Some notes regarding Rix’s Creek

Some Notes regarding Rix’s Creek and some residents

 

Residents of Rix’s Creek. 1867

Martin Marr                    Farmer
James Paul                   Farmer
Fred Bolwell      Labourer
Patrick Brady    Farmer
John Brady                   Farmer
James Elliot                  Coal-driver
Alexander Gardener       Farmer
Henry Price                   Settler
James Quigan   Publican

Source: Bailliere’s Post Office Directory, Singleton. 1867


Residents of Rix’s Creek September 1884

Andrew Beaman *                                  miner
Thomas Beaman *                                 miner
William Beh                                            miner
William Coalson                                    miner
James Coats                                         miner
John Couts                                            miner
John Collins                                          miner
L. Cunningham                                      miner
Hugh Dever                                           miner
John Dever                                            miner
William Dever (snr.)                               miner
James Dobie                                        farmer
John Elliot                                              carrier
John Eliven *                                         miner
William Gifford                                      miner
Henry Grainger                                      miner
William Hughes                                     miner
Robert Kelly                                          miner
John Lindsay                                        miner
William Lindsay                                     engineer
Thomas Longworth. sen.                      miner
William Longworth                                 miner
William Lowe                                         miner
Ralph Minto                                          miner
Thomas Murdock *                                miner
William Oliver                                        miner
Arthur Pearce                                        miner
George Penman                                    miner
John Price                                              farmer
Richard Price                                        farmer
William Price                                         farmer
Edward Rose    (Roser?)                     miner
John Sparks                                         miner
Joseph Sparks                                      miner
William Solman *                                   miner
Richard Solman *                                  miner
John Solman                                         miner
Nicholas Vipond                                    miner
James Waddell                                     miner
John Waddell                                        miner
John Wellden *                                      miner
George West                                         miner
William West                                         miner

* Indecipherable, check possible spelling variations

Source: Sands Country Directory. Patrick’s Plains Land district.  September 1884


Owners of Land, Buildings, Rix’s Creek 1922.

No. Surname of Elector Other Names of Elector Trade or Occupation Address Description and Situation of rateable Land or Premises giving Title to Vote Owner Occupier or Ratepaying Lessee
71 Coates Donald enginedriver Greta building land, Rix’s Creek owner
72 Coates James miner Tighe’s Hill, Newcastle building land, Rix’s Creek owner
94 Dight Jane Allen widow Singleton grazing land, Rix’s Creek owner
105 Dugan Betram James miner Rix’s Creek building land, Rix’s Creek owner
202 Lindsay Mary Jane spinster Rix’s Creek building land, Rix’s Creek owner
203 Lindsay Robert labourer Rix’s Creek building land, Rix’s Creek owner
256 Noble Arthur Sydney farmer South Singleton rd. grazing land, Rix’s creek owner
282 Price John dairy farmer Rix’s creek grazing land owner
361 Whiteford James miner Rix’s Creek building land, Rix’s creek owner

Source: Shire of Patrick Plains. Riding A . Original Roll of Electors and ratepayers made in the year 1922.


Residents of Rix’s creek 1871 – 72

No. Christian and Surname Residence Qualification Where Situate or how Arising
123 Brady, James Rix’s Creek residence Rix’s Creek
124 Brady, * * leasehold Falbrook
125 Brady, Terence Rix’s Creek residence Rix’s Creek
362 Day, Charles Rix’s Creek residence Rix’s Creek
363 Day, John Rix’s Creek residence Rix’s Creek
364 Day, William Rix’s Creek leasehold Rix’s Creek
400 Dorkins, John Rix’s Creek reidence Rix’s Creek
477 Elliot, James Rix’s Creek leasehold Rix’s Creek
478 Elliot, John Rix’s Creek household Rix’s Creek
490 Farmer, Henry Rix’s Creek residence Rix’s Creek
540 Gardiner, Alexander New Park freehold Rix’s Creek
541 Gardiner, Alexander, jumior New Park residence Rix’s Creek
615 Griffin, Edward Rix’s Creek household Rix’s Creek
654 Harrison, George Rix’s Creek residence Rix’s Creek
693 Hill, Michael Rix’s Creek residence Rix’s Creek
694 Hill, Thomas Rix’s Creek freehold Rix’s Creek
1017 Maher, Michael Rix’s Creek residence Rix’s Creek
1018 Maher. Martin Rix’s Creek residence Rix’s Creek
1019 Maher, John Rix’s Creek residence Rix’s Creek
1230 Price, Henry Rix’s Creek freehold Rix’s Creek
1231 Price, William H. Rix’s Creek residence Rix’s Creek
1612 Williams, David Rix’s Creek residence Rix’s Creek

Source: 1871 – 72 Patrick’s Plains Electoral District
Electoral Roll of Persons qualified to vote for the Election of Members of the Legislative Assembly in the Year 1871 – 72 for the Electoral District of Patrick’s Plains.

