Railway House, Matthews/Frost General Store, 1872
Source: Mitchell Library, SLNSW
Source: Mitchell Library, SLNSW
In the 1872 panoramic image of Gulgong taken from Church Hill, there is a business on Herbert Street called "Railway House" which is puzzling for a number of reasons. First, there was no railway in Gulgong at the time (construction of a link between Mudgee and Gulgong began in 1909). Secondly, there is no mention of this business name in Trove (the National Library of Australia' digitised newspaper collection). Thirdly, there is no known close-up photo of this business and its owners in the Holtermann Collection.
Side view of Railway House from
Herbert Street looking south from Belmore Street, Gulgong
Source: Mitchell Library, SLNSW
1871 - TOWN TALK
Improvements are still the order of the day. In Herbert Street, Matthews and Frost have opened a well stocked Iron Store with a very neat front.
Source: Gulgong Guardian, Issue No. 16 SATURDAY June 3rd, 18711871 - RAILWAY HOUSE HERBERT STREET
MATTHEWS & FROST BEG to inform the public that they have Now Opened their SPACIOUS STORES with a variety of stock Drapery Clothing Boots Groceries Ironmongery And every other Article requisite on a Goldfield, which in QUALITY and PRICE cannot be surpassed by any other store on the Goldfield. One trial will prove the Fact.
Source: Gulgong Guardian, Issue No. 16 SATURDAY June 3rd, 1871
1871 - [BUSINESS FOR SALE]
1871 - [BUSINESS FOR SALE]
For Sale Messrs. Matthews & Frost selling premises known as the Railway House, corner of Herbert and Little Bayly Streets.
Source: Gulgong Guardian, Issue No. 31 SATURDAY September 16, 1871
Plunkett & Co are also auctioning the Railway House, situated at the corner of Herbert and Little Bayly Streets. Having a 60 feet frontage to Herbert street and 165 feet to Little Bayly Street.
Source: Gulgong Guardian, Issue No. 32 SATURDAY September 23, 1871
Later ownership of the property includes:
In 1872, John Thomas Frost purchased a block of land on the corner of Herbert and Little Bayly streets. The title deed is dated 14 November 1872 and indicates that the purchase cost 7 pounds 4 shillings.
Source: HLRV
Later ownership of the property includes:
- 22 March 1876 transferred to William Henry Barnett of Gulgong, blacksmith
- 27 July 1892 transferred to James Porter Gudgeon, blacksmith
- Application by transmission Henry James Elijah Gudgeon of Croydon, blacksmith and Albert 1948 Gudgeon of Croydon, postal official, as joint tenants
- 10 June 1969 – Transfer to Donald Hunter Dougan, Reginald Alexander Milne, Humphrey and James Christie McCowan as joint tenants
Source: Gulgong Guardian, Issue No. 116 WEDNESDAY September 25, 1872
