Merewether and Rothbury estates records, ca. 1829-1997

MLMSS 8827/1-15
MLMSS 8827/16X

fonds

ca. 1829-1997

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Clippings, Photographs, Ephemera, Architectural and Technical Drawings

411599

2.5 metres of textual material (15 boxes and 1 outsize box)

Merewether is located in Newcastle and was originally part of the Burwood Estate. It takes its name from the owner, Edward Christopher Merewether, son-in-law of Dr. James Mitchell and brother-in-law of David Scott Mitchell. The Merewether estate was formed in 1893 on the death of Edward Christopher Merewether. Dr Mitchell's extensive land holdings in the Hunter Valley were shared by his three children and the Merewether Estate was concerned with Mrs. Merewether's share in what is now the Newcastle suburb of Merewether, and D.S. Mitchell's share in the Rothbury and Hexham regions. Business of the Estate was land sales and coalmining.

Edward Christopher Merewether (1820-1893), was public servant and company superintendent. In 1835, Dr James Mitchell made application to purchase land of about 900 acres south of Newcastle. Later additions to this grant was made by purchase A. W. Scott's grant to the east. The area was named Burwood estate. In 1860, Dr Mitchell's eldest daughter Augusta Maria, married Edward Christopher Merewether who had arrived in Newcastle as the General Superintendent of the Australian Agricultural Co. They built and lived in The Ridge and the area changed names from Burwood, to Merewether. His good management restored the company's fortunes. He overcame labour troubles in coal-mining and with James Fletcher helped to arrange the 'vend' system. In 1869 he assisted the family's counsel in litigation that eventually wrested control of Mitchell's estate from the confidence trickster, William Ernest Wolfskehl. Later as owner of the estate he had to negotiate with himself when the company wanted to mine under it. In 1876 he left the management of the estate to Robert Scott junior, and moved his family to Sydney

Rothbury Estate was amongst the many holdings in the Hunter district first acquired by Dr. James Mitchell. His son David Scott Mitchell died in 1907 leaving 70 000 pounds as the Mitchell Library Endowment. The residue of his estate went to his sister Augusta Maria, wife of E.C. Merewether. Edward John Merewether wasthe Trustee, Merewether and Rothbury Estates, 1964-97. The Rothbury Estate was formed in 1968 when a group of wine lovers formed a syndicate to develop a single vineyard in the Hunter Valley.

References:
Australian Dictionary of Biography Online. 'Merewether, Edward Christopher (1820–1893)'. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/ (accessed 10/01/2013)
Merewether Weater and More Online. 'History of Merewether'. http://www.merewether.com (accessed 10/01/2013)
Compiled from the collection

BOXES 1-3
Legal agreements, transfers and indentures including deeds of partition and settlement, conveyances, probates of wills, declaration of trusts, land grants and titles mainly between Merewether and Mitchell families and relating to Rothbury and Merewether estates, ca. 1829-1991

Loose receipts between Mitchell and Merewether 1871-1873 and bound receipt books of Rothbury Estates 1967-1982 and E. C. Merewether estates, 1966-1981

BOX 4
Abstracts of title for Rothbury and Belford and Burwood estates, 1872-1980

Valuations of Merewether estate, 1953-1956

Statutory declarations relating to Merewether family and estates, 1909-1981

Legal records and valuations relating to Mitchell’s Flat, Rothbury and Stanhope estate of David Scott Mitchell and will of James Mitchell, 1907-1909

Wills of Hugh Hamilton Mitchell Merewether and Edward Christopher Merewether, 1904-1920

Abstracts of title and trustees deeds of appointment relating to Merewether estates, 1953-1984

BOX 5
Deeds of Rothbury and Merewether estates, 1909–1971

Legal records and correspondence including statutory declarations relating Augusta Maria Merewether estate, 1909, 1948-1959

Records and correspondence relating to trustees and coal hoppers on Rothbury and Merewether estates, 1953-1965

Legal and financial records and correspondence relating to Trustees of Merewether and Rothbury estates, 1908-1910 1936 1960

Abstracts of title Merewether and Rothbury estates and will of James Mitchell, 1921-1990

Copies of deeds of trust and supplementary abstracts of title Merewether and Rothbury estates, 1909, 1997

