In finalising the research regarding Charles Simpson it became important to look a little further afield at an old stone cottage known as ‘Simpson’s Cottage’ at 64 Industrial Drive, Mayfield which was previously known as Bull’s Road, Waratah before the change of the area from Waratah to Mayfield North. There are conflicting accounts around theContinue reading “McNulty’s Cottage [Simpson’s]”
Tag Archives: The Folly
Simpson’s Early Settlers at Waratah
The question posed in the chapter about Simpson’s sale of small portions of between three and five acres back in the chapter Charles Simpson – Small Portions Sale of Land at The Folly, Waratah, was why would Charles Simpson carve out these five small portions when he was selling the bulk of all his landContinue reading “Simpson’s Early Settlers at Waratah”
Benjamin Baker – Waratah, Mayfield
A significant purchaser of Charles Simpson’s land was Benjamin Baker who we saw was also at New Freugh with George Gray and Edmund Bull and was in February 1851 on a NSW Government Gazette unclaimed letter as ‘Benjamin Baker, Newcastle’ just as Charles Simpson was listed in April. Of interest to the early settlement ofContinue reading “Benjamin Baker – Waratah, Mayfield”
George & Emma Gray – Waratah, Mayfield
There are no records for George Gray at the Folly aside from his indenture paperwork for the purchase of his land, his children’s births and his own death certificate. His death certificate does however give a little insight into George in that it states he had ‘heart illness’ for the final three years of hisContinue reading “George & Emma Gray – Waratah, Mayfield”
Edmund & Mary Bull – Waratah to Whitebridge
Edmund Bull – Family recollections of Waratah With the close ties between Edmund Bull and George Gray and their families, it is relevant to look the story of Edmund Bull and his family at Waratah and finally at ‘Glen Eureka’ known as Bull’s Gardens at Whitebridge south of the town centre of Newcastle. Sydney Bull,Continue reading “Edmund & Mary Bull – Waratah to Whitebridge”
George Gray ‘Builder’ – Edmund Bull – Benjamin Baker & Waratah House
Waratah House George Gray ‘Builder & Stonemason’ – Edmund Bull ‘Labourer & Gardener’ – Ben Baker ‘Carpenter & Timber Merchant’ There are multiple references both from family as well as newspaper articles, and early historians that give the source of the name of the builder of Waratah House as being George Gray along with aContinue reading “George Gray ‘Builder’ – Edmund Bull – Benjamin Baker & Waratah House”
Building Waratah House
Building a house & estate at ‘the folly’ 1850 -1853 A thesis submitted in 1971 by Ross M. Deamer – Houses Erected on Original Land Grants in the Lower Hunter, Paterson and Williams River Valleys Between 1800 – 1850 2 encompasses aspects of building some of the original houses in the Hunter Rover regions. Including inContinue reading “Building Waratah House”
Waratah House – Myths, Legends and Facts
‘The Folly’ 1849 – 1854 As a starting point for the time frames for George Gray, Edmund Bull and Benjamin Baker arriving as the first settlers on Charles Simpson’s land at ‘the folly’, it can noted that Charles Simpson Title Deeds for allotment 50 are dated 22 October 1849 and for allotment 50 are dated 11Continue reading “Waratah House – Myths, Legends and Facts”
Charles Simpson Esq – Home to England
Return to life in England There are no references to Charles Simpson living in New South Wales or the colony after 1854 except in 1857 in reference to road works that had occurred on 7 March 1853 ‘To C Simpson, warden, Newcastle, for repairs to Ironbark Bridge, £50’ 1 The final records in New SouthContinue reading “Charles Simpson Esq – Home to England”
Charles Simpson – Small Portions Sale of Land at The Folly, Waratah
‘We arrived at a place then called The Folly now Waratah. The name given to an estate bought by a man named Charles Simpson, it was situated near the old Mill Padock which was a government grant to a man named Platt. He worked the place by government men who were convicts … We andContinue reading “Charles Simpson – Small Portions Sale of Land at The Folly, Waratah”
George Gray - Stonemason & Builder 