Eskbank House facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eskbank House
Eskbank House and museum, in 2010
Location	70 Inch Street, Lithgow, City of Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia
Built	1841–1842
Owner	Lithgow City Council
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name: Eskbank House and Moveable Collections; Esk Bank House; The Grange
Type	State heritage (built)
Designated	24 August 2018
Reference no.	2008
Type	Homestead building
Category	Residential buildings (private)
Builders	Alexander Binning, using convict labour
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Eskbank House is a very old house in Lithgow, Australia. It was built between 1841 and 1842 by a stonemason named Alexander Binning, with help from convict workers. Over the years, it has been many things: a home for a mine owner, a manager's house for iron and steel works, a school, and a boarding house. Today, it's a museum, a place for events, and a community center. The Lithgow City Council owns the property. Eskbank House is so important that it was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 24 August 2018. It's also known as Eskbank House and Moveable Collections, Esk Bank House, or The Grange.

A Glimpse into Eskbank House's Past

Who lived here first?

The land around Lithgow traditionally belongs to the Wiradjuri people. However, the Lithgow Valley itself was mainly home to the Wywandy clan of the Gundungurra people. When Europeans started arriving after 1814, it put a lot of pressure on the local Aboriginal people. They worked hard to keep their way of life, even as their lands were taken over.

How Lithgow began

In 1827, an explorer named Hamilton Hume named the Lithgow Valley. He named it after William Lithgow, who was an important government secretary. The valley had lots of coal, which was a valuable resource. At first, it was only used locally because there were no good ways to transport it. But things changed when a large flour mill opened in 1837 on Andrew Brown's Cooerwull Estate.

Thomas Brown and the Esk Bank Estate

In the late 1830s, another Scotsman, Thomas Brown, came to the Cooerwull Estate. He arrived in Sydney with his wife, Mary, and some of her family. Thomas Brown leased the Cooerwull Mill for two years. He saw how much potential the area had. In 1840, he bought 210 acres (85 hectares) next to Cooerwull. He kept buying more land over the next few years. Brown named his new lands the "Esk Bank Estate" after a village near where he grew up in Scotland.

In 1841–1842, Thomas Brown built Eskbank House. It was an elegant single-story house made of sandstone. The stone came from a nearby quarry. Convict workers helped build the house, and a Scottish stonemason, Alexander Binning, oversaw the work. The house got its water from a tank under the ground, filled by rainwater from the roof. The gardens had a wide, circular driveway and paths between flower beds. There were also vegetable gardens and English trees.

Thomas Brown became quite successful. He was appointed a Bench Magistrate in 1852 and a Police Magistrate three years later. Thomas and Mary Brown didn't have children of their own. From 1864 to 1871, they cared for a young girl named Isabella Lunn. Thomas Brown enjoyed studying rocks and nature. He even built a stone outbuilding, now called the Garden House, which might have been his museum. He gave gems and fossils to the Australian Museum, but sadly, they were lost in a fire in 1882. In 1873, he was elected to the Parliament of New South Wales.

The arrival of the railway

The Great Western Railway reached Bowenfels in 1869. This was a big deal for Lithgow. Thomas Brown's Esk Bank Colliery (coal mine) started producing much more coal after a railway siding was built there. In 1874, a passenger platform was added, which became Eskbank Railway Station. The railway helped Lithgow grow a lot.

Growing industries and the town

Thomas Brown was careful about selling land, but he leased it out for new industries. These included the Lithgow Valley Pottery Company, other brickworks, copper smelters, and the Lithgow Valley Iron Company Ltd. He supplied coal to all of them. Brown also leased land for homes and shops. His sale of six acres to William Gray led to the start of what became the main town of Lithgow. Eskbank and Lithgow became rivals. Brown donated land for the local Church of England, Eskbank Railway Station, and the first Lithgow public schools. He also supported the Lithgow School of Arts and St. Mary's Presbyterian Church.

Making iron in Lithgow

One of the most important industries on the Esk Bank Estate was the Lithgow Valley Iron Company Ltd. This company started building a blast furnace and other equipment in 1875. A blast furnace is a huge oven used to make iron from iron ore. The first iron was successfully made in late 1875. However, it was hard to make a profit. John Sutherland, a politician, used his position to get cheaper freight rates for the company. Daniel Williams, a railway contractor, is said to have "laid the foundations for Australia's modern iron and steel industry."