Will and correspondence relating to estate of Edward C. Merewether, 1936-1944

BOX 6
Accounts and financial statements of the estates Edward C. Merewether, 1961-1978 and H.H. Merewether, 1961-1981 and Rothbury estates, 1964-1981

BOX 7
Records, correspondence and lists of documents in Merewether and Rothbury estate deed box, 1953-1982

Land rates and land tax returns for Rothbury estates, 1957-1981

Report of the Trustees of Public Library of NSW, 1908

BOX 8
Legal reports and documents relating to coal mining and coal compensation board and Mitchells Flat Coal Company, 1973-1996

Letter from E. P. Simpson to Frederick Lockyer Mitchell Merewether relating to difficulties at Rothbury Colliery, November 1925

Photocopy of map of North Rothbury Ayrfield and lots in colliery holding, 1984

Supplementary abstracts of title of trustees of Rothbury estate, 1909 & 1980

Parish map of Ovingham, 1961

Photographs of Mitchells Flat Singleton NSW, 1990

BOX 9
Certificate of transfer of title, 1925

Photographs of Rothbury estate, no date

Copies of conveyances, road maps and mortgage discharge Rothbury area and Merewether estate, 1909-1925, copies ca. 1984-1994

Excerpts from land title registers and records and surveyors descriptions mainly of Merewether’s North Rothbury Branxton and Lindeman estates, 1909, 1920-1930

Correspondence and records relating to Newcastle and Northumberland, including copies of crown grants and receipts issued for Newcastle, 1840-1856 and records relating to Northumberland District Planning Scheme, 1938-1956

Map of parish of Kahibah County of Northumberland, 1956 and subdivision plans Rothbury estates, parishes of Branxton and Allandale, ca. 1933

Legal records, agreements and deeds and excerpts of correspondence relating to estate of Edward C. Merewether and land subdivisions, 1957-1967

Certificates of transfer of title of Rothbury estate Northumberland, 1954-19778

Plans and subdivisions Rothbury estate showing lessees and land owned by Merewether, ca. 1978

BOXES 9-11
Account registers of Rothbury estate, 1935-1990

Ledger of capital and income from Edward C. Merewether estate, 1962-1976

Account books for estate of Edward Robert Hickson Merewether, 1964-1989, Hugh Hamilton Mitchell Merewether, 1919-1990

BOX 12
Printed music score coronation ceremony their majesties King George and Queen Mary, 22nd June 1911

Certificate appointing David Scott Mitchell to Lieutenant in East India Company, 1824

Merewether family correspondence and records:

Transcription of Hope Merewether’s letters, February 1951-December 1951, copied by Edward R. Hickson Merewether during her first trip to Europe

Letters between Mrs Edwards R. H. Merewether, Richard, Hope, George and John Merewether, 1950-1955

Photographic prints of weddings of Hope and J Hughes and Hazel Merewether and Raymond Ward and family photographs of Richard Merewether taken by, ca. 1950-1951

BOXES 12-13
Letters from John and Richard to their mother relating to Shore school, 1935-1942

Letters from John relating to Australian Imperial Force (AIF), 1942-1946

Box 14
Bound volumes with excerpts of issues from periodical ‘Rothbury Pressings’, ca. 1975-1986

Boxes 14-15
Printed ephemera mainly tourist brochures and fliers of wineries in Victoria, New South Wales (NSW), Australian Capital Territory (ACT), South Australia and Western Australia (WA), 1984-1996

BOX 15
Printed periodicals mainly winery newsletters and brochures relating to Mentell in Western Australia, Baileys in Victoria and New Zealand, 1979-1996

Printed ephemera relating to Brown Brothers wineries Milawa, 1984-1996

Printed newsletters and ephemera Mudgee and Miramar and Tyrrell’s wineries NSW, 1975-1995

BOX 16X
Legal agreements and deeds of trust mainly between Merewether family and Trustees of Public Library of NSW, 1872-1916

Will of David Scott Mitchell, 1905-1907

Deed of settlement Newcastle Coal Copper Company, 1853

Deed of partition of the estate of James Mitchell, 1872

Receipt books of Rothbury and E. C. Merewether estates, ca. 1965-1981

This material is held offsite and is usually available after 4pm on the next business day. Please submit your request through Ask a Librarian - Applies to MLMSS 8827/1-15

Copyright status:: In copyright - This collection has multiple rights owners
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Information upgraded as part of the Manuscripts Unprocessed eRecords Project 2012-2013