by Vincent Saunders
With the deviation of the route of the original Rocky Point Road at Arncliffe when the present highway came into being in the early eighteen-sixties, and the Forest Road was extended eastward a short distance from the crest of Cobbler’s Pinch (now marked by the intersection of Somerville Street) to link with the new route, it was thought necessary to install a marker stone as a guide to travellers. This historic stone, which unfortunately disappeared in recent years, was inscribed on the side nearest Rocky Point Road: “TO THE RIVER”, meaning Georges River at Tom Ugly’s Point, whilst the side facing Forest Road was inscribed “TO THE FOREST” (now Hurstville) and “TO KING’S GROVE”. It will be noted that the settlement at King’s Grove appears to be the only one worthy of notice at this particular period.
It is recorded that a small group of timber-getters in search of timber and firewood in the St. George District (once known as Botany Bay) spread out from Canterbury, and as the more lush areas were cleared a close settlement of agriculturists and brick-makers came into being. This rural area gained the name “King’s Grove” after the property so named which was granted by Governor King to Mrs. Hannah Laycock. The best barometer to gauge the progress of any early village is the number of churches, chapels, and inns serving the populace in the area concerned.
In 1841, Thomas Reid advertised for tenders for clearing 200 acres of the original 700 acres belonging to Hannah Laycock. At this time the 200 acres was owned by the trustees of Simeon Lord Estate and was subdivided into forty farms which had much heavy and valuable timber on the estate. The sale was successful, the property selling for £6,000. Thus just preceding the depression of 1842 a whole new class of settlers came to King’s Grove, augmenting the congregation attending church services, and swelling the numbers patronising numerous inns in the immediate area. It may be mentioned that a group of Methodist people had lived about the Moorefield Chapel for many years and that William Lee, one of the leading spirits in the Methodist community, had a grant there as early as 1823. Around Moorefield there were many land grantees.
The earliest church service of which there is any record was conducted in 1841 at Canterbury village by the Methodists (and or Wesleyans) in a temporary chapel in