The Lithgow Valley Pottery

Making bricks and pottery also grew in Lithgow. It was a good way to use leftover coal and clay from the Lithgow Valley Colliery. The Lithgow Valley Pottery started making pipes and paving tiles in 1878. The next year, a skilled potter named James Silcock showed them how to make pottery. They produced many different items, from cups and saucers to spittoons (containers for spitting into). The pottery mostly served working- and middle-class families. Competition from imported goods eventually led to the pottery closing in 1896, though brick and pipe making continued until the 1940s.

The Rutherford era of ironmaking

James Rutherford, who was a main director of the iron company, still believed in the iron works. In 1881, he bought the Esk Bank Estate and Thomas Brown's shares. Thomas Brown, now a widower, left his home of forty years and moved away. Rutherford leased Eskbank House, which became known as "The Grange," to a local businessman named Robert Crawford. The house was also leased to a Mrs Cabot, who ran it as a girls' finishing school. The gardens around the house didn't change much, but the land nearby was cleared.

Rutherford tried to make the ironworks more profitable, but he eventually had the blast furnace taken down. The works continued to reshape old iron rails, but steel rails became more popular, making this work unprofitable. In 1886, William Sandford, an English businessman, leased the plant.

The Sandford era of ironmaking

William Sandford was lucky because the demand for iron increased in the 1880s. In 1890, he bought the Eskbank Estate, which included the iron works, two coal mines, and The Grange. Sandford built a mill to produce corrugated iron, which was a first in Australia. This created many jobs. Sandford also had a strong social conscience. He planned a model town for the Eskbank Estate and helped his workers build their own cottages. He even started making steel, which was new for Australia. In 1898, he chose two large furnaces for his steelmaking venture.

Steelmaking begins and grows

By April 1900, the first steel was produced. Joseph Cook MLA, who used to be a coal miner in Lithgow and later became a Prime Minister of Australia, praised Sandford's success. Eskbank House, or The Grange, was leased to important people connected to local industries. The gardens around the house grew, with mature trees like conifers and Monterey Pines.

Sandford formed his own company, William Sandford Ltd. He built a new blast furnace, which started operating on 13 May 1907. The plant was huge and dominated Lithgow. However, Sandford spent too much money. The bank eventually took over, and the works closed, leaving 700 people without jobs. The assets, including The Grange, were bought by brothers George and Charles Hoskins. Sandford was sad, but his former employees were still thankful for him.

The Hoskins era of steelmaking

Charles Hoskins, the main figure of G. & C. Hoskins Ltd, added new equipment and improved the existing blast furnace. In August 1911, there were some worker disputes. By 1911, the market for steel was better, partly because the Australian Government started building the Small Arms Factory in Lithgow. Hoskins built a second blast furnace, which began operating in November 1913. By 1914, a railway connected the iron works and the steelmaking department, creating a complete iron and steel plant.

During this time, The Grange was used by senior employees. William Mortlock, who became the manager of the blast furnace department in 1916, moved into the house with his family. In 1920, Charles Hoskins formed Hoskins Iron and Steel Ltd, and Mortlock became a director and executive officer of the Lithgow works. The family often used the back door of the house because the area north of the house had become a sportsground. The Mortlocks found the house cold, so William added a roof to the open courtyard and built an addition to make it warmer. The Grange became a lively place for family and social events.

During World War I, Charles Hoskins realized he couldn't compete with another large steelworks. He planned to build a new iron and steel works at Port Kembla and close the Lithgow works. His sons carried out this plan after Charles died in 1926. In 1928, they joined with other companies to form Australian Iron and Steel Ltd (A.I.S.). The Lithgow works closed in December 1931, which caused lasting sadness in the city.

Eskbank House during WWII

During World War II, there was a great need for coal and the Lithgow Small Arms Factory grew a lot. This meant Lithgow needed more workers and there was a housing boom. During this time, the Paterson family leased The Grange and ran it as a boarding house. Most of the people staying there worked at the Small Arms Factory.

Eskbank House after the War

After World War II, Eric Bracey, a local businessman, helped buy The Grange and give it to Lithgow Council. Bracey and the Lithgow District Historical Society wanted to restore the house to look like it did in the late 1800s. From 1949 to 1969, Mick and Helen Blagojevich lived in the house. Bracey replanted the gardens in a parkland style, using mainly North American trees. The Historical Society renovated the house and other buildings. In 1966, the sportsfield to the north was divided for light industrial buildings.

Eskbank House as a museum

In 1966, the Society opened Eskbank House as a house museum. In 1969, a new entrance was made from Bennett Street. In the same year, a steam locomotive named "Possum," which had worked at both the Lithgow and Port Kembla iron and steel works, was placed in the grounds. A traction engine and a steam road roller also joined it. In the 1970s, native Australian plants were added to the front of the house.

