Coutt's Sailors Home facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Coutt's Sailors Home
Heritage boundaries
Location	16 Bond Street, Newcastle, City of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
Built	1882–1882
Architect	George Brown
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name: Enterprise Park and Coutt's Sailors Home (former); Coutts Sailors Rest Home; Convict Lumberyard
Type	state heritage (built)
Designated	22 March 2011
Reference no.	1842
Type	Housing & Quarters
Category	Maritime Industry
Builders	Robert Muirhead
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The Coutt's Sailors Home is a special old building in Newcastle, Australia. It used to be a place where sailors could stay, a health clinic, and even government offices. Now, it's a home. It was designed by George Brown and built in 1882 by Robert Muirhead. This building is so important that it was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on March 22, 2011.

Why Was a Sailors' Home Needed?

Newcastle became a very important port for ships, especially for coal. Sailors often had to wait a long time in port while their ships were loaded. Sometimes, they stayed for up to three months! Without a safe place to go, they often faced dangers on the streets. People realized that Newcastle, a big shipping city, needed a safe place for sailors to rest.

How the Idea Started

Sailors' Homes were already popular in Britain since the 1860s. These homes offered clean, affordable places for sailors to stay. A similar home was built in Sydney in 1864. These places were seen as very important for any large port.

In 1880, a kind church minister named Reverend James Coutts decided to act. His wife was a sailor's daughter, so he understood their struggles. He offered to donate £1,000 and raise another £1,000 if the government would give land for the home. The government agreed, and land was set aside in Scott Street, close to the harbor.

Building the Home

The Sailors' Home was built with money from both the public and the government. A committee was formed to help. Newspapers encouraged people to donate, reminding them how important sailors were to Newcastle's success. They wrote that without sailors, the port wouldn't be as important, and coal couldn't be shipped.

Even though people didn't donate as much as hoped, a plan was made. The foundation stone was laid on March 17, 1882. This was such a big event that the government made it a public holiday! People came from everywhere to watch. A bottle with newspapers and coins was placed under the stone, but it has since gone missing.

The building was designed by George Brown, an architect from Sydney. Robert Muirhead was the builder. The work went quickly, and the home was finished by December 1882. It was described as a brick building with many rooms, including offices, reading rooms, dining rooms, and bedrooms for about 70 people. It even had a wide hallway with a great view of the harbor.

Life at the Home

In June 1883, a tea party was held to welcome sailors to the new home. About 500 people attended. A ball was also held, and a women's group was formed to support the home. Reverend Coutts passed away in 1884, but the building remained a reminder of his efforts to help others.

Later, between 1882 and 1897, two new sections were added to the building. In 1897, a separate house for the Superintendent (the person in charge) was built, designed by Frederick Menkens, a famous Newcastle architect.

What Happened Next?

By the early 1900s, the home wasn't as popular because there were other places for sailors to stay. It also started to get run down. In 1933, the people managing the home said they couldn't continue. Fewer ships were coming to Newcastle, making the home less useful.

A Clinic for Polio

In 1934, the land was given to the Newcastle Hospital. In 1938, the building became the Sister Elizabeth Kenny Poliomyelitis Clinic. Sister Kenny was an Australian nurse who found a new way to treat polio, a disease that affected people's muscles. She believed in exercising the affected limbs, which was different from traditional treatments. She traveled a lot to set up clinics.

However, the clinic at the home didn't last long. It moved in 1941. For a few years, a chest clinic was also in the building. There were plans to turn it into a maternity hospital, but that didn't happen because of dirt and dust from the nearby railway station.

Other Uses and Changes

For about ten years, the building was mostly empty. During World War 2, it was used to store air raid equipment. After the war, parts of it were used by hospital staff and for social club meetings. There were also plans to turn it into a Nurses' Home, but these didn't work out.

In 1952, the hospital gave the land back to the government. The government then used the building for different offices, like the Departments of Education and Health. During these changes, parts of the building were altered, and some original features were hidden.

A controversy happened in the 1980s when it was found that a former chapel on the grounds was being used as a bathroom. People in the community were upset and wanted it to be a chapel again.

