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The Bridge Hotel Thomas Phillips was born Soho, London, England, c 1807, on 6th April 1826, he was tried in London and sentenced to 14 years, his offence being a pickpocket, his trade a shoemaker. He was transported aboard the "England" (1), leaving Downs on 6th May 1826 and arriving in the colony on 18th September 1826, after a direct voyage of 135 days. His convict indent stated he was 5 feet 2 inches tall, with a pale fair complexion, dark brown hair and grey eyes. He received his Ticket of Leave in 1833 at Patricks Plains. Permission to marry Catharine Kent, Bond, who had arrived aboard the "Andromeda", was given on 29th July 1835. They were married on 24th August 1835 with the consent of the Governor and following reading of banns. The marriage was recorded in the Christ Church Newcastle Register, Thomas Phillips being 29 years and Catharine Kent 17 years old. Both made their mark and lived at Darlington. Their three children, Harriet, born 5th April 1837, Thomas, born 5th February1838 and Mary Ann born 1839 were baptised into the Catholic Church (East Maitland Register) and Mary Ann's birth date was not given in the register following her baptism on 9th September 1839. Thomas Phillips received his Conditional Pardon in 1840 at Singleton. Catharine Phillips death was not recorded, but following this, her elder daughter, Harriet was adopted into a known family. Thomas Phillips remarried at Singleton on 14th November 1847 at a Church of England ceremony to widow, Elizabeth Waite, whose husband Thomas Crouch Waite had died on 19th August 1847. Elizabeth Phillips died on 29th June 1857, aged 52 years, wife of a Shoemaker. She was buried in Whittingham C of E Cemetery as was her first husband. In 1859 the Maitlnd Mercury records a brick cottage being constructed for Thomas Phillips in John Street Singleton. He had purchased the land earlier from Benjamin Singleton. Mary Ann Phillips married George Benjamin Lloyd in 1863 and Thomas Phillips married for the third time in 1864 m Mary Ann Jarmain, the former wife of William Herbert Jarmain. The Bridge Hotel was built in 1860 in John Street for Thomas Phillips. The builders were A Moore and Thomas Hardman. It was a brick building with shingled roof and 12 rooms. Thomas Phillips died on 1st August 1866 and was buried in an altar tomb, which bears only his name, in Whittingham cemetery. His daughter, Mary Anne Lloyd lived most of her life in a cottage adjoining the hotel. It appears that Thomas Phillips was never granted a licence no doubt due to his drunkenness. The first licence was issued to Bernard Keough on 11th December 1862. He was followed one year later by Charles Mack, who had been the builder for the additions to the Paterson Court House during 1860-3. A Stonemason by trade, the headstone for John and Elizabeth Ross in Whittingham Cemetery bears his name-C. Mack, Singleton. Thomas Phillips application for the licence was refused in April 1865 due to his drunkenness. James Neal became licensee on 20th May 1865, which is surprising as he owned the Plough Inn in John Street and was again licensee during part of 1867-8. Robert Clark had been granted the licence on 14th March 1866. Born at Cowes, Isle of Wight, England in 1826 and following his marriage in 1867 to Thomas Phillips widow, Mary Ann, he became owner of the Hotel and was again licensee after James Neal from 1868 until 1892. Mary Ann Clark had died on 26th August 1890, aged 72 years and was buried at St Peter's Glebe Cemetery East Maitland. Robert Clark moved on to become licensee of the Commercial and Railway View Hotels in John Street, and he died at Paddington in March 1904, aged 77 years 9 months. Charles Knight followed him as licensee of the Bridge Hotel in 1893 and he died suddenly on 23rd June 1894, aged 58 years, leaving his wife, Mary Agnes,(nee Adaway) and family. The Knight and Adaway families were from Glennies Creek. Mary Knight was given permission to carry on and soon after the licence renewal early in January 1895, she advertised a five year lease for sale from June 1895. Herbert William Sheehan became the last licensee from 8th July 1897. He was a son of James H Sheehan, of the Clubhouse Hotel in John Street and Henrietta Caroline Jarmain, bom 1847 in Singleton to William and Mary Ann Jarmain, (later Phillips and Clark). The Bridge Hotel closed in July 1908 after renewal of license was refused to Herbert Sheehan due to its dilapidated state. The site is now the location of Reg Day and Waller's second hand store. References:- State Archives Maitland Mercury Singleton Argus. Article Submitted by Member, Dorothy Clayworth. Gazette Vol 16 No 2 June 1999 page 8 Return to Inns and Hotels Page |