Eskbank House today

Over the last few decades, the house and its outbuildings have become a home for many historical items and collections. The garden has also continued to change. The Lithgow District Historical Society has now closed, and the Lithgow City Council takes care of the property. Eskbank House is still a museum and a place to see historical collections. But it's also used regularly for community events, music, crafts, dance, art, and school holiday programs.

What Eskbank House looks like

Location and surroundings

Eskbank House is located northeast of Lithgow's city center. It sits on a small hill, looking out over parts of the Lithgow Valley. From the house, you can still see many of the original views of the Eskbank Estate. The house is surrounded by trees and more formal gardens along the streets. The ornamental gardens are much larger now than they were in the 1800s. There are many different types of trees and plants, including Japanese Maple, Poplar, Oak, and Eucalyptus.

The main house

Eskbank House is a single-story house built in the Victorian Georgian style between 1841 and 1842. It's made of sandstone from a nearby quarry. The house has a symmetrical design, with a roof covered in galvanized iron. The wooden parts inside are made of cedar. Three sides of the house have a stone-flagged verandah. The front (north side) has two matching bay windows. Inside, a central hallway leads to four rooms and then to the back wings. The house now holds a museum with items about Lithgow's history. The former open courtyard at the back is now covered and used for art exhibitions.

Stables and Coach House

This building is east of the main house and was built around the same time. It's made of sandstone and has a galvanized iron roof. It has an attic with outside stone steps. Inside, you can find a horse coach and various old tools.

Worker's House

Next to the stables is a single-room building, also made of sandstone. It's called the 'Worker's House' and was built after the stables. It has a galvanized iron roof that is lower than the stables' roof.

Blacksmith's Courtyard

This L-shaped area is formed by three buildings: the stables and coach house, an open-sided building, and another building with a hipped roof. It has a galvanized iron roof and was where the Eskbank Estate's blacksmith worked. You can see blacksmith's tools and a delivery cart inside.

Garden House

This small, unique building was likely built in the 1860s. It might have been Thomas Brown's private museum for his collection of rocks, natural history items, and other curiosities. It's a six-sided building made of sandstone with decorative corners. It used to have a striped iron roof and weather vane, which are now gone. A new wooden entrance with a gabled roof protects its entry.

Toilet block

This modern building, made of concrete blocks, was built in 1969-1970 for visitors.

Important Collections at Eskbank House

Three collections at Eskbank House are very important to the history of New South Wales: the Lithgow Iron Works and Blast Furnace Collection, the Lithgow Pottery Collection, and the Sir Joseph Cook Collection.

Lithgow Iron Works and Blast Furnace Collection

This collection is in the main house and has items from the old Lithgow iron and steel works. It includes:

• A marble statue of William Sandford.
• Iron and steel test pieces, including some shaped like a fish and a walking horse.
• An old photo of the Hoskins Lithgow Iron and Steel Works staff from 1909.
• Silver grooming brushes given by Charles Hoskins to his son Henry.
• "Possum," a steam shunting locomotive.
• The "Lithgow Black Roses," three special iron pieces made in 1876 from the first iron produced by Lithgow's first blast furnace. These roses are very detailed and were meant to be worn, but they were too heavy. They are now seen as special decorative items.

The "Possum" locomotive was brought from the UK in 1912 and used at the Lithgow iron and steel works. It later moved to Port Kembla and then came to Eskbank House in 1969, where it is displayed on a short track. This collection shows the strong connection between Eskbank House and the iron and steel industry.

Lithgow Pottery Collection

This collection is in a building built in 1993, south of the main house. It contains pottery and other items from the old Lithgow Valley Pottery Company. Many items were donated by local people. The collection shows the everyday items used by working- and middle-class families of that time. It includes different types of glazed pottery like Bristol-glazed, Rockingham-glazed, and Majolica-glazed items.

The collection has many simple items like teapots, bread trays, plates, bowls, jars, plant pots, and even a bedpan. It also includes bricks, pottery molds, pipes, chimney pots, and photos related to the pottery. This is the largest collection of Lithgow Pottery items in New South Wales.

Sir Joseph Cook Collection

This collection was given to the Lithgow District Historical Society in 1994 by Peter Cook, the grandson of Sir Joseph Cook. Sir Joseph Cook was a coal miner in Lithgow who later became a Prime Minister of Australia. The collection includes:

• A framed photo of Sir Joseph and other Methodist preachers.
• A framed photo of Sir Joseph.
• A framed document appointing him as Australia's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (a top diplomat) from 1921 to 1927.
• A framed display of postage stamps from 1972 celebrating his time as Prime Minister.

