Coutt's Sailors Home is a heritage-listed former sailor's home, health clinic, government office building and now residence at 16 Bond Street, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by George Brown and built in 1882 by Robert Muirhead. It is also known as Coutt's Sailors Rest Home. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 22 March 2011.
History Newcastle East, where Coutts Sailor Home is located, is a historically significant area, with several sites associated with the early penal settlement and maritime history, including: Australia's first mine, together with the Hunter Region's first hospital, original fort; first signal station, first primitive lighthouse, first jail; and the Convict Lumber Yard, situated very close to the study site and extending across its north western corner. Convicts lived and worked within the lumber yard between 1814 and 1850 and it was the centre of the skilled and semi-skilled trades carried on in the settlement. At the northern end of this area, in George Street (now Watt Street) was Newcastle's first wharf, the first stage of the substantial port improvement program that has been progressively implemented. From 1818 until 1846 a massive breakwater was constructed between Nobby's Island and the mainland in order to improve the entrance to the port.Architectural Projects Pty Ltd, 2002, pp 14-15
In Newcastle, the gradual development of the shipping industry, particularly from the 1820s, was important to the East End, where ships have been serviced since the earliest days of settlement. From the mid-nineteenth century Newcastle's importance as a sea port grew, stimulated by the activities of the Australian Agricultural Company and the steadily growing coal trade; with the Hunter River rail line transporting general cargo to and from the port. Piloting, lighthouse keeping, life boat services, tug boat services, customs administration - with the Newcastle Customs House built in 1876 - wharf labouring and ship chandlering have flourished in the eastern section of Newcastle, establishing strong links with the sea and maritime activities, with which Coutts Sailors' Home is also associated.Architectural Projects Pty Ltd, 2002, pp 2, 16
During the latter half of the nineteenth century, most of the sailors who came to Newcastle were forced to spend a long time in port while their ships took on cargo. These sailors often roamed the streets for periods of up to three months, and, with no refuge, were prey to grog sellers and other dangers. It therefore became a matter of urgency to provide them with a safe place to sleep and for recreation while in port. The "Newcastle Morning Herald" noted on 24 February 1881, that, "it has long been a most disgraceful fact that Newcastle, the second shipping port in the colony (and whose annual tonnage has occasionally even exceeded that of Port Jackson) is without a Sailors' Home". References were made to sailors' homes that had been built in Britain, from the 1860s, such as 'a fine building designed for the port of Liverpool and the late Prince Albert, who took so much interest in matters affecting the social well-being of the people.'Adcock, Hilliard, Hoffman & Suters, 1958, p 1; Architectural Projects Pty Ltd, 2002, p 19
A Sailors' Home had been established at Circular Quay in Sydney in 1864. The Home had its origins in the worldwide benevolent movement dedicated to the elevation of the sailor's condition and character. By the 1860s such institutions were considered essential to any sizeable British port, providing clean, comfortable, inexpensive board and lodging for sailors and other persons of all nationalities employed in sea-going ships and vessels. The Sydney Sailor's Home was modelled on the Brunswick Maritime Establishment in London's Docklands. The Home, with additions and modifications, served in its original function until the 1970s when seamen's wages and conditions improved to the extent that the standard of accommodation provided by the Home was no longer adequate and use declined.(State Heritage Register - 'Sailor's Home (former)', Heritage Office Website: www.heritage.nsw.gov.au - Item 5053192)
In 1880, Reverend James Coutts M.A., who had come to St Andrew's Presbyterian Church in 1861 as Minister, began to agitate for a sailors' home to be established in Newcastle. Coutts' deceased wife was the daughter of a sailor and he sympathised with their hardships. Coutts offered to give £1,000 and endeavour to raise another £1,000 if the Government of New South Wales would provide a suitable site for the home. Sir Henry Parkes agreed to grant a site for the Home and as a result, on 29 June 1880 an area of 1 rood 24 perches, with a frontage of 66 feet was dedicated in Scott Street, where the home was subsequently erected, close to the harbour and Customs House. The land, east of Newcastle station, was regarded as railway land, but the Government proceeded with its dedication for a "Sailors" Home' and the area was placed under the control of trustees - David Tait Allan, Alexander Brown and Thomas Innes - to whom a Crown grant was issued on 30 October 1880.(Adcock, Hilliard, Hoffman & Suters, 1958, p 1; Dowd, 1946, p 143; Australian Heritage Database www.environment.gov.au: "Coutts Sailors Home (former)")
The Sailors' Home was erected partly by contributions from the public and partly by Government endowments. At a public meeting on 5 April 1881 a building committee was elected consisting of C. H. Hannell, Joseph Wood, Richard Hall and Lieut. Commander F. Gardner. The "Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate" ran editorials encouraging readers to donate to the building fund. One such appeal stressed the regard and esteem accorded seamen and their importance to Newcastle: "It may be urged what are sailors more than other men that citizens should trouble about them more than any other class. To this it may be replied that were it not for sailors, this port and many others would never risen (sic) to the political and social importance which they now possess. Our magnificent coal fields would be comparatively valueless were it not for the readiness of our sailors to take our staple commodity away in all weathers, Jack has to be at his post and at every risk must use his best endeavours to bring his ship to port."(Adcock, Hilliard, Hoffman & Suters, 1958, p 1; Australian Heritage Database www.environment.gov.au: "Coutts Sailors Home (former)" )
The public's response to the appeal for funds was not as great as anticipated, however, and so a modified plan for the building was agreed upon. The formal ceremony for the laying of the foundation stone took place on 17 March 1882. The event was so important for Newcastle that the Government proclaimed a public holiday. Shipping in the port and all buildings were decorated with flags and bunting and large numbers of people came from all the outlying areas to witness the ceremony. The laying of the stone was preceded by a march to the site by naval and military volunteers headed by a brass band. At the ceremony, a bottle was placed in the cavity beneath the foundation stone containing Newcastle and Sydney newspapers of the day, coins and other details of those associated with the building. Subsequent attempts to locate the foundation stone and capsule have failed and it appears that it has been removed or completely obscured during subsequent alterations.(Adcock, Hilliard, Hoffman & Suters, 1958, pp 1-2; Australian Heritage Database www.environment.gov.au: "Coutts Sailors Home (former)").
