Exerpts from: The Aldine Centennial History of New South Wales Illustrated, Embracing Sketches and Portraits of Her Noted People; The Rise and Progress of her Varied Enterprises; and Illustrations of her Boundless Wealth, Together with Maps of Latest Survey. In Two Volumes, 1888. by W. Frederic Morrison. Vol. II Sydney: The Aldine Publishing Company, 1888.
Waratah
JOHN SCHOLEY, Mayor, has long been a resident of the Newcastle district, but retired from active business some years ago. In 1882 he was elected an alderman of Waratah, and was thrice elected mayor. He has been identified with every movement calculated to advance the interests of the district, and devotes a very large portion of his time to the welfare of the ratepayers. He has been a successful business man and a very large purchaser of land in the Newcastle and Maitland districts. The municipality of Watah is one of the largest in the Newcastle district, and the annual receipts amount to 1200 pounds. It was a wild bush a few years ago, and it is now transformed into a charming suburb, with a thriving town and various industries, and a large number of elegant villa residences.
PETER CRIBERT, Winegrower at the Folly, who was born in Kuderich, Germany, in 1824, came to the colony in 1849, and worked for a time as gardener at the Tweed Factory, Stockton, after which he went into the employ of the A.A.Company. In 1853 he purchased five acres - part of his present property - at 3 pounds 5 shillings per acre, and settled thereon; and two years afterwards he bought two acres more at 50 pounds per acre. In 1856 he commenced the cultivation of the vine and the making of an orchard, and in 1859 made wine, the first ever produced in Newcastle. In this he was eminently successful; so much so, that he became a purchaser of several blocks of land in and around the district. His land, under vines, is capable of producing 500 gallons of wine per acre annually. He also grows peaches, plums and all summer fruits. Mr Cribert thoroughly understands ivine culture and horticulture, being descended from a wine-growing family. At seventeen years of age he went into a nursery at Wiesbaden, and remained there till he came out to this country. He has a family of five sons and five daughters.
JAMES SIMPSON, Baker and Confectioner, who was born at Dempsey Island, Hunter River, in 1854, and removed with his parents to Waratah in 1856, has been a resident of the district ever since. He learned his trade in Newcastle, and in 1881 commenced business in Waratah. He does the largest trade in his line in the district, and is well known and respected. He started business in a small way, but his output has grown with increased prosperity of the place. He is the owner of a valuable block of land in the township, centrally located, and near the station, on part of which his bakehouse and dwelling-house are erected. Mr Simpson is married, and the father of seven daughters. He is a member of the Wesleyan Church.
THE SYDNEY SOAP AND CANDLE COMPANY, LIMITED, was established at the commencement of 1885. The present works cover an area of six acres, employ 120 men, and form an extension of the old Sydney Soap Works, Mr Upfold having amalgamated his business with that of the original one. Mr G.P.Clarke manages the oil and candle branch, but the soap, and. in fact, all other departments are under the general management of Mr Upfold. The former gentleman personally superintended the erection of the present factory and plant, having had twelve years' experience with the Apollo Candle Company of Melbourne. He learned his business in England, and had a large experience on the Continent, thus enabling him to justify his opinion that the goods manufactured at their works are equal if not superior to those imported from the old world. The company do quite two thirds of the trade of the colony, their works affording an outlet for no less than 3000 tons of tallow annually.
JAMES ANDERSON, Proprietor of Sir Robert Peel Hotel and Crystal Palace Grounds, was born in Stockport, Cheshire, in 1820, and for many years followed the avocation of a coal miner. He was manager of the Black Hourst mine in Lancashire, but in 1860 left England for Australia, and after landing at Melbourne came on to Newcastle. He obtained work at the Minmi mines and remained therein for four years. He then went in for the hotel keeping business, and kept the Minmi Inn, and then the Travellers' Rest at Minmi. Removing to Newcastle he opened the Crystal Palace Hotel and remained there for eleven years, subsequently entering into posession of his present property. The Sir Robert Peel Hotel is erected on an area of six acres, and in addition to including all the departments necessary to a well conducted house, has an extensive pleasure grounds, a very interesting museum and aviary containing curios and ornithological specimens. This place is a favourite pleasure resort of the inhabitants of Newcastle, while the worthy host is deservedly respected for his many good qualities.
NEWCASTLE
WILLIAM ARNOTT, Biscuit Manufacturer, Melville-street, established his business fourtenn years ago. It is restricted entirely to wholesale dealing, and gives employment to 250 hands; but though the business is of such gigantic proportions, no travellers are engaged. Mr Arnott manufactures all descriptions of plain and fancy biscuits and cakes to the extent of 100 tons of flour, sixteen tons of butter, forty tons of sugar, and 8000 dozen of eggs per month. These figures are significant of the immense output of the factories, which cover an area of one and a half acres, and are under the management of Leslie Arnott.
CHARLES BOSCAWEN RANCLAUD is the second son of Captain Ranclaud, 56th Regiment, and was born in the island of Jersey in 1819. At the age of ten years he accompanied his parents to the colony. He was educated at the Australian College and Normal Institution, and at the Hanwell Collegiate School, England, where he finished his studies, and remained four years. On his return to the colony in 1840, he passed twelve months in the Colonial Secretary's office, but was obliged to leave through ill- health and to return to Newcastle, of which he has since been a resident. He carried on farming for six years, and then removed to Redhead, now the site of the Burwood Colliery, where he became engaged for five years in the timber trade. In 1853 he removed to Newcastle. He held the position of Returning Officer for thirty years, and was Coroner for the district for nine years. He now holds the position of shipping manager of New Lambton and Ferndale Colliery. Mr Ranclaud married in 1845 the eldest daughter of Commander Biddulph, R.N., who in 1832 bought the first steamer to the colony, and he is the father of five sons and two daughters. No name is better known in the district than that of Mr Ranclaud, and none more respected.
ROBERT INGALL AND SON, Hunter-street - Mr Robert Ingall, sen., the head of this firm, was born in Lincolnshire, England, in 1821, learned his trade there, and came from London to Sydney in 1856. He was employed as manager of a large wholesale firm in Maitland till 1860, when he commenced a business at Morpeth, which he shortly sold, and started a large concern at West Maitland. About 1861 he opened branches at Singleton and Newcastle. In 1863 he built the present extensive premises in Hunter-street, which now embrace the largest drapery establishment in Newcastle. It is carried on under his own management, assisted by his three sons. Besides general drapery and men's mercery the firm do an extensive first class tailoring business, and have a large country connection extending to the limits of railway communication. My Ingall was for seven years chairman of the Waratah School Board, and was mainly instrumental in obtaining the handsome site of the Waratah school.
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