Licensees
1860 – James Watt with his license number given as 662 (NRS 14403 [7/1513]; Reel 1242).
1861-1863 – James Munroe
1864 – Henry Braden [Bradon] [Braydon]
Location
Mudmelong, then moving to Crown Flat in 1861
Historical Maps1NSW Land Registry Service, Parish and Historical Maps. Historical Land Records Viewer https://www.nswlrs.com.au/Parish-and-Historical-Maps. Accessed 17 February 2023 shows the lands purchased by James Watt were Portions 214, 250 and 251:
| Por | Plan | Loc | Vol | Fol | Pub | |
| Watt James | 214 | 584 | SE | 58 | 128 | Emu Inn |
| Watt James | 250 | 584 | SE | 58 | 127 | Emu Inn |
| Watt James | 251 | 584 | SE | 58 | 129 | Emu Inn |
In the News
In June 1859, the Empire2Empire (Sydney, NSW : 1850-1875), Saturday 18 June 1859, p 3 reported that at Mudmelong ‘James Watt and party have sold the whole interest of their claim to Chinamen for £300, who have also purchased the right of water from the adjoining party for £15.’
Following the floods in February 1860, the Illawarra Mercury3Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856-1950), Friday 24 February 1860, p 4 reported that ‘at Mudmelong, Watt’s house was high and dry, and free from all damage‘. By August 1860, James Watt’s Emu Inn was the only pub at Mudmelong.4Barry McGowan. The Golden South. A History of the Araluen, Bells Creek and Majors Creek Goldfields. Capital Fine Print, Canberra. 2000. p 58
Dated 16 February 1860, a ‘For Sale’ advertisement was placed in the Braidwood Observer 5Braidwood Observer and Miner’s Advocate (NSW: 1859 – 1862), Saturday 18 Feb 1860, page 4 by James Watt, for the Emeu Inn [Emu] at Mudmelong, as James needed to attend to his farming pursuits.
In April 1861, the Freeman’s Journal6Freeman’s Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1850-1932), Wednesday 17 April 1861, p 7 reported that ‘Mr. Watt from Mudmelong, is erecting a most substantial hotel between Gilligan’s [Erin-go-bragh] and Powell’s.[Old house at Home]’ at Crown Flat.
An advertisement was placed in the Sydney Morning Herald7Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842-1954), Friday 11 October 1861, p 1 on 11 October 1861, requesting ‘any Vocalists, Theatricals, Wizard or other professionals visiting Araluen, requiring engagements to please communicate with James Munroe at the Emu Inn, Crown Flat‘.
The Araluen Spring Race meeting was scheduled to be held 6, 7, and 8 October 1863, and advertised in the Araluen Star 8Araluen Star and Miners Right (1863- 1964), Supplement, Saturday 26 September 1863, page 2, which details the ‘The Stewards for the race – Messrs John Hogan [Free Section Inn], James Armstrong [Peace and Plenty], Frederick Scantlebury [Rose and Crown], Henry Cummins, Dennis Kennedy[Sapling Point], Alexander Waddell, Patrick Egan [Poor Man’s Inn], Mr [James] Munro [Emu Inn] and James Singer[Criterion]’. Bells adds when reporting on the Court case in November of that year ‘The whole of the stewards, with two exceptions, are innkeepers at Araluen. Seven out of nine are innkeepers‘. 9Bell’s Life in Sydney and Sporting Chronicle (NSW : 1860 – 1870), Saturday 28 November 1863, page 4
In what became known as the Araluen Race Case in 1863, the Echuca and Moama Chronicle 10Pastoral Times and Echuca and Moama Chronicle (Deniliquin, NSW : 1863 – 1866), Saturday 28 November 1863, page 3 summarised that ‘An action was brought last week by Miss Dickson nominally against … stewards of the Araluen races, to recover the sum of £30, the amount of the Consolation Stakes, won by her horse Kildare, on the third day of the meeting, but Mr. F. A. Cooper, lately Gold Commissioner at Araluen, and Dr. Wilson’s opponent at the last election, was regarded as virtually the defendant. ‘ ‘The jury had retired for a very short time when they came in with a verdict for the plaintiff for the amount claimed’. detailed the Empire, adding 11Empire (Sydney, NSW : 1850 – 1875), Tuesday 24 November 1863, page 3 upon the verdict being announced, the crowded court ‘required all the exertion’s of the police and the remonstrance’s of his Honor to keep down the manifestations of satisfaction therewith‘.
A sale notice was placed in the Araluen Star and Miners Right newspaper dated 7 December 1863, for any interest in the Emu Inn, Crown Flat, prior to the 27 December, as the proprietor was about to leave for Europe in January.
In January 1864, the Araluen Star and Miners Right newspaper12Araluen Star and Miners Right (1863-1964), Saturday 16 January 1864, p 2 reported License Transfers, stating ‘the transfer license was granted from James Munroe to Henry Braydon, [Braden] of that licensed house known as Emu Inn, Crown Flat’.
Details were given in the Araluen Star and Miners Right, of a narrow escape from burning in July 1864, 13Araluen Star and Miners Right (1863- 1964), Saturday 2 July 1864, page 2, at Mr Braden’s Public House at Crown Flat. ‘The parlour chimney caught fire, which was quickly communicated to the roof, and it was only by great exertions that the progress of the flames was stopped. Plenty of assistance was at hand, and the flames were mastered without doing much injury‘.
The List of Licensed Publicans in Police District Araluen, dated 1 January 1864, and updated, 14Accumulated resources and research notes on parishes and churches of the Archdiocese collected by ‘Father Brian Maher’, Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn, Series CG1021: Braidwood File 1 / Item 11/1. notes the closure of the Emu Inn, on 30 June 1864.
An advertisement in the Goulburn Herald 15Goulburn Herald and Chronicle (NSW : 1864 – 1881), Wednesday 15 November 1865, page 4 for the Araluen Annual Races, to be held in November 1865, at the Araluen racecourse, details the Stewards as ‘Henry Braden, Thomas McMahon, [Harp of Erin], Patrick Hogan, Henry Monzett [Clare Castle], Patrick Eagan [Poor Man’s Inn] and Dennis Kennedy [Australian Arms]‘.
By 1877, James Watt’s land was sold.16NSW Land Registry Service, Parish and Historical Maps. Historical Land Records Viewer https://www.nswlrs.com.au/Parish-and-Historical-Maps. Accessed 17 February 2023
