By Thomas Sharples.
(Edited by Dr Ann Hardy)
I am currently working on a commissioned project looking at the history of ‘Croudace House’, a building first erected in 1863 to house the Lambton mine manager, Thomas Croudace, and his family.
“The works appear well and effectually managed by Mr. Thomas Croudace, whose house is situated on the top of the hill, from whose summit views of Newcastle, Hexham Swamps, and many other neighbouring places can be obtained.” (From a letter from a visitor to the Lambton mines in 1863)
What I have found so far is varied and fascinating to say the least. Dr Barlow, who currently occupies a section of the building and is a heart surgeon and the patron of the study, has heard stories over the years relating to fascinating events or uses associated with the building. He is interested to have these tales displayed on his surgery walls in the form of exhibition installations, and I am currently researching and compiling a collection of the most interesting ones.
For example, one of Dr Barlow’s patients, originally from Belarus, discovered a news article detailing the 1888 visit of Grand Duke Mikhailovich of Russia to Newcastle. The royal examined the then operational Lambton mine firsthand, employing a pick on one of the seams, while subsequently enjoying champagne with Croudace at his home. This was despite the fact that Fort Scratchley had been recently constructed as a result of the fear of a Russian naval invasion. Making contact with the patient, and doing some independent research, it was discovered that this was indeed true, as the ship the Grand Duke, the ‘Rynda’, was using Lambton coal, and the Russian government was interested in ascertaining its quality and availability.
The house was bought by the Newcastle Royal Hospital in the 1920s, and had various medical uses in the intervening decades. During World War Two, an emergency hospital was erected on the house’s grounds, as the site was calculated to be out of naval shelling range, with this temporary structure made permanent after the war’s conclusion to become what was known as the Rankin Park ‘Chest’ Hospital. Croudace House was used during the war to house the nursing staff, but post-war was turned into a convalescence home for the subsequent tuberculosis patients, with a workshop constructed on the lower floor to keep them busy, healing the mind and body in what was considered a groundbreaking concept during the 1950s.
One story heard repeatedly was that during the 1960s and 1970s, the house had been used to accommodate ‘pregnant single girls’. This had developed due to the decrease in tuberculosis sufferers in the 1960s. Investigating further on the ‘Lost Newcastle’ Facebook page, several posts and threads were discovered relating to to this dark facet to the site’s history. One woman had posted that she had been an occupant in 1971, and after some inquires made by my supervisor Dr Ann Hardy, contact was made for an interview.
Contact was made via telephone, and while initially the interviewee said that she “really couldn’t remember anything”, and that the house was not in her recollection, after 30 minutes of questions about the context of her internment, memories came flooding back. She described how she was told by her parents that if she “didn’t tow the line she would become a ward of the state,” and that as long as she followed the strict rules of conduct, she was given access to the couches on the verandahs and dining hall of a building that matches Croudace House. The very emotional recollections were capped by the revelation that after her daughter was born, she, as with most of the single mothers, was blackmailed into giving up custody of her child. The threat was made that they were to stay a resident until the relevant papers were signed.
While the house was to become dilapidated in the 1980s, it was reborn in the 1990s as part of the private hospital that exists to this day. It was heritage listed in 2003, and its magnificent panoramic view of everything from the Hexham swamps to the sand dunes of Stockton have been maintained, with any further construction prohibited from obstructing this monument to Croudace. In fact, this aspect of the house was very deliberate, as it allowed the megalomaniacal mine manager to watch his workers come and go from the pit, monitoring their movements.
“Mr Croudace, a short, bearded man, sometimes referred to as ‘that little tyrant’, could watch from his vantage point operations at the colliery and railway he had built and managed.” (Royal Newcastle Hospital Bulletin, 1984)
“His [Croudace] reports and advice were not always welcome due to his forthright and forceful nature. Sometimes his outspoken opinions provoked a very vociferous response. The miners were so outraged at his statements.” . . . . “Relationships with other mine managers were not very cordial. There was jealousy and mistrust between them. Croudace considered that the other managers were not very talented men. Like Robert Morehead, Croudace looked on Messrs. J. and A. Brown as his competitors and arch emenies. G.R Hubbuck describes the feelings of some towards Croudace : “He, being confident and of small stature was variously described as that little tyrant and the little fellow over the hill.” . . . Although he tried to be fair to his workers and ensure their working conditions were safe, he would not allow them to dictate terms and conditions of employment to him. This made him unpopular with his employees. G.R. Hubbuck states “Croudace was always ready to punish miners who sent out small or dirty coal . . . ” Story of Lambton: A suburb of Newcastle’ by Myra Keay.
Robin Gollan in The Coalminers of NSW quotes from a letter written by James Winship [Manager A.A. Co. Mine] “in my opinion he is a composition of ignorance and impudence and the most barefaced little puppy I have ever seen on the shape of a colliery viewer”
Thus, what may appear as an unassuming heritage building contains many historical facets that dwell within its walls, like spirits. Before the end of the project, I suspect that many more stories will be discovered.
Thomas I was reading your brief history of Croudace House and found that it generally fitted in with what I had found out about the connection with Lambton Colliery. Then suddenly I came across a very subjective assessment of Mr Thomas Croudace. Your observation that Croudace House was built in such a way so as to allow “the megalomaniacal mine manager to watch his workers come and go from the pit, monitoring their movements.”. I feel this shows no understanding of Thomas Croudace the man. It would give you a much better perspective on Thomas Croudace, the Father of Lambton, if you read the well researched article by Lachlan Weatherall available at https://lachlanwetherall.com/category/suburbs-and-towns/page/14/
I think it will suffice to take the following from Lachlan’s research to make my point.