Landholders Rix’s Creek 1885

Name of Holding Post Town of Holding Name of Occupier Acreage No. of Horses No. of Cattle No. of Sheep No. of Pigs
Rix’s Creek & Granvaling Singleton John Elliot …… 3 3 …. 2
Rix Creek Singleton A.Wilson ….. 10 ….
Rix’s Creek Singleton Mrs. Price 400 12 88 33 6

Source: Journal of the Legislative Council of NSW, 2nd. Session. 1885. Vol 139, Pt., 1; Appendix 2. Singleton.

 Rix’s Creek Residents 1898
James Coates General Storekeeper
John Greer Lindsay  Boots and Shoes
Jacob Peel    General Store and Wine Shop.
Source: Country Trades Register  1898.
Rix’s Creek Residents 1900
J. B. Christian   Granbalang Station
James Coats    Storekeeper
John Elliott   Colliery Proprietor
William Goodhew (Goodshaw in Wise’s Directory)    Colliery Manager
William Lindsay    Blacksmith
Jacob Peel           Wine Shop
Jacob Peel          Carpenter
Richard & John Price   Farmers
Singleton Coal & Coke Company.
Source : Wise PO Directory 1900

Residents of Rix’s Creek ex Church records

Surname Parents Abode Occupation Children Birth Date
Armstrong Peter, Martha Rix’s Creek Settler Susanah 4 June 1861
Armstrong Anne 24 March 1863
Carson Samuel, Caroline Storekeeper John Thomas 31 Jan 1864
Hooker Richard, Mary Anne Labourer Jane Phillips 22 April 1863
Hooker Settler David Thomas 15 June 1864
Newman William, Mary Labourer William 26 April 1864
Schofield William, Margaret Thomas Joseph 23 July 1863
Wilson James, Martha Settler Lucy 28 August 1856
Griffin Edward, Mary Anne Labourer Edward 2 Sept 1864
Griffin Mary Anne Nov. 1866
Aberfield Joseph, Elizabeth Settler George 23 Jan 1870
Paul John, Elizabeth Carrier William Henry 26 Oct 1869
Griffin Edward, Mary Labourer Minnie Susan 22 July 1870
Griffin Edward, Mary Jane 29 August 1868
Paul John, Elizabeth Carrier Richard James 22 Oct 1873
Paul Eliza Jane 19 May 1876
Farmer Henry, Rose Labourer Henry 9 Dec 1871
Farmer Rose Labouring Class Hugh Gillan Dec 1870
Day Emily Frederick Charles 24 Sept 1867

Source: Baptismal Register of Singleton, Whittingham, Warkworth, Falbrook, Camberwell.

Burials in the Parish of Whittingham. AO Reel 5015 ( S015 ?)

No: 257             Ellen Mary Hill of Wrix’x Creek. 13 April 1854      Age: 8 yrs. Father: ‘a settler’
No: 260             Walter Hill of Wrix’s Creek.                     20 Sept 1854     Age: 2 yrs. Father ‘a settler’
No: 268             Eliza McGovern of Wrix’s Creek             13 Oct 1854. Age: 4 yrs. father ‘a settler’
No. 272             William Johnson McGovern of Wrix’s Creek.                   20 Oct 1854. Age: 2 yrs. Father: ‘a settler’

 

 

Other References.

Rix’s Creek (Co. Durham) is a small N. tributary of the Hunter joining it at the village of Auckland. There is a colliery near this creek and Mr. w. Keene, inspector of mines for the northern district say as follows ‘ ‘Rix’s creek is t he most northern collieries in work, opened by my recommendation on my first examination of it. I descended the workings and it was satisfactory to me to  learn that the coal is much approved of. In every locality, as i went on wards desires were expressed to me that workable seams might be found, and the Rix’s creek coal is actually carried as far as Aberdeen – a distance of 30 miles. I pointed out that coal might be got near the Chain of Ponds, close to the railway; and at Muswellbrook the cutting near the town has gone through a seam of coal which though cropping out at a high angle will no doubt be worked awaiting further discoveries.’

Source: Whitworth R. P., The New South Wales Gazetter and Road Guide . 1866.

 

Re coke ovens. ‘…a relic of this kind of coke making is at Rix’s Creek, north of Singleton. At this place was the first coal mine in what was to become a major coal producer about 100 years later. A battery of ovens was built at Rix’s Creek and in 1890 the coke was described as the best available. Before 1900 a second battery was built…Both batteries are clearly discernible at Rix’s Creek.’
Source: Armstrong, J., (ed.), Shaping the Hunter. Newcastle Division of Engineers, Newcastle. 1988. . Note that this publication contains a picture of the old coke ovens 1907.

