"Field trip" to Newcastle yields an unexpected thrill!

March 05, 2018

The last weekend of February was my first opportunity to visit Newcastle since I've become interested in my family history. In planning and executing my "field trips", I'm looking for places that were significant to my family many years ago and getting a sense of the current "vibe" - great accommodation and eateries add a lot to the experience.

To recap...

Agnes Cahill is my "Woodlands great-grandmother". She was born in about 1868 in Patricks Plain near Singleton, NSW - thought to be the tenth of the eleven children of James Cahill (abt 1822 to 1877) and Eliza Dunn (abt 1830 to 1890). Here's a photo of Agnes taken in about 1937 in Sydney with her daughter, Lorna, and grandson, Ron.

You can read more about Agnes and her family in these previous blog posts-

Agnes had moved to Newcastle by 1890 when she was in her early 20s. It was here that she gave birth to her five children and lived with James Woodland prior to and after their marriage in 1901-

Annie Cahill, was born on 04 November 1890 and died on 06 November 1890 at Wickham Street Newcastle. Annie died at 36 hours from asthenia (asthma weakness). Agnes was the informant and there are no details of a father. Annie was buried on 8 November 1890 at Sandgate Cemetery, Newcastle.
Oswald Cahill, known as James Oswald Woodland, was born on 20 September 1891 at Dawson Street Newcastle. The birth registration shows his mother as Agnes Cahill, born in Branxton, and no father. We now know that his father was Cornelius Bray.
Myra Cahill, known as Myra Woodland, was born on 05 November 1898 at Union Lane Newcastle. The birth registration shows her mother as Agnes Cahill, born in Branston, and no father. It's most likely that James Woodlands was Myra's father.
Frank Woodland was born on 26 May 1903 at Union Lane, Newcastle. The birth registration shows James Woodland, a baker, born in Newcastle, as the father and Agnes Kale, born in Singleton, as the mother. It also shows that James and Agnes were married on 22 January 1900 at West Maitland and there was one child, Myra, aged 3, previously born to the couple. On 13 Jun 1903, Frank died at his home in Union Street. "Premature birth" is shown as the cause of death. Frank was buried on 15 June 1903 at the Catholic Cemetery, Sandgate.
Lorna Mae Woodland was born on 04 November 1914 at Church Street West, Newcastle. The birth registration show James Woodland, a baker born in Newcastle, as the father and Agnes Kale, born in Singleton, as the mother.

James and Agnes lived in Union Lane in central Newcastle from the late 1890s. They then moved to Watkins Street, The Junction - not far from Merewether Beach around 1910. James ran bakeries in both location. It was from here that James Oswald Woodlands, my grandfather, enlisted to fight in World War 1 in May 1917. James didn't return to live in Newcastle after the War. In the late 1920s or early 1930s, Agnes, James (snr) and their youngest child, Lorna, moved to Sydney.

I chose to stay at Noah's on the Newcastle Beach. A great location as well as the site for a photo we have of Myra and Lorna taken in about 1917 - maybe around the time that their brother James went to war.

The next day, I was off to have a look at Union Lane and Watkins Sweet. There was no site of a likely location of the home or business in Union Lane. Similarly, when I walked around Watkins Street that runs between The Junction and Merewether Beach, there was no evidence of the Woodland's home, Cavan, or a building that may have been a bakery.

The Junction is a "trendy" area with a good vibe and lots of great eateries. Here's the view of The Junction from my table at Talulah. Watkins Street runs off at the right of the photo. Of course, smashed avocado is the only thing to order these days...