“Croudace’s skill as a mining manager was unparalleled, guiding the Lambton colliery with commercial success over 44 years. He introduced innovative mining technologies, and was committed to keeping a close rein on the costs of production, often with a very hands-on approach. …. Croudace’s commitment to the local community was also unstinting. He served many years as an alderman on both Lambton and New Lambton councils (sometimes on both at the same time!) and was elected as Mayor on numerous occasions. He was a generous man, both personally to those in need, and in his capacity as mine manager gifting land and resources to the community for churches, parks, and other public benefits.”
Regards,
David Porter
Hi David, thank you for your comment and suggesting Lachlan Weatherall’s work on Thomas Croudace, Thomas spent some time at Newcastle Family History Society and found Lachlan’s research most valuable and has used elements from it in this project. There are some other sources that describe him differently, see reference that has been added to this post from the Royal Newcastle Hospital (1984).
Is there any evidence prior to that Newcastle Hospital Bulletin in 1984 (121 years after Lambton Lodge was built) that Croudace chose the location of his house in order to surveil his workers?
I was going to post a comment about the unsubstantiated comment on Croudace being a “megalomaniacal mine manager”, but David Porter beat me to it.
I’ll add just a few things. Thomas Croudace was undoubtedly an astute manager who worked hard to advance the interests of the colliery who employed him, and he was irked by anyone (workers or competitors) who tried to take advantage of him. However he clearly saw that it was in the interests of the Lambton colliery to look after his workers and the township they lived in. Just in the last week while researching other matters, I came across a reference to Croudace that demonstrates his generous character, when the Lambton Council expressed their thanks to him “for his willingness at all times to allow the council’s repairs to be effected at the company’s workshop.” This is but one example of many.
One final point – the suggestion that Croudace built the lodge on the top of the hill “to watch his workers come and go from the pit, monitoring their movements” doesn’t make sense. Lambton colliery was down in a valley (where Lewis Oval is today) and is therefore not even visible from Lambton Lodge.
Hi Lachlan, your work on Croudace is greatly valued and was an important source for this project, we certainly acknowledge Thomas Croudace for many accomplishments and commitment to saftey etc, and to the wider community, we welcome your input and hope to have the project panels published soon. Regards Ann
In reference to the Lodge being used as a home for unmarried pregnant girls in the 1960s and 1970s, in 2018 I wrote a blog article about the origins of the Rankin Park hospital. A totally unexpected consequence of this was a number of comments left on the page (some quite harrowing) recalling people’s experience as unmarried mothers at Lambton Lodge.
https://lachlanwetherall.com/then-and-now/rankin-park-hospital/
Hi Lachlan, thanks for your research in this area, and highlighting an important aspect of the buildings history. Regards
Ann
My mother was a ward of the state and stayed here while pregnant
Hi!
My name is Hugh-Angus Bright and I have a strong personal connection to Croudace House. My great grandmother was Alice Christina Mowbray Windeyer, a frequent visitor at the home which was the home of her grandparents, Thomas and Tina Croudace. Their youngest daughter, Alice, was born in this house, lived here and had her wedding breakfast here as well! The family often came back to visit!
I’d love to see any new information that you can find, and if I can be of any use I’d love to help!
Thanks so much,
Hugh
May not be relevant directly to this research, but my paternal Grandmother (Violet May, Dad’s mother) was a Croudace. Her father was George Croudace, known as ‘Sarba’, who owned a farm/property along the George’s River. He also farmed pigs, along with veges & fishing. I have original family photos of some of this.
He hired out boats for recreational boating & a picnic area, for picnicking & the ‘boaters’ where he sold hot water for 1 penny per ‘billy full’. I have photos of this period.
This area is now known as ‘Bradbury’s Wharf’ (the sign is on the wrong side of the river btw!) as my g’father took it over after George’s death. He was married to Violet by this time.
Boats of various types were moored in this section of the George’s River during WW1 to hide ammunition, under supervision by my g’father, Walter John Bradbury, who was awarded a title of ‘Honorary Admiral’ for this service. I have photos of those boats, too.
Violet was born in June 1898, which I believe was one yr before the late Queen Mother. Her family had connections to the (French) Cpt. Croudace who landed in the area (name of ship is not known to me), mistaking it for Botany Bay, known know as Croudace Bay. Is there any connection to Cpt. Croudace & Mr. Thomas Croudace?
Cheers, Dianne.
Hi Dianne, thanks for leaving a comment, all relevant history relating the Croudace family and Newcastle history. Kind regards Ann
I remember The Lodge well ! Was PUT there by my parents from January 1976 to the birth of my daughter March 1976 . Forced to give her up for adoption , lied to by authorities, coerced into signing adoption papers ! About 10 of us there when I was there Horrible time in Australia history
The Forced Adoption “Without Consent” exhibition never named The Lodge as being one of the Unmarried Mothers Homes in NSW. I’m sure 1000’s of young women went through there. No documentation to be found, history conveniently forgotten.
What was the name of the Private Hospital in Newcastle NSW where unmarried young girls were sent during World War 11 to have their babies that were adopted out ? My email is michaeledionysius115@gmail.com. thank you.
Hello, Michael.
The name of the Hospital was “The Salvation Army Home for Unmarried Mothers”. It was built in 1860 by Edward Merewether after whom the Newcastle suburb of Merewether is named.