More recently, the building was used by the Department of Youth and Community Services and by volunteer groups.

Protecting the Building

Over the years, efforts were made to protect the Coutt's Sailors' Home.

• In 1990, a special order was placed on the nearby convict lumber yard to protect it.
• In 1992, the Sailors' Home was listed on a regional environment plan.
• Reports showed that the building needed a lot of repairs.
• The National Trust of Australia recognized its importance in 1995 and 1997.
• There was an idea to turn it into a Maritime Museum, but it didn't happen.

For a while, the government tried to give the building to the Newcastle City Council, but the council said no because of the high repair costs. In 2001, the land was given to the Awabakal Aboriginal Land Council. They thought about making it an Aboriginal art gallery and restaurant, but these plans didn't happen, and the building stayed empty until 2014.

Finally, in January 2014, a couple named Alastair and Diane Kinloch bought the building. They worked hard to fix it up and made it their home in December 2015.

What Does It Look Like?

The Sailors' Home is a two-story building built in the Victorian Italianate style. This means it has a grand, fancy look, often with features inspired by Italian Renaissance buildings. It has brick walls that were covered with plaster. The roof is now made of corrugated asbestos, but it was originally galvanized iron.

Outside Features

The front of the building (facing Bond Street) has three sections. The main entrance is in the middle. A verandah was added to the first floor in 1897. This verandah has decorative cast iron columns. Some parts of the verandah have been enclosed. The original front door with a semi-circular window above it is still there. The windows are mostly double-hung sash windows, but some have been covered.

The back of the building (facing Scott Street) is dominated by the former Superintendent's Residence, which is also a two-story building in the Victorian Italianate style. It has long windows with decorative tops and bottoms. The balcony on this residence was removed in the 1950s.

Inside Features

The inside of the 1882 Sailors' Home has a central hallway with rooms on each side. The main stairs are at the end of this hallway. Many of the original walls, skirting boards (the trim along the bottom of walls), and internal doors are still there. The stair that led to the dormitory rooms (where sailors slept) is also original. Even though some details have been removed over time, you can still see much of the original design.

Changes Over Time

The building has been changed many times:

• Between 1883 and 1897, two new sections were added to the back.
• In 1897, the Superintendent's Residence was built.
• From 1936 to 1938, it was changed to become the Sister Kenny Poliomyelitis Clinic.
• In the 1950s, the old chapel was turned into a toilet block.
• Also in the 1950s, it was changed to be used as government offices.
• In the 1960s and 1970s, more changes were made for the Education Department, and some original features were covered up.
• From 2014 to 2015, the building was completely renovated to become a home.

Why Is This Building Important?

The Coutt's Sailors' Home is very important for many reasons:

A Link to History

It shows us about different times in Newcastle's history:

• The convict era: Part of the land was once a convict lumber yard from 1814 to 1850. This means it might hold clues about Newcastle's early days as a penal settlement.
• Maritime history: It reminds us how important Newcastle was as a port. The Sailors' Home was part of a worldwide effort to help sailors, and it was one of only two such places in New South Wales (the other being in Sydney). This shows how much sailors were respected when shipping was key to trade.
• Health care and government: It was used as a clinic and government offices, showing how its purpose changed over time.

Important People

The building is connected to several important people:

• Reverend James Coutts: He was the main person who pushed for the home to be built and even donated a lot of money.
• George Brown and Frederick Menkens: These were the architects who designed parts of the building.
• Sister Elizabeth Kenny: Her famous polio clinic was located here for a few years.

Beautiful Architecture

The Sailors' Home and the Superintendent's Residence are great examples of the Victorian Italianate style. It's one of the largest and most complete buildings of this style in Newcastle. Even with all the changes, it still shows its original beauty and design.

Community Value

While sailors don't use it anymore, the building has been important to many people in Newcastle. It has been used by health workers, government employees, and community groups. The strong feelings people had when the chapel was changed into a bathroom show that the local community really cares about this building and its history.

Rarity

The Coutt's Sailors' Home is very rare because it was the only institution of its kind built outside of Sydney in New South Wales. This makes it a unique part of Australia's history.