Norm Barney in "Growth Driven By Rich Coal Deposit" published on page 7 of the Newcastle Herald supplement of 11 Nov 1997 wrote that the name Wallsend first appeared in a Hunter Valley context in the 1850s when Alexander Brown purchased land "bounded by what is now Newcastle Rd, Boundary St, Croudace St and beyond Gunambi Rd". His company formed to operate the colliery which opened in January 1861 was called the Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company, Wallsend being a reference to the namesake town in Northumberland, ENG. The town of Wallsend "was laid out in 1860 and was bounded by Kemp, Murnin, Brooks, Brown and Metcalfe streets. Brown's company surveyed an area from its Nelson St boundary to Thomas St and then from Brooks St to Irving St and sold it as the town's first freehold subdivision. The coal company also built two-room homes for their employees and rented them for one shilling and sixpence a week." An earlier grant of land in the Wallsend area had been made to "Mary Cowper, daughter of the Colonial Chaplain, the Rev. William Cowper" by Governor Gipps. This land was later divided between her children including one portion which "went to a daughter who married Willam Platt. When that portion of land was subdivided it became Plattsburg. Mary gave her name to Maryland." The article concludes by recording that "Wallsend became a municipality in 1874 ....Plattsburg was incorporated two years later and the two towns were separate townships until 1915 when the two councils were amalgamated." In one of its series of columns called "Suburbs", The Newcastle Hearld supplement on 18 March 2004, page 38 recorded TWO former Pit Towns (both spelt with one 'T' unlike the Hawkesbury area name for Lord Pitt, Pitt Town). "Among the city's lost names Newtown is today's Hamilton North, Smedmore was at the north-west end of Wickham, and Happy Flat, Pit Town and Borehole are now all parts of Hamilton. "Onebygamba, Chapman Island, Bullock Island and Hetton were all earlier names for Carrington. To the west there was once Mafeking and Ladysmith, names taken from major battles in the Boer War. "Like Hamilton, Wallsend had a Pit Town as well as a Brookstown, Hanbury was an early name for Waratah and west of Broadmeadow was The Commonage." As for Pit-town and Goat Hill, there is http://www.newcastle.edu.au/service/archives/aboriginalstudies/wallsend.html which is a transcription of item A6725(v) [Unsourced and undated, c.1895-1921] in the Percy Haslam Collection, Archives Rare Books & Special Collections Unit, Auchmuty Library, University of Newcastle. "Goats were numerous on the Pit-town area. The hill at the back of the area was crowded with goats, and they appeared to be wild ones. No doubt they became a pest, as the Council ordered their destruction many years ago. "Mr T. Griffin was the person who took the matter in hand, under the council’s direction. The designation “Goat Hill,” took its name on account of the prevalence of goats in that vicinity in the earlier days of Wallsend." As noted before, the Newcastle Library gives the following: http://www1.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/library/placea.cfm?FIRST=g Goat Hill Name for the Pit-town area of Wallsend possibly in reference to the fact that goats were numerous in and appeared to be wild ones. N Sun 23.04.1924. http://www1.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/library/placea.cfm?FIRST=p Pit Town ( Hamilton) Area of Hamilton consisting of Beaumont Street to Swan Street. NMH 20.10.1956. Pit Town (Wallsend) Originated when the Newcastle Wallsend Coal Company established two rows of houses near its mine 12 kilometres west of Newcastle, and rented them to its employees and their families on a weekly basis. Docherty,J: Newcastle, Making of an Industrial City. ... Plattsburg After William Hamden Platt, son of John Laurion Platt, the minister sent by Governor King to take charge of mining operations in Newcastle and district. Location north of Cowper Street. NMH 24.12.1953 Regards 2009/7/11 Rosalee <[email protected]>:

Thank you Ian for this wonderful information. much appreciated dorothy ~~~~~~ -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Ian Jordan Sent: Saturday, 11 July 2009 10:31 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [HV] Pitt Town Wallsend Norm Barney in "Growth Driven By Rich Coal Deposit" published on page 7 of the Newcastle Herald supplement of 11 Nov 1997 wrote that the name Wallsend first appeared in a Hunter Valley context in the 1850s when Alexander Brown purchased land "bounded by what is now Newcastle Rd, Boundary St, Croudace St and beyond Gunambi Rd". His company formed to operate the colliery which opened in January 1861 was called the Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company, Wallsend being a reference to the namesake town in Northumberland, ENG. The town of Wallsend "was laid out in 1860 and was bounded by Kemp, Murnin, Brooks, Brown and Metcalfe streets. Brown's company surveyed an area from its Nelson St boundary to Thomas St and then from Brooks St to Irving St and sold it as the town's first freehold subdivision. The coal company also built two-room homes for their employees and rented