‘About (1860)…a pit was opened at Rix Creek in the Singleton district. Coal was sold at 10/- a ton at the pit or 17/6 delivered at Singleton. A large quantity of the mineral was brought to the town day by day…
Rix Creek mine was still at work in 1866 but the pit was so far from the railway terminus that it could not compete with mines closer to Newcastle. The coal was sold in Singleton, and two men were employed at the mine in the winter and one in summer…
In 1869 Rix Creek colliery was said to be ‘one of the most promising industries in the neighborhood of Singleton’ James Singleton the then proprietor had spent about 1000 pounds on the works which sent into Singleton ‘ the finest sample of coal that the colony can produce’
Source: Jervis, J., The Hunter Valley. A Century of its History’, Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society. Vol. XXXIX, Part III, 1953

‘William Longworth was born in Lancashire…in 1847…William and his brother Thomas were laborers at “Dulwich”…he was engaged by the Bowman family to sink a shaft at Rix’s Creek to test for coal. He reported there was coal there but not in sufficient quantity or quality to merit mining, so the shaft was closed. William then spent a short period in the gold field…He returned to Rix’s Creek, secured mining rights and opened a mine which he called “Whodathoughtit”. This mine produced very good steaming coal, which prompted William and his brother Thomas to open another mine a few miles away at Nundah. They called this mine “Elsmere Colliery” and was opened in 1879. It later became known as “Rosedale Mine”.
Another mine called “New Park” was opened at Rix’s Creek in 1881 by a syndicate formed by Dr. Richard Read…. This company also opened the Rix’s Creek “ Coke Ovens”.
Rix’s Creek had three hotels, two stores a church and a large sports ground. It was reported to have had, the best brass band in the north of the state. The combined population of Nundah and Rix’s Creek was over six hundred people’

Source: Noble, L.M. The Glennies Creek Story, nd. This book also includes a list of early residents of the area. The book is out of publication but there may be a copy for sale at the Family History Society of Singleton, Post Office Box 422, Singleton. There would certainly be one available for reference

 

tjc may 2000

8 thoughts on “Some notes regarding Rix’s Creek

  1. hello Terry was wondering if you can help I am a direct descendant of Henry Farmer who was a convict at Rixs Creek and was hoping you can shed some info on him thank you bob farmer

  2. Hi Terry,
    I note a James Elliot, Coal Driver, in your List of Resident’s for 1867.
    Are you familiar with a John Elliott (1831- 22 Oct 1912)?
    Within our Family he’s always been believed to be the operator of a Coal Mine at Rix’s Creek as per this segment of his Obituary in the Singleton Argus (NSW: 1880 – 1954) Thursday 24 October 1912, page 2:
    In 1862 , after having first exploited certain parts of the Maitland coal bed he discovered a payable seam at Rix’s Creek- where be commenced mining
    operations. Four years later he exhibited a sample of coal from this colliery at the World’s Exhibition, Paris, which was awarded second prize and gold medal. Thus, in a large measure, he drew the attention of mining speculators in Europe to the possibilities of the Australian coal fields. Besides giving ‘& trade considerable impetus in this matter, he earned for himself the distinction of being a pioneer in the industry in this country. The deceased successfully carried on the coal business at Rix’s Creek, combined with the manufacture of coke, in leter years assisted by his sons. A little more than two years ago he stood aside from his well-loved scenes of toil, in order to spend the evening of his life in repose so foreign to his tempera-
    ment Settling down with his wife and family at ” Braemar,” Dunolly,
    Regards,
    Gina M. Francis
    Great-Grand-daughter of said John Elliott.

  3. Hi, there a number of Lindsays in the district. I have no way of knowing which may be connected to your family. I can give you a list of them all, and leave it up to you to find a connection. However, given the custom, of using the maternal surname as the second name it is more likely that this is your connection,. This custom was very common among Scottish families.

  4. My GGgrandmother was Minnie Lindsay Morrison who was born in Patricks Plains 1863 to Peter and Jane Morrison, and married my ancestor Arthur john Hudson a pharmacist in Newcastle.
    Each of the eldest males in our family have been named or given middle name Lindsay ever since. I am trying to track down why…their was reference to a ‘Miss Lindsay’ who may be the reason, perhaps a teacher or family friend. I noticed Lindsays pop up in Rix’s Creek and wondered if you may be able to shed any light on this for me?
    Sincerely,

    Judy Hudson Haling

  5. Thanks, I have corrected the spelling. I have records of three fatal accidents at Rix’s Creek and one non fatal. Your best source of information would be Trove and the Annual Reports of the Department of Mines.

  6. I am interested in the Longworth’s mine at Rix’s Creek because my g-grandfather William Francis Goodhew was manager from late 1800s till he retired in 1905. He was a long-term friend of Wm Longworth. Can you suggest other sources of info.
    By the way, there a spelling error in the list of Rix’s Creek Residents 1900 (above). Wm Goodshaw should be Wm Goodhew.

  7. Hi, I only have a D.Hall whose name is on the WW1 section of the Cenotaph in Burdekin Park with the notation ‘Honoured Dead”
    Terry

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