This collection helps us learn about Sir Joseph Cook's life and his important role in Australian history.

Other collections inside Eskbank House

There are several other collections inside Eskbank House that are important to Lithgow's local history:

• The Bracey Collection: Items donated by the Bracey family to furnish the house.
• The Eskbank Manufacturing Collection: Items related to the industries of the Eskbank Estate.
• The Lithgow Social History Collection: Items about Lithgow's social life.
• The Lithgow Valley Colliery Company Collection: Items from the Lithgow Valley coal mine.
• The Lithgow Co-operative Collection: Items donated by the Lithgow Co-operative.
• The Lithgow Industries Collection: Items made in Lithgow not in other collections.
• Other collections: Items not yet fully cataloged.

Items in the grounds

• A Buffalo Pitts traction engine: This was bought in 1917 to pull coal from a mine and later used at a sawmill. It was moved to Eskbank House in 1969.
• A Barford and Perkins Pioneer road roller: This was used to demolish old houses.
• "Possum," the steam locomotive: Described above.

These items are important to Lithgow's local history.

Condition of Eskbank House

As of 2017, the house and its old outbuildings are in good condition and are well looked after. The items displayed in the grounds are in fair to good condition, but they would be better protected from the weather. The items in the various collections are also in good condition, except for the document appointing Sir Joseph Cook as High Commissioner, which needs some care from an expert.

Eskbank House and its historic buildings are mostly original. There might even be old foundations of buildings that were taken down. The collections are also mostly complete.

Changes over time

• 1860s-1870s: Two new sandstone service wings with verandahs were added at the back. These likely replaced older, simpler outbuildings.
• Around 1925: William Henry Mortlock, who lived in the house, had the open courtyard covered with a roof and a timber floor. He also added a fireplace and made the breakfast room bigger. These changes fit well with the original house. An outdoor laundry was also added, and some chimneys were made taller.
• 1940s: The house was turned into apartments, mainly for workers at the armaments factory. Some additions were built that didn't match the original style.
• Around 1960 - 1966: The roof and timber floors were replaced. The laundry and the apartment additions were removed.
• Around 1966: A new entrance and car park were built from Bennett Street when the house became a museum.
• 1986: Repair work was done, including replacing a chimney and three windows on the west side.
• 1993: A new sandstone building was constructed in the grounds to display items from the Lithgow Pottery Company. The stone for this building came from old stables that were taken down.

Why Eskbank House is important

Eskbank House is very important to the history of New South Wales. It shows how Lithgow grew from a quiet rural area into a major industrial city. It's strongly connected to the Eskbank Estate, which was a birthplace for industries like brickmaking, pottery, copper smelting, and especially iron and steel making.

The house is also important because of its strong links to key people:

• Thomas Brown: He was one of the first European settlers in Lithgow and started the Eskbank Estate. He opened the first large coal mine in the area, which helped New South Wales' economy. He also helped start many important industries in Lithgow and supported the city's cultural, educational, and religious places.
• James Rutherford, William Sandford, and George and Charles Hoskins: These industrialists played big roles in the iron and steel industries of New South Wales.
• William Mortlock: He was the manager of the Lithgow iron and steel works.

Eskbank House also shows how old homesteads in New South Wales were changed over time to fit new needs, like new industries. Its beautiful design and the high quality of its materials show the skill available to wealthy settlers in the 1840s.

Why the collections are important

• Lithgow Iron Works and Blast Furnace Collection: This collection is important because it's linked to the Lithgow iron and steel works, which was a huge part of New South Wales' industrial growth. The "Lithgow Black Roses" are special examples of the skill and pride of iron workers. The "Possum" locomotive connects the Lithgow works to the modern steel industry at Port Kembla.
• Lithgow Pottery Collection: This collection is important because it's linked to the Lithgow Valley Pottery Company. It shows how the pottery industry influenced the homes and daily lives of people in New South Wales in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It's the largest collection of Lithgow pottery in NSW and shows all the different types of pottery made there.
• Sir Joseph Cook Collection: This collection is important because it shows how the Labor Movement in New South Wales helped talented working-class people, like Sir Joseph Cook, rise to high positions, even becoming Prime Minister. It also has unique items that tell us about his life and career.

Eskbank House and its collections help us understand the history of New South Wales, especially its industrial past and the lives of important people who shaped it.