Catherine Clarkson - The
Battle for the
Woodman 1826-1836
So began the first of a long chain of disputes
between the devisees of
the Will of Thomas Clarkson and Daniel Cooper. The desperate battle for
the "Woodman" was resumed with renewed vigour.
Daniel Cooper decided to approach the courts in the
hope that they could provide a "remedy" for the situation at hand and
the courts, "being willing that what is just in this behalf should be
done",(1) ordered Catherine Clarkson and Thomas Rowley to appear before
the Supreme Court at Sydney on 7 January 1826 to answer why Daniel
Cooper should not be entitled to proceed against them to collect the
remaining £1,000 owed him. Cooper was complaining that at the
time the writ was issued the executors of Thomas' Will "had divers
goods and chattels which were of the said Thomas Clarkson deceased" in
their possession and should have settled the residue of the debt with
the sale of those. A judgement on 26 May 1826 gave a verdict for
Cooper.(2)
The Sydney Gazette of 26 January 1826 announced the
letting of what
appears to be Thomas Clarkson's Stone Mill;
To
Bakers and the Public.
The undersigned having rented and
taken possession of the -Stone Mill
on the South Head Road, it is now open for the reception of wheat for
the purpose of grinding.
The advertisement was inserted by Andrew Frazer, a
long time associate
of Thomas Clarkson.(3)
By the end of 1826 however, Catherine was still
resident at Hunter
Street. An advertisement advised her intent to receive goods and
letters for conveyance by a newly commenced courier service, run by
William Boyle and Thomas Casey.
"quickness
will be our study, contained with care and punctuality in
the delivery of such goods and parcels as we may be favoured with".(4)
Thomas Clarkson's children sold the WOODMAN to James
Holt in 1841. 1842
a licence was issued to Thomas Hill for the hotel known as the SIR
MAURICE O'CONNELL. The following year John Wilson obtained the licence
and held it until 1845. In 1853 it was held by William Baxter and the
following year it passed to John Robinson. James Holt sold the property
to William carpe in 1857. The licence then became John Thomas Soloman's
in 1860.
That year it was situate on the corner of Hunter
& Elizabeth. Sts,
back from the street and boasted an old fashioned swinging sign
depicting the portrait of a general in uniform. Its popular host was
John Thomas Soloman, who, together with his elder brother, ran the Inn.
The picture above shows the inn at that time.
Image - SIR
MAURICE O'CONNELL HOTEL
Early in 1827, Catherine sought the help of one
Stephen Stock. He was
an interesting character who, because of his convict background and
aspirations to having a knowledge of the legal system, was not highly
respected by the members of the Colonial Secretary's Office. He
had worked as a clerk in the Office of the Surveyor General and
was thought to have used his position to assume knowledge of
transactions and to have induced people into thinking he could advise
them. Even worse, he had a colonial conviction.(5) Such was the
thinking of a lot of the free inhabitants in the colony regarding the
convicts.
It appears that now this "scoundrel" was
advising Catherine
Clarkson. Under his direction she decided to convey the ownership of
the "Woodman", (which she had always maintained was hers independently)
from her hands to her sons.
On 2 May 1827, "out of the natural love and
affection which the said Catherine Clarkson beareth him", Catherine
conveyed to Thomas Junior, that parcel of land situate in Elizabeth and
Hunter Streets and also the dwelling house upon it known as the sign of
the "Woodman". This included the brewery and all other edifices etc.,
on the land. It was subject to the payment of 10/ weekly to each of his
sisters, Mary and Ann, who were still living at home.(6)
The other deed of gift was made to Mountford
Clarkson and included the malthouse at the rear of the "Woodman" and
also the ground used as a garden at the rear of the malthouse situated
in Elizabeth Street. This cost Mountford 5/- and was given with the
same sentiments that the conveyance to Thomas Jnr, carried. (This was
actually the land that was alleged was given to Mountford by Richard
Harding.
Both conveyances were witnessed by Stephen Stock,
Michael McCauliffe
and Thomas Clarkson's old friend, George Davey (of the James Bee
incident).(7)
Strangely enough, these memorials were not
registered until 17 October
1831.
In spite of this official change of ownership,
Catherine still appeared
to be in control of the premises. In 1830 the licence to retail Wine,
Malt and Spirituous Liquors was issued in the name of the lady
herself.(8)
Taking into account the respective ages of the two
boys to whom
Catherine conveyed the premises, the whole exercise could be viewed as
an attempt to switch ownership in order to give the boys a legal right
to the property.
Thomas would have been 17 and Mountford 15 years of
age.
In 1828 the Sydney Gazette of 3 February ran an
advertisement for the
letting of the Mill, which had been auctioned off just days after
Thomas Clarkson's death.(9)
To
Millers Bakers and Others
To Let, for a term of Two years. That
well known mill, on the South
Head load, built by Clarkson attached to which there is a Dwelling
House consisting of 3 good apartments, a garden of an acre of ground
(fertile) and water in abundance in all seasons; the whole comprises 4
acres of land and a good run for cattle. The only reason for letting
the said mill. is that the present occupier has established himself in
another business at the Residence of the late Mr E. Fraziar, (sic)
Rocks to where apply the undersigned
Charles Pinqston. Cambridge Street
Sydney
Page last updated - 7
July 2006