Charlestown
Name Origin:
Most probably named after Charles Smith, manager of the Waratah Coal Co. This company's first shaft was known as Charles' Pit. It was also called Raspberry Gully or The Gully Pit, although its official name was South Waratah. All these names were applied to Charlestown in its early days.
European History
Early Land Grants:
Land owned by the Waratah Coal Co. (Kahibah Parish).
Early Subdivisions:
D.P.216, "Plan of Waratah Coal Company's New Township Charlestown South Waratah on the Company's purchased property". This subdivision which formed Ida, Pearson, Milson and Frederick Streets, was surveyed on 29 April 1876. This was probably the earliest subdivision of the Charlestown area. The Waratah Coal Co. held a land auction in 1876 and the first lot was sold to Mr. Harry Wright.
Early European Settlers:
Miners from the Gully Pit and shopkeepers such as the Pickerings and Pascoes.
Early Industries:
The Waratah Coal Co. was formed in 1862 to mine in the Waratah district. It bought another 2,600 acres to the south and began sinking a shaft in Raspberry Gully in 1873. The mine was opened the same year, coal being taken along the "Gully Line" to Waratah. The mine did well at first but conditions were very competitive during the latter part of the 19th century. It was closed after World War II. "Moreton Bay Gardens" is built on the site of the manager's residence and the mine was in the deep gully to the north.
Early Transport:
Horse buses ran to both Newcastle and Belmont. In 1931 private buses ran to meet the trams at Broadmeadow, not being allowcd to compete by running into the city. In 1937 the government took over these routes and extended them to Newcastle. Charlestown was on Route 24 to Speers Point via Mt. Hutton.
Town:
Charlestown was at first included in the Municipality of Waratah. In 1877 it had thirty to forty houses. By 1879 it had a Post Office, three hotels, a School of Arts and several stores. By 1883 it had a Mechanics Institute and two churches. The Government Savings Bank opened in 1879. The towns-people advertised for a doctor in 1885. The first picture theatre was the Renown, built by Mrs Nelson in 1928. Charlestown Square was opened in 1979.
First Post Office:
Opened on 1 February 1877. Mail was brought from Newcastle three times a week on horseback. A telephone exchange opened in 1925.
First School:
Opened April, 1879. Enrolment was 68.
Charlestown East, in James Street, opened 14th September 1959, with an enrolment of 119.
Charlestown South, in Patricia Avenue, opened on 29 January 1963, with an enrolment of 96.
Charlestown Evening School opened from late 1899 to 1911.
Water Supply:
1927.
Sewerage:
1959.
Population:
Estimated at 200 in 1877. Estimated at 500 in 1892. 1911 - 120 homes and 515 persons. 1921 - 158 homes and 736 persons. 1933 - 318 homes and 1357 persons.
Reference:
Australia Post. Historical Office, N.S.W 1970, Charlestown Post Office history, Australian Postal Commission, Historical Office, N.S.W, Sydney
Charlestown Primary School 1979, Centenary of education : Charlestown, 1879-1979, Charlestown Primary School, Charlestown, N.S.W
Face, J. Richard 1976, Charlestown Centenary, 1876-1976, Cambridge Pr, Newcastle
Nilson, Laurie & Leis, Susan & Noble, Rodney & Lake Macquarie (N.S.W.). Council 1985, Lake Macquarie : past and present, Lake Macquarie City Council, [Boolaroo, N.S.W.]
Swane, Julianne 1990, A directory of local history sources for Charlestown, J. Swane, [Charlestown, N.S.W
Streets in Charlestown
- Abrahams Lane
- Aintree Close
- Aldrin Close
- Alexander Parade
- Algona Road
- Alisha Close
- Alvestor Close
- Anjon Close
- Apollo Drive
- Armstrong Road
- Arnold Street
- Attunga Close
- Baikie Crescent
- Baloo Crescent
- Bank Street
- Bati Street
- Benaud Street
- Bianca Close
- Biraban Street
- Birkwood Street/Close
- Birrong Place
- Boldon Close
- Bradman Street
- Brett Street
- Bukka Street
- Bula Street
- Buller Street
- Buwa Street
- Camrose Street
- Canberra Street
- Carl Street
- Castle Close
- Chapman Street
- Charles Street
- Charlestown Road
- Chelsea Lane
- Chelston Close
- Chester Close
- Chesterfield Lane
- Conifer Close
- Conrad Avenue
- Coolac Close
- Courtney Close
- Cowper Close
- Crescent Road
- Creswell Avenue
- Daisley Crescent
- Damian Close
- Dea Place
- Dickinson Street
- Downing Street
- Dudley Street
- Ede Close
- Edward Street
- EK Avenue
- Elizabeth Parade
- Elmore Street
- Emslie Street
- Fairview Avenue
- Felton Street
- Ferris Street
- Fraser Parade
- Frederick Street
- Gari Street
- Garvey Grove
- Gemini Close
- Glenview Close
- Glider Court
- Goola Avenue
- Green Valley Road
- Griffiths Street
- Guna Street
- Gurra Place
- Hallam Street
- Hallvert Crescent
- Hampshire Place (Private Road)
- Hartley Street
- Hazelton Grove
- Highland Close
- Hillhouse Street
- Hillsborough Road
- Hooper Street
- Hopetoun Street
- Hutton Street
- Ida Street
- Illawong Place
- James Street
- Jarrod Close
- Jennifer Street
- Jenny Close
- Jergi Close
- Jill Parade
- Joanna Close
- Jordan Street
- Juliet Street
- Juncea Close
- Kahibah Road
- Kaleen Street
- Kalinda Parade
- Kalora Crescent
- Katrina Close
- Keal Street
- Kendall Street
- Kerr Street
- Kerri Close
- Kerry Street
- Kirika Street
- Kirkdale Drive
- Kulai Street
- Kullaroo Avenue
- Kurra Street
- Lara Close
- Lees Street
- Leisa Close
- Library Lane
- Lincoln Street
- Lindyn Street
- Lorraine Street
- Luprena Close
- Madeleine Avenue
- Maltarra Place
- Mara Street
- Marie Street
- Maurene Crescent
- McDonald Crescent
- Melissa Close
- Merran Avenue
- Milson Street
- Mimosa Avenue
- Moonah Avenue
- Moto Street
- Mulbinga Street
- Naroo Avenue
- Nayla Close
- Nioke Place
- Ocean View Parade
- Pacific Highway
- Park Street
- Patricia Avenue
- Pearson Street
- Pillapai Street
- Powell Street
- Princes Avenue
- Redbud Close
- Repton Street
- Retreat Lane
- Ridley Street
- Roberts Street
- Roslyn Avenue
- Sabine Close
- Shelton Close
- Sherburn Place
- Simpsons Close
- Smart Street
- Smith Street
- St Albans Close
- Stafford Close
- Stuart Street
- Tallarah Street
- Tallowood Circuit
- Targo Street
- Teal Court
- Thompson Street
- Timbercrest Chase
- Tingara Street
- Tiral Street
- Tirriki Street
- Trent Street
- Ulaka Street
- Vicki Street
- Villa Place
- Voyager Close
- Wakal Street
- Wales Street
- Wall Close
- Waratah Avenue
- Warners Bay Road
- Whitburn Close
- Willis Street
- Willoughby Street
- Yarrabee Close
- Yurig Close
This work by Lake Macquarie City Library is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License