• Home
• Newcastle History
• Adamstown

Adamstown History

Notes and Residents

Adamstown was established in 1869 on land situated between the Borehole and New Lambton. Thomas Adams of Blane Street, Newcastle, had purchased 54 acres of Crown land with plans to subdivide it into small, affordable allotments to encourage settlement. However, the land was later sold to Thomas and Henry Bryant, who ultimately carried out the subdivision.

Image: Adamstown miner's cottage.....

The Post Office was built in 1875 and located on Victoria Street, with Mrs. Anne Syme appointed as the first postmistress. For many years, the Police Station was also located on Victoria Street, staffed by a single officer until 1899, when a second constable was appointed.

The Newcastle Primitive Methodist Church established a presence in Adamstown in 1874, and Cornelius Decker began a Sunday School there in May of that year.

1881

By 1881, Adamstown was described in the Newcastle Directory as a village about four miles from Newcastle.
Population was around 400 — mainly coal miners and their families. The public school had an enrolment of 250 students, with Mr. R. McCredie as the headmaster and Miss Conolly as his assistant.  The town featured the following improvements

• A stately public school

• A Mechanics' Institute

• Assembly Rooms where concerts and other events were held

• Three hotels

• Four general stores

• One place of worship

• Assembly Rooms where concerts and other events were held

Move towards Municipality

In 1884, residents of Adamstown petitioned for their locality to be declared a municipality under the name "The Borough of Adamstown." The proposed area covered two square miles, with a population of approximately 1,000. The boundaries of the proposed borough were detailed using local landmarks and land parcels, including those owned by Thomas Adams and Stephen Foyle. The petition, signed by over 150 residents from Adamstown, Commonage, Wickham, and Glebe, was officially published in the New South Wales Government Gazette on 21 January 1884.

Expanding Infrastructure

By 1891, Adamstown’s population had grown to 2,030. By 1901, the town had expanded further, with improved transport links including rail, tram, and Omnibus Services to Newcastle. A large public hall had been built, along with three churches, a fire brigade, Council Chambers, and a brickworks—a popular spot for local children to fish for yabbies.


SELECT HERE to find out more about Adamstown Local History.

Sport

Soccer became a popular sport in Adamstown, with many locals eventually representing Australia at the international level. The first meeting to form a club was held in a cricket shed at Adamstown Park on Monday, 12 July 1889. A second meeting on 21 August 1889 resulted in the official formation of the Adamstown Rosebuds. Their first team colours were a white shirt, blue sash, and dark knee-length trousers. In 1925, the Rosebuds won the State Championship—the Gardiner Cup—cementing the town’s reputation in New South Wales soccer. That year, seven players from the squad were selected to represent the northern region against a touring team of English professionals.

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
  

• 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 1886

1888 - 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





A 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

Explore More ↑