AUGUSTA MARIA SCOTT
The Story of the Laurels
Stockton Historical Society Vol 1 No 5
The story of the Laurels begins with the marriage of Augusta Maria Scott to Dr J ames Mitchell in 1833. Agusta Scott was the sister of Alexander Walker Scott who received a land grant of 50 acres at Stockton on 16th January 1835. This grant of 50 acres was for the portion approximately east of Church street, from the harbour up to Clyde street, and east to the Pacific Ocean. The first land grant on Stockton was to Thomas Potter McQueen of 10 acres in 1830. This was approximately the area between the lanes north and south of Crown street and from Dunbar street to the river. Dr James Mitchell received a 70 acre grant on November 6th, which was for the portion from Clyde street in the north to approximately Church street in the east and the river in the south and west but not the 10 acres granted to McQueen.
Alexander Scott borrowed from James Mitchell for his business ventures which were not a success. As he was not able to repay the loans he signed over his 50 acres to Mitchell, his brother inlaw, on the 3rd of April 1849, to settle his debts. Agusta and James Mitchell had 3 children, Agusta Maria Mitchell born 1834, David Charles Fredrick Scott Mitchell born 1836 and Margaret Scott Mitchell born 1840. When James Mitchell died on 1st February 1869 his estate was held in trust with one third to provide an income for life for his wife Agusta, and on her death the remaining estate to be held in trust and divided between the 3 children until David turned 21 and the girls turned 21 or married.
Agusta had married Edward Christopher Merewether, David never married, Margaret married William Bell Quigley in 1870 after her father’s death. It would appear that William Quigley, who was born in Ireland near Belfast, was not in favour with James Mitchell because he was anIrish Catholic and once worked for the family Teralba where they had a family of 4, James Mitchell Aspinal Quigley born 1871, Agusta Sophie Quigley born 1874, William Frederick Bannister Quigley born 1875 and David Quigley of whom there is no further reference in the records. William Bell Quigley died when he fell from his horse in 1879 while Margaret Scott Mitchell died in tragic circumstances when her clothes caught fire at her home, and she ran about 100 metres to the Lake but she died in hospital in 1887.
Her estate was left to her children, James, Augusta and William. As there is no mention of David it is assumed that he had died. In 1896 William F. B. Quigley submitted plans to the Stockton Council for a house to be called the Laurels which was to be built at the corner of Stockton street (now Fullerton street) and King street which was to be his home after his coming marriage to Clara Edith Fogarty on the 18th January 1897. The house was approved and the Laurels was completed late in 1897. Clara, who was born in Sydney and had spent most of her life at Stockton, was the daughter of P.J. Fogarty who held the office of agent for the Quigley Estates, besides being the accountant for Messrs T.O’Sullivan & Co. ship repair works.
THE LAURELS were described in the Newcastle Morning Herald on November 27th 1897 as follows. MR. W.F.B. QUIGLEYS NEW RESIDENCE. An Ornament to Stockton. The “Laurels,” one of the largest and most commodious residences yet erected in the Newcastle district, has just been completed at Stockton ind bedrooms are large and lofty, and most ar-istically decorated, and furished in strict accordance with the design; the staircase hall is 5ft wide, and a unique cedar staircase gives iccess to the first floor rooms. The wine cellars ind store rooms in the basement are reached by l stone staircase leading down from the back of the main hall. Electric bells are fitted in all rooms vith bell boards in the kitchen and man’s room. the carriage gates, side gates and railings at he front of the building are of wrought iron, the pear heads are all picked out with gold leaf, the stone piers to the gates and dwarf wall for the railing are in Sydney stone.
The masonry was executed by Messrs Dumbrell Bros. of West Maitland: The stone carving was executed by Mr. Loveday, of Sydney; The lions on pedestals, at the front and side entrances, were modelled by Mr Hughes, of Merewether; the silver plated fittings for window and door heads, silver plated picture rails , etc, were supplied by Messrs A . Hay and Sons, in Newcastle; the artistic” old English” fumiture was supplied by Messrs A.Hordern & Co; The unique marble and tile work in the interior was supplied by Messrs Holdsworth, McPherson and Co; the stained embossed glass was executed by Messrs F. Ash and Co. Newcastle. The general contractor for the building work was Mr. B. G. Pearce, of Hamilton, and the whole of the above works have been carried out from the design and under the supervision of Messrs G. Saunders and son, architects of Newcastle, at a total cost of £4500. The stables and coachhouse, for which plans are prepared, will be commenced early next year. Messrs Saunders and Son have several other buildings in the course of construction for well known business men of that suburb.
The bricks used in the building are thought to have been brought to Australia as ballast in a sailing ship and they have been laid in the Flemish Bond style with white tuck pointing. There are sandstone carved eyebrows over doorways, and throughout the house there are 7 Italian marble fire places . Northcoast cedar is a feature in all the rooms, 12 inch skirting boards, architraves, fanlights and doors, and the cedar Paddington Cornices with 8 to 10 highs and lows are a work of art. In the front lounge room has a sunken ceiling set out in squares with Paddington Cornices around each square.The tongue and grooved ceilings are of golden cypress and the floors of huron pine from Tasmania while the staircase is of cedar. The stairs to the cellar of sandstone where the rooms match the size of the rooms above, these were the servants quarters, wine cellar and store rooms. One of the rooms has a door with ac¬cess to the yard for a goods entrance, while the others have windows with a lightwell outside.
On the outside the building is set on sandstone dampcourse, sandstone eve supports and carved lions on pedestals at the main entrance. William and Clara lived in the Laurels for a few years and their only child Roy was born there in 1904 but a short time later moved to Turramurra, North Sydney where in 1910 Clare aged 37 died after an illness of some months. Her remains were brought to Newcastle and interred in the Sandgate cemetery after a service at St Mary’s Church in Newcastle. William F. B. Quigley died on the 9th March 1913 aged 38 years and was also interred in Sandgate cemetery. The Laurels was occupied by the Quigleys for less than 10 years. Dr. Thomas Arthur Grieves about 1911 lived in the Laurels and opened a medical practice with other doctors and it was purchased by Dr. Thomas Arthur Grieves in 1918 for £400.
Some time after 1918 the building was used as a boarding house mainly for children while their fathers were away at sea. Joseph Coleman became the owner in the 1920 and at his death in 1927 it was inherited by his daughter Dora Hicks who lived there for a short time. V G Hodges who lived on Stockton and had a furniture business in Newcastle purchased the Laurels in 1936. In 1940 during World War 11 the army took over the building until 1946. Mr Hodges sold it to the Sisters of Mercy who used it as a Convent from 1950 to 1985 when it was purchased by Warren Honey. During the next 10 years Warren Honey and his wife Elayne carried out extensive repairs and restoration of the building.