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

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Residents of Rix’s Creek September 1884

* Indecipherable, check possible spelling variations

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

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

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

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Residents of Rix’s creek 1871 – 72

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

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

Residents of Rix’s Creek ex Church records

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