The building was designed by Sydney architect, George Brown, who had offices in Sydney and Maitland. The builder was Robert Muirhead. The building work progressed rapidly and public interest was maintained by continual reports in the "Newcastle Morning Herald". On 18 December 1882 the building was completed and it was handed over to the Committee on 24 February 1883. A marble plaque just inside the rear entrance states that it was erected in 1881 but this is incorrect. The plaque is apparently a later addition which possibly took the place of the missing foundation stone. On 19 December 1882, the Sailors' Home was described by the Herald as consisting of "a brick and concrete structure with an external measurement of 54 feet depth by 55 feet frontage to the harbour, double winged." The basement 'comprised ten large and airy rooms including Secretary's office, reception rooms, reading and sitting rooms, dining rooms, scullery, laundry etc., storeroom, serving room and kitchen with large colonnade and passages; also a 9 foot hall right through. A broad and ornate staircase with a continuous cedar hand rail leads to the upper section, which consists of 6 bedrooms capable of accommodating, without overcrowding, about 70 persons. The Keeper's room and Smokers' rooms are also upon this floor whilst the various departments are separated by a lofty passage 9 feet wide which commanded a splendid view of the harbour through a large bay window at its northern extremity.'Adcock, Hilliard, Hoffman & Suters, 1958, pp 2-3
In June 1883 a tea party was held to introduce Sailors to the home and was attended by about 500 people, including women representing each church in Newcastle. A Ball was held in September to commemorate the opening and 100 ladies and gentlemen attended. In the same year the Coutts Sailors' Home women's auxiliary was formed. In 1884 Reverend Coutts died, however the building served as a constant reminder of his social improvement programs.Architectural Projects Pty Ltd, 2002, p 21
Between the original home's completion in 1882 and 1897 two wings were added onto the south side, forming a three-sided rear court. These additions were possibly part of the original design that had to be modified due to lack of funds. In 1897 Frederick Menkens, well known Newcastle architect was commissioned to build the Superintendent's residence. This formed an elongation of the west wing to the south of the home and faced onto Scott Street.Adcock, Hilliard, Hoffman & Suters, 1958, p 3
By the turn of the century, however, owing to competition from other boarding houses in Newcastle, the home was not as well supported as expected. It is not known whether a Superintendent ever occupied the residence constructed for same. In 1910 it was suggested that a school of navigation be established there, where intending mariners could be taught their profession. It is unknown whether this was ever implemented. By 1910 the Home had declined in condition. The accommodation charges were noted as 18 shillings a week for seamen and 1 pound for officers. The house was furnished poorly, and "absolutely insufficient even for a sailors" home.'(Australian Heritage Database www.environment.gov.au: "Coutts Sailors Home (former)" ).
The Sailor's Home received Government assistance for maintenance, however, in 1933, the Trustees declared that they were unable to continue to manage the Home. By the 1930s fewer ships were calling at Newcastle and the Home was becoming unviable. The Railway Authorities then negotiated for the land, but the Treasury department decided to vest the site as an addition to the Newcastle Hospital. In December 1934, the site dedicated for the Sailor's Home was revoked and the reduced area - 1 rood 13 perches - which by then excluded Bond Street, was re-dedicated on 27 December 1935 for addition to the Hospital site. In addition, a further area of about 10 1/2 perches adjoining this land on the north-west, with about a 40-foot frontage to Bond Street, by a depth of about 80 feet, was surrendered by the Railway Department and dedicated as an addition to the Hospital site on 2 September 1938.Adcock, Hilliard, Hoffman & Suters, 1958, p 3; Dowd, 1946, p 144; Architectural Projects Pty Ltd, 2002, p 22