was Gentleman John Smith of Newcastle and Maitland. George Furber married Mary Ann Muir on 29 February 1832 (40). Mary Ann was a daughter of George and Elizabeth Muir of the Family Hotel. When Mary Ann died in April 1837 aged 26, Furber married Hanorah Curtain. Later he moved to the Mary River district in Queensland to erect a store and it was here in 1855 that he was attacked by natives and died after receiving blows to the head with an axe and a waddy. His son-in-law Joseph Welmshurst was also murdered. George Furber suffered financially in the depression of the 1840's and premises of the George & Dragon were offered for sale in April 1841. At that time they were leased to John Henderson at £ 140 per annum and were described as a brick built, nine room establishment. There was a cellar, 60 ft. stable, gig house and large shed. Coachbuilder William Benjamin Johnston Green was publican at the 'George & Dragon In n in 1843 (10) and was undergoing insolvency proceedings that year. He remained publican until at least 1848.In 1847 *Charles Wilson who had been employed as a cook by Green for six months began to behave insolently towards the Greens. He refused to milk a goat and when asked why he had not provided toast for the Greens at breakfast became violent and Green was 'obliged to turn him out of the room'. William Green charged Wilson with insolence and disobedience of orders and at a hearing before the Magistrates, Wilson was fined 10/- and costs. (11)*(Possibly the Charles Wilson who later took out the license for the Prince Albert Inn) One week later William Green was in Court again. Green was brother in law of another publican in the district, James Cox. The Cox family were dining with William Green and his family together with good family friend and local druggist William Henry Mutlow, late in February, when the George & Dragon was visited by the local constables. They attempted to make a case that Mr. Green was selling liquor on a Sunday however Mr. Cox and Mr. Mutlow were witnesses in the court case that followed and testified that definitely no alcohol had been paid for on that Sunday and the charges were dropped (12) (10)MM 28 October 1843 (11)MM 3 March 1847 (12)MM 10 March 1847 (40) SMH 19 March 1832 . |
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© Free Settler or Felon
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