Licensees
1854-1858 – David Richardson1Museum of History New South Wales. https://mhnsw.au/indexes/publicans-hoteliers-innkeepers/publicans-licenses-index. Accessed 14 February 2023.
1858 – 1860 William Jones
| Name | Surname | Date | Year | Hotel | Place | Licence | Citation |
| David | RICHARDSON | 28 March | 1854 | Diggers Arms, The | Bells Creek, District of Araluen | 1196 | NRS 14403 [4/86]; Reel 5064 |
| David | RICHARDSON | 18 April | 1854 | Diggers Arms, The | Bells Creek, District of Araluen | 118 | NRS 14403 [4/87]; Reel 5065 |
| David | RICHARDSON | 18 April | 1856 | Diggers Arms | Bell’s Creek, District of Araluen | 478 | NRS 14403 [7/1507]; Reel 1239 |
| David | RICHARDSON | 21 April | 1857 | Diggers Arms | Bells Creek, District of Braidwood | 218 | NRS 14403 [7/1508]; Reel 1239 |
| William | JONES | 20 April | 1858 | Diggers Arms, The | Bells Creek, District of Braidwood | 803 | NRS 14403 [7/1510]; Reel 1240 |
| David | RICHARDSON | 20 April | 1858 | Diggers Arms, The | Braidwood | 818 | NRS 14403 [7/1510]; Reel 1240 |
| David | RICHARDSON | 17 April | 1860 | Diggers Home, The | Wallace Street, Braidwood | 379 | NRS 14403 [7/1512]; Reel 1241 |
Location
Bells Creek
Richard Kennedy (1848-1923), JP of Reidsdale, although only very young when Araluen was in the zenith, had many anecdotes which he shared under the non de plume of Old Hand, through a series of articles written in 1907, for the Braidwood Dispatch2THE BRAIDWOOD GOLDFIELDS IN THE 50’s AND 60’s. (BY OLD HAND.) XXIV. Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888-1954), Saturday 11 April 1908, p 2. dealing with the early history of Araluen. He recollected ‘Up to this there were no public houses on the field, and the first pub was built in the old style (viz. of slabs and bark which were easily procured close handy) by the late Mr. David Richardson, latterly of Irish Corner, and who I need scarcely say did a roaring trade. Here he remained in business for somewhere about twelve months, when he removed his building on to the rush at Bully’s Acre, where he again opened a hotel; here he remained until the main rush was over and business was not so brisk. He then moved into Braidwood, where he kept the Digger’s Home Hotel for years, and here also Mr. Richardson did a good business. This is where NomChong now runs his large store.’
In the News
The Adventures of John Hubbuck. II, as published in 1906 by the Braidwood Dispatch,3Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888-1954), Wednesday 14 March 1906, p 2. described ‘About 1851 (I) came up to Braidwood and Araluen swagging, and worked with Captain Stove, Chisholm, Harrison, Grant and Roberts, above Bell’s Creek falls. Mr. David Richardson kept a public house about a mile higher up the creek.’
The Empire4Empire (Sydney, NSW : 1850-1875), Friday 2 January 1852, p 2. noted in 1852, that for the Braidwood Diggings ‘Mr. Tolson has been appointed Agent for the Empire for the Braidwood Diggings. All communications for him, as such, must be addressed to him at Bell’s Creek, care of Mr. Richardson, Storekeeper.’
Kennedy states5Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888-1954), Friday 23 January 1942, p 2. ‘In the meantime, Bell’s Creek was drawing the attention of the diggers, and here some very rich claims were opened up and in a short time there were hundreds of diggers of all nationalities on the field. Mr. David Richardson, of Irish Corner, opened a hotel [Diggers Arms] and did a good business on this field. Later on Mr. Stephen Poppenhager opened a hotel [Half-way House] business about where Mr. John Hickey’s slaughter-yard now stands, and still later on Mr. Charles Heeger [Mountain Inn] opened a hotel on top of the mountain, better known now as McCann’s old place, and shortly after Tom Maher started another hotel just opposite to where John Hickey now lives. There were some extraordinarily rich finds here, and to Bell’s Creek is credited the richest dish of wash that has, I believe, ever been taken out of one dish of picked wash.’
In 1858, the Goulburn Herald6Goulburn Herald and County of Argyle Advertiser (NSW: 1848-1859), Wednesday 28 April 1858, p 2. described the annual licensing meeting held at the court-house on Tuesday, 20 April 1858, noting ‘certificates were granted to … William Jones, Bell’s Creek (Diggings), Miner’s Home [Diggers Arms], … Edward Powell, Major’s Creek (Diggings), Miner’s Home … David Richardson, Wallace, & Lascelles-Sts, Braidwood (New) Miner’s Home. [Diggers Arms]‘.
The Braidwood Observer 7Braidwood Observer and Miner’s Advocate (NSW : 1859 – 1862), Wednesday 18 April 1860, page 2 in April 1860 reporting on the Annual meeting regarding Publican’s Licenses held at the Court-house, Braidwood, listed ‘William Jones, Diggers Arms, Bells Creek.’
In May 1860, William Jones placed an advertisement in the Braidwood Observer 8Braidwood Observer and Miner’s Advocate (NSW: 1859 – 1862), Wednesday 16 May1860, page 1 to inform that ‘he intends to dispose of the business previous to his departure for the “Snowy.”‘
The death of Mary Richardson of Reidsdale was reported in the Freeman’s Journal in 1908,9Freeman’s Journal (Sydney, NSW: 1850-1932), Thursday 9 July 1908, p 24. advising ‘Mrs. Mary Richardson, one of the most highly respected and also one of the oldest residents of the Braidwood district, died at her late residence, Reidsdale, on Monday, June 22nd, in the 78th year of her age. She was the widow of the late David Richardson, and was a native of County Limerick, Ireland, having come to the colony in February, 1840, with her father, the late Mr. John Flanagan, and the other members of the family. They took up their residence in Araluen, carrying on a dairy farm before the diggings broke out there. At that time produce of all kinds had to be taken up from and into the valley by means of pack horses and slides, there being no road down the mountain then. Mrs. Richardson with her late husband kept hotels in Bell’s Creek and Braidwood, and afterwards removed to the farm at Reidsdale, where she died.’
Mary Flanagan married David Richardson in 1854.10NSW Government, NSW Birth Death and Marriages https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au 591/1854 V1854591 100. In November 1852, the Sydney Morning Herald recounted ‘the road leading to the next or middle diggings passes by Araluen house, at present rented by Mr. Badgery. Here diggers will meet a welcome to the milk-vat by the dairyman, Mr. Flanagan. At the same time the worthy old gent will have no objection to sell them good sound salt or fresh butter at 1s. per lb., or bacon, delivered at the mines at the same price twice a week by his men, to whom they can give fresh orders; a great convenience to diggers, it saving so much time.’11Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842-1954), Tuesday 4 November 1851, p 3.