Stepping Back in Time || Tamworth's early years 1845 - 1863

1845 - The Cohen & Levy families commence their first businesses in Tamworth, playing a significant business role over many years: // The death by spearing of shepherd James Robson on Goonoo Goonoo Station, his gravestone the oldest still existing in Tamworth, located at the West Tamworth Cemetery: // The first recorded wheat yield of 1.25 tonnes to the hectare, grown on AA Co. land in the vicinity of today's West Tamworth Primary School.

1847 - David Lundon becomes the first Chief Constable to serve in Tamworth, under the Commissioner for Crown Lands: // The first Court of Petty Sessions was held, under 4 Magistrates: // The first Orders-in-Council was passed, dictating land rights in the Peel Valley and elsewhere: // The AA Co. granted Title Deeds, enabling it to sell off some of its land, initially parts of West Tamworth: // c 1847 - The first school established, a two-room bark hut on AA Co. Land in West Tamworth.

1848 - The first ordained resident Clergyman, the Rev. Edward Williams, Anglican, Liverpool Plains Parish, housed near Ebsworth St, down the hill from the current St Paul's Church: // The first hotel licences granted in Tamworth - Tamworth Inn, near the corner of today's Peel/Jewry St & Sir Robert Peel Inn in Ebsworth St: // The Parry County was designated:

1849 - John Gill started the first Tamworth-based coach service, operating between Tamworth and Maitland, the stables near the present Peel/Bligh St corner: // The first recorded baptism, that of Alexander Bassington, at the original St Paul's Church on July 8: // The first Tamworth Town Plan, overseen by Surveyor John Gorman, under instruction from Surveyor-General Thomas Mitchell: // The first recorded marriage, that of John Bateman-Smith and Euphemia Arnot, in September, 1849, at the original St Paul's Church:

1850 - The first land sales on the eastern 'Government Town' side of the river, located within sections of the Marius / Lower (Kable Ave) / Brisbane / O'Connell St block: // The erection by the AA Co. of the Anglican Denominational School diagonally opposite today's Ibis Styles Motel:

1851 - James Dwyer, based in Tamworth, appointed as the first Chief Constable of the Liverpool Plains Crown Lands district: // The first recorded land sales by the AA Company in West Tamworth:

1852 - The first report of a gold discovery, at Hanging Rock: // The Peel River Land & Mineral Company became a subsidiary of the Australian Agricultural (AA) Company:

1854 - Probably the first recorded earth tremor in Tamworth: // Philip Gidley King becomes the General Superintendent of the Peel River Land & Mineral Company (see photo):

1855 - The National School, our first Public School, opened in Darling St, near today's Community Centre:

1856 - Tamworth's second hospital, commenced by the Tamworth Benevolent Society, began operations in Peel St: // Tamworth's first Bank, the Bank of NSW, opened at today's 292 Peel St:

1857 - The first Tamworth Cup horse race was held, 4 years before the first Melbourne Cup: // William Springthorpe Dowel's pedestrian suspension bridge was constructed, a little upstream from today's main traffic bridge:

1858 - Dr Richard Lewis Jenkins became Tamworth's first member of Parliament, representing the Liverpool Plains & Gwydir Electorate in the NSW General Assembly: // Solicitor William Smith established Tamworth's first legal practice:

1859 - The original St Paul's Anglican Church was consecrated : // St Nicholas became the first Catholic Church opened in Tamworth: // Tamworth's first local newspaper, the 'Tamworth Examiner' was published: // Tamworth's first recorded hairdresser James Bryant began his trade:

1860 - The first recorded government roadwork in Tamworth, draining and filling a lagoon in the vicinity of today's Hands of Fame Park:

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1861 - John Robertson's Crown Lands Act led to the closer settlement of leasehold land in the Peel Valley: // the original Paradise/Cockburn Bridge completed: // The wooden "Dray" Bridge was completed, near today's main traffic bridge: // Tamworth's 2nd Courthouse opened in Darling St, on the site of today's PCYC: // The first inter-district cricket match, played in Tamworth on "the green" - a section of today's Bicentennial Park:

1862 - George Denshire was appointed as Tamworth's first full-time Postmaster, retiring in 1867: // The Northern Police District commenced, HQ in Tamworth, James Garland the first Superintendent: // Tamworth's first "Picture Show ", in the Daniel O'Connell Hotel in Ebsworth St, featuring a travelling exhibition of 200 Magic Lantern slides:

1863 - West Tamworth Cemetery was dedicated:

And so our summary continues, year by year, of important events in Tamworth's early history. Tune in next week for a continuation from 1864.