them for one shilling and sixpence a week." An earlier grant of land in the Wallsend area had been made to "Mary Cowper, daughter of the Colonial Chaplain, the Rev. William Cowper" by Governor Gipps. This land was later divided between her children including one portion which "went to a daughter who married Willam Platt. When that portion of land was subdivided it became Plattsburg. Mary gave her name to Maryland." The article concludes by recording that "Wallsend became a municipality in 1874 ....Plattsburg was incorporated two years later and the two towns were separate townships until 1915 when the two councils were amalgamated." In one of its series of columns called "Suburbs", The Newcastle Hearld supplement on 18 March 2004, page 38 recorded TWO former Pit Towns (both spelt with one 'T' unlike the Hawkesbury area name for Lord Pitt, Pitt Town). "Among the city's lost names Newtown is today's Hamilton North, Smedmore was at the north-west end of Wickham, and Happy Flat, Pit Town and Borehole are now all parts of Hamilton. "Onebygamba, Chapman Island, Bullock Island and Hetton were all earlier names for Carrington. To the west there was once Mafeking and Ladysmith, names taken from major battles in the Boer War. "Like Hamilton, Wallsend had a Pit Town as well as a Brookstown, Hanbury was an early name for Waratah and west of Broadmeadow was The Commonage." As for Pit-town and Goat Hill, there is http://www.newcastle.edu.au/service/archives/aboriginalstudies/wallsend.html which is a transcription of item A6725(v) [Unsourced and undated, c.1895-1921] in the Percy Haslam Collection, Archives Rare Books & Special Collections Unit, Auchmuty Library, University of Newcastle. "Goats were numerous on the Pit-town area. The hill at the back of the area was crowded with goats, and they appeared to be wild ones. No doubt they became a pest, as the Council ordered their destruction many years ago. "Mr T. Griffin was the person who took the matter in hand, under the council’s direction. The designation “Goat Hill,” took its name on account of the prevalence of goats in that vicinity in the earlier days of Wallsend." As noted before, the Newcastle Library gives the following: http://www1.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/library/placea.cfm?FIRST=g Goat Hill Name for the Pit-town area of Wallsend possibly in reference to the fact that goats were numerous in and appeared to be wild ones. N Sun 23.04.1924. http://www1.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/library/placea.cfm?FIRST=p Pit Town ( Hamilton) Area of Hamilton consisting of Beaumont Street to Swan Street. NMH 20.10.1956. Pit Town (Wallsend) Originated when the Newcastle Wallsend Coal Company established two rows of houses near its mine 12 kilometres west of Newcastle, and rented them to its employees and their families on a weekly basis. Docherty,J: Newcastle, Making of an Industrial City. ... Plattsburg After William Hamden Platt, son of John Laurion Platt, the minister sent by Governor King to take charge of mining operations in Newcastle and district. Location north of Cowper Street. NMH 24.12.1953 Regards 2009/7/11 Rosalee <[email protected]>: ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Hi Ian Many thanks indeed for taking the time to type all of this information out. It's just fantastic and I loved the bit about the goats living at Pit town. Thanks again Kerrie Subject: Re: [HV] Pitt Town Wallsend

Hello Ian, The Alexander Brown that has been discussed, was he married to Rose Ann??? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ian Jordan" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, July 11, 2009 10:31 PM Subject: Re: [HV] Pitt Town Wallsend Norm Barney in "Growth Driven By Rich Coal Deposit" published on page 7 of the Newcastle Herald supplement of 11 Nov 1997 wrote that the name Wallsend first appeared in a Hunter Valley context in the 1850s when Alexander Brown purchased land "bounded by what is now Newcastle Rd, Boundary St, Croudace St and beyond Gunambi Rd". His company formed to operate the colliery which opened in January 1861 was called the Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company, Wallsend being a reference to the namesake town in Northumberland, ENG. 2009/7/11 Rosalee <[email protected]>: ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Hi Denise According to http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A030503b.htm "At St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Sydney, on 20 December 1847 James Brown had married Elizabeth Foyle. He died at Newcastle on 27 September 1894, survived by his wife, four sons and a daughter. In 1886 he had made over his interest in the firm to his sons. The most influential of them was John who managed J. & A. Brown until his death in 1930." And the next generation at: http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A070448b.htm John Brown died childless leaving part of his fortune to the then Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia who resigned that office to manage his fortune. Regards Ian Jordan Sydney 2009/7/12 Denise <[email protected]>: > Hello Ian, > The Alexander Brown that has been discussed,  was he married to Rose Ann???