Alfred Smith an Old Richmondite Remembers

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Windsor in days gone by had its mills, and a busy time it was. Hopkins' steam mill just below the Council Chambers in George-street, I remember getting built. knew old Mr and Mrs Hopkins and their sons Abe (who used to do droving) and William. Then we had Teale's steam mill opposite the park, which was built before my recollection. Teale did a great trade. The last time I saw Joe Teale was when I was coming in with sheep at Wallerawang years ago, but good old Henry I saw in Windsor about six months ago. Then there was Caddell's brewery which stood near the Church of England, as you go down the lane to Cornwallis. This was built before my time. Other boys and myself often walked from Richmond in there for our sixpennoth of yeast. When they left there they built the big brewery near the residence of Miss Dick. Mr Thomas Caddell, who owned the brewery, married Ann, the only daughter of old Mr William Bowman.
The old place just over Windsor bridge on the Wilberforce road I knew as a pub, and being kept by old Mr. Cunninghame. About where James Rowthorn lives close to "Fairfield", I remember there was a two storey brick place kept as a pub by James Cullen. He was a great sporting man, and much interested in horse-racing. He had been butchering before he went into the pub business, but it was while keeping the pub I got to know him. He was a popular man.
The first I remember keeping the pub at Clarendon now owned and kept by Mrs Edwards was Charles Ezzy, who owned it. Others who have presided over it as a pub were Charles Barker. James Norris and James Huxley. In Charley Barker's time they had seen good foot races there. and, of course, the [--- ----] sport of cockfighting was frequent enough ? and I think it no worse than pigeon shooting and other things one might mention. The last time I saw Charley Barker and his wife was in Walgett where they were keeping a
butcher's shop. At one time Charley did droving for Joseph Cope and we often travelled together. The old two-storey place a little further on, William Thomas Bayliss kept as a pub when I first knew it. The house was built before I can remem ber. The property belonged to Bayliss, and he lived there and kept the pub for many years. His sign was "The bird in hand." A widow Smith kept it at another period, and it was while she was there Johnny Higgerson's experience in love matters commenced.
We can now get back to Windsor. I remember the old wooden bridge which did duty where the Fitzroy bridge is. It looked a very old bridge when I first knew it. They didn't build bridges then on the same lines as they do now-a-days. Charley Marsden was a big butcher in Windsor in those days, and had a narrow escape one day. He was driving a lot of fat bullocks out Magrath's Hill way, and was just over when a good slice of the bridge fell in. The first man I remember being super intendent of the Hawkesbury Benevolent Asylum was Timothy Paull. Then I mind the time when James Rowthorn had the position.
An old man who had been living with us for years went into the Asylum and came back to visit us a little while before he died. He told us all about the institution, and spoke very highly of James Rowthorn.
Old Mr Champion was a prominent citizen in Windsor years ago. He was agent for Tooth and Co. He visited the pubs in Richmond and Enfield regularly for orders. After he gave up being agent for Tooth and Co. he used to take photographs. I knew some of his sons, and the last time I saw his son Charley he had a big business in Tamworth as a saddle and harnessmaker.
Ben Barnett I knew from boyhood. He went to Hogflesh's school, next to Mrs Tomkinson's in Windsor street, Richmond, the same time as I did. He had a brother David. I knew their father and mother, the latter was a sister to Dean, the tanner of Richmond.
There was a Mr Edwards who was a chemist and dentist in George-street, Windsor. I remember him very well ? and I have good cause to remember him. I went to him once to get a big double tooth out and he couldn't shift it with two pulls in the chair so he sat me on the floor and got my head between his legs and after some lugging got the tooth. Mr Edwards was uncle to C. S. Guest, of Richmond.
Jimmy Dargin, who died in Macquarie street some time ago, was an old school mate of mine when Hogsflesh kept school where Harry Fong lives in Lennox-street, Richmond. When I first knew "Grand father" Hoskisson he was farming at Cornwallis. And while he was farming there he had "Gravesend" on the Big River, Barraba and Gyrah, three cattle stations. He had a flock of cattle coming in nearly every week while I was at the punt. He was always at the river to see his cattle put over. He had a fine chestnut horse and used to ride in till the water would be up to his knees and with his stockwhip steered the cattle along. He delighted in the work, and no matter how many others were there with cattle he would help them in. He prided himself on being the ' Grandfather ' of them all putting cattle over, and on that account we always knew him as 'Grandfather' Hoskisson. He was an industrious man, made a heap of money, and took care of it. He bought 'Clifton' from Charles Smith.
Mr Montague was the first auctioneer I remember in Windsor. I remember him having a sale of bacon in Richmond. Dick Meagher was another old hand. He kept a pub opposite the military barracks, and his sister kept house for him. Both were from Ireland.
I have mentioned William Durham living at Wombo, but I must speak of him again in Windsor, when be was a single man. In the first election in the colony when Fitzgerald and Bowman were up the seat Mr Durham took a very active interest in it. He was a very staunch Fitzgerald man, and was very busy riding about to get votes for his man, In those days they wore colors, and Mr Durham had a very big green rosette in his jacket. They were worn a great deal in those times. Mr Durham was very disappointed when his man was beaten, While on this election I might mention a few others who fought hard to get Fitzgerald in. Among them I remember Jimmy Cullen, Mr Burgess (a shopkeeper), a man named Sibthorpe, and George Freeman. There was a little song about it, but all I remember of it is "Calico, butcher, and Sibby the swell". Calico was meant for Burgess, butcher was meant for Jimmy Cullen as he was butchering at the time, and 'the swell' was given to Sibthorpe who was a bit of a 'swell'.
