Licensee
1858-1860 – Denis Barrett, with his license number given as 449 NRS 14403 [7/1512]; Reel 1241 in 1860.
Location
Favourite Flat, Lower Araluen, between Crown Flat and Mudmelong, moving to Crown Flat.
Kennedy1Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888-1954), Friday 3 July 1942, p 3. when detailing the hotels on the goldfields, notes ‘at Crown Flat, Hoskins ran a hotel opposite Eaton’s old store; then lower down the creek were Barrett’s, Carney’s, Sweeney’s, Jensen’s and Morris’s.’
In the News
In 1856, Denis Barrett was the licensee of The Favorite Inn at Mongarlowe. In 1858, the Goulburn Herald2Goulburn Herald and County of Argyle Advertiser (NSW : 1848-1859), Wednesday 28 April 1858, p 2. reported a licence granted to Denis Barrett, Long Flat, (Diggings), Favorite Inn, with a license transfer to Araluen, granted in December 1858. Denis’ sister Ann Gilligan (nee Barrett) and John Gilligan, were the licensees of the Erin-go-Bragh at Crown Flat and then Redbank, from 1859 until 1865.
Denis Barrett (1825-1882)3FindaGrave.com. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/174290753/dennis-barrett Accessed 23 October 2023. married Mary Maher (1826-1891)4FindaGrave.com. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/148899208/mary-barrett Accessed 23 October 2023. in Araluen, in 1853. 5NSW Birth Death Marriages, 6/1853 V18536 99 familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au Accessed 23 October 2023. They had six children Bridget (1856-1856), Catherine (Sister Mary Angela 1857-1924), Bridget (1858-1905), Denis (1860-1931), Mary (Sister Mary Anastasia 1864-1944),6FindaGrave.com. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/149139511/mary-anastasia Accessed 23 October 2023. and Thomas (1867-1918).
Kennedy7Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888-1954), Saturday 16 November 1907, p 2. recollects ‘Then Favorite Flat broke out, and there was another rush, and men kept flocking down to the Valley in droves. On this rush two hotels were opened, one by the late Denis Barrett, and the other by a man of the name of Carney, who, with his family, was drowned in the big flood of 1860. Like all the other business places these hotels did a great business.’
In June 1859, the Empire8Empire (Sydney, NSW : 1850-1875), Saturday 25 June 1859, p 2. reported on ‘A [Quoits] match was played on Saturday on Favorite Flat, opposite to Mr. Barrett’s, between Mr. Charles Tindall, and the Yorkshire Lad.’
The Empire9Empire (Sydney, NSW : 1850-1875), Tuesday 12 July 1859, p 3. reported in July 1859 regarding Favourite Flat, stated ‘Those who have kept close to diggings have done well in this locality … Dr. Wilson met the electors of the Southern gold-fields on Monday, at Mr. Barrett’s at the Favorite Flat and from the manner in which he was received, we should judge he was the popular candidate.’
The Moruya Races were held December 1859, which the Sydney Morning Herald10Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842-1954), Tuesday 3 January 1860, p 3. described as ‘A large number of miners from Araluen were also present to witness the performances of Denny Barrett’s crack, Cromarty, which was a universal favourite for the Champion Sweepstakes with the Araluen division … magnificent race ensued, Cromarty winning by a length and a half.’
On the night of 10 February 1860, Kennedy11Richard Kennedy’s ‘The Braidwood Goldfields‘ 1850’s – 1860’s 4th Reprint 2010. p 24. detailed ‘a most terrible flood occurred, on the lower part of the valley down about Mudmelong, Sweeney’s Flat, and higher up to Crown Flat, with property swept away, hundreds of diggers left without shelter, and lives lost. Mr Barrett’s hotel was swept away, but was kept in place by a large fallen tree‘. The Empire12Empire (Sydney, NSW : 1850-1875), Monday 20 February 1860, p 3. detailed ‘Mr. Denny Barrett’s public-house has also been carried away, together with all the tents that were near it.’ The Empire13Empire (Sydney, NSW : 1850-1875), Tuesday 21 February 1860, p 3. added on 21 February 1860, ‘We cannot do better than give Mr. T. North’s [Araluen Arms] version of the calamity at this place (Crown Flat). He relates … I was roused … went down the Creek as far as the Star Hotel, but could not get any further; at this time everything appeared to have been washed clean away from Favourite Flat; could only see the bark of Denny Barrett’s House, which, in fact, was the only thing visible on the Flat; Carney’s house [Cottage of Content] was not then visible; the people on Crown Flat were then under the impression that Barrett’s and Carney’s families were all lost; about ten o’clock Davy Buchanan and [my]self went down to the Creek opposite to Barrett’s; after some difficulty we managed to make them hear, and then saw that Denny was alive, but we were still uncertain as to the fate of Denny’s family ….’.
In February 1862, an advertisement in the Braidwood Observer 14Braidwood Observer and Miner’s Advocate (NSW: 1862), Wednesday 12 February 1862, page 3 detailed an auction to be held 17 February 1862, on the premises at Crown Flat Araluen, for ‘those extensive premises known as the Favourite Inn… latterly kept by Mr. Dennis Barrett’. The Braidwood Observer 15Braidwood Observer and Miner’s Advocate (NSW: 1859 – 1862), Saturday 22 February 1862, page 2 then reported on the 22 February 1862 ‘Sold on Monday, at Araluen, the Favorite [Favourite] Inn, for £.47’.
In an advertisement in the Braidwood Observer 16Braidwood Observer and Miner’s Advocate (NSW: 1859 – 1862), Saturday 22 March 1862, page 3 dated 11 March 1862, John Kingsland announced, that having obtained a license for the premises lately occupied by Dennis Barratt [Favourite Inn] ‘he intends opening the same …[as the Araluen Arms] on Saturday next [March 1862],’ and inviting his friends to the ‘House Opening’ Ball to be held that Saturday evening.
Bridget Barrett (aged 15) daughter of Denis Barrett, was appointed pupil school teacher at Araluen West Public School in October 1873.17NSW State Archives, Teachers’ rolls (1869-1908) NRS-4073, Volume 2, p 245.
The Southern Argus18Southern Argus (Goulburn, NSW : 1881-1885), Tuesday 9 May 1882, p 2. reported in May 1882 on a ‘Fatal Accident. … Mr. Denis Barrett, farmer, of Little River, who had been in Braidwood to release some cattle from the pound, was returning home, and when near Malone’s Gardens his horse fell and rolled over him. When picked up he was unconscious and appeared to be severely injured. … died on Friday afternoon about 4 o’clock from concussion of the brain‘.
A notice was placed in the Freemans Journal19Freeman’s Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1850-1932), Saturday 14 March 1891, p 11. notifying of the death of Mary Barrett (nee Maher) on ‘March 6, 1891, at 68, Wellington-street, New town, Sydney, Mrs. Barrett, mother of two Sisters of Charity, Angela and Anastasia, of Ashfield Convent. Inserted by her affectionate son.’
In December 1918, the Catholic Press20Catholic Press (Sydney, NSW : 1895-1942), Thursday 26 December 1918, p 40. published information on the death of ‘Mr. Thomas Phillip Barrett, a well-known and highly-respected resident of Erskineville, [who] died on the 14th inst. [December] at the Sacred Heart Hospice, Darlinghurst. He was descended from two good old Irish Catholic families, of Irish Corner, near Braidwood, the Barret family (Limerick) and Maher family (Tipperary), being the youngest son of the late Denis Barrett and Mary Maher, of Crown Flat, Araluen.