Among the Js P. who sat on the Windsor bench when I first remember were William Cox (of Hobartville), James Bligh Johnston (who lived out at Magrath's Hill); Captain Scarvall (from Killarney) ; Stepnen Tuckerman (down the river), George Bowman (Richmond), William Bowman (Richmond), Thomas Bell (Belmont), and James Ascough (Windsor).
Ned Armfield, and a man named Miller were among old timers in Windsor. They were constables, and under some of the chief constables I have already mentioned.
I knew old "Ben the fisherman," very well, and many a time saw him in Richmond with his fish. He had his little slab house on the point, and fished about the river, and it has been known as Ben's Point ever since.
"Fairfield " has seen gayer days than it is seeing now, I remember when old Mr Baines, "Daddie's" father, lived in the lodge at the entrance before Mr Hale bought the property. During Dr. Gamac's time, Alex. Gough lived in the lodge. In Mr.Hale's time Robert Tilling occupied the lodge. Opposite to "Fairfield," on the brow of the hill, John Seath occupied the cottage. Afterwards Thomas Wall and family lived there a lifetime. Again, good old Edward Roberts (Charley's father), John Barker and James Dargin are worthy of a place, as they, too. have played their part in making the district what it is.
While I had the mail to Windsor there was a big flood. After it went down I was the first man along, and when I got over the Ponds bridge, near Fairfield, I saw the body of a man dead. I recog nised it as Bill White. He was engaged burning charcoal out at the Glebe, and was drowned returning home.
Edward Robinson I knew away back in the days when he was poundkeeper at Gulgong, where he made a good bit of money Then we often met on the roads when he was droving. He went in for cattle droving and buying on commission for Thomas Sullivan, while I turned my attention to the sheep.
Charley Smith owned "Clifton," now the property of Mr Samuel Hoskisson. Among his racehorses I remember Crazy Jane, Beeswing (Beeswing broke her loins at the turn on the old racecourse near Charley Roberts' and was being ridden by George Marsden, who got hurt a little) Lady Cordina, Betsy Bedlam. Among his jockeys were George Marsden and Johnny Higgerson. Other jockeys were John McGrath, Micky McGrath, Dunn, Micky O'Brien, Joe Badkin and Johnny Cuts, who rode on the old racehorse.
Jorrocks, died at "Clifton" one cold, wet, winter while I was keeping the pub on the Clarendon road, and they drew the carcase out on the common a little distance from the gate. A servant man of old Mr Hoskisson's came and told me that they had drawn it out to the prickly pears ? they were plentiful about there then ? so I went out in the afternoon to have a look at the old warrior. Jorrocks had a very short mane but I was bent on having some of the hair as a keepsake of the old horse that punters and myself had so often hoorayed for. I pulled a good piece out and have had it ever since. Beside the piece of hair ? which I have had plaited into a long tan plait ? I have two of his long teeth, and would be pleased to show them to any person interested in old Jorrocks. I got the skeleton of his head when it dried and had it hanging on the stable wall for about twelve months, but as my wife was always at me about having such a thing hung up I took it down one day and buried it in the garden at the side of the pub. Some time after I was down in the museum and saw a horse's head there labelled "Jorrocks." Two men were standing by at the time and said they supposed that was the head of the great old racehorse that used to run at the Hawkesbury. I told them the difference, and what I had done with the head, but they didn't seem to believe what I said. Billy Reid took the four hoofs off and sent them to the owner, Mr Archie Thompson spirit merchant, of Sydney. I heard he had them mounted in silver.
To show how sentimental people were about the grand old equine, Mr McAlpin, of Bulga, once told me that he would have given half a sovereign towards digging a grave rather than have the bones bleach on the common. Mr McAlpin had won a lot of money on Jorrocks.
George Cupitt, an old farmer, lived near "Clifton." He was a great breeder of game fowls, and was one of the old time sports. He died there.
The Hawkesbury has had its pugilists, and among them I remember some of the best. George Hough was champion of the colony at one time. He fought Paddy Haddygaddy at Regentville for the championship, and had no trouble in beating Paddy. A lot of the leading sports went over from Richmond, to see the fight George Hough fought Black Perry for the championship some time after, but was knocked out by Perry in five rounds. Then there was the fight with Frank Norris and Dick Hunt, which took place at "Boshey's" at Blacktown. Blacktown at this time was five miles this side of the present Blacktown station. There was a lot of money lost on this fight, Martin Gibbons being a heavy loser. Joe Teale and Jim Johnson fought a great battle at the Chain of Ponds, below the present racecourse. It ended in a win for Teale. Then we had a great battle between Harry Teale and Tom Johnson. Johnson was a very game man, but got such a punishing from Teale that they had to take him away to save him from getting finished altogether. Three fights that day, and the other one was between Isiah Bell and Charles Metcalfe. It was a hard battle, and won by Bell. Each of these three fights was for ?10 aside. I remember the day, though I didn't see this fight, Courderoy and Stringybark Jack fought down about the Ponds. I heard it was a great fight, and Stringybark Jack was killed dead by a chance blow. Then there was another fight down there for ?10 aside between two local chaps who had had a quarrel. The winner is now advanced in years and suffering from paralysis.

Sources:
Ups and Downs of an Old Richmondite
Alfred Smith
Chronicled bt Robert Farlow
Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW : 1888 - 1954)
Saturday 22 October 1910
Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW : 1888 - 1954)
Saturday 29 October 1910
Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW : 1888 - 1954)
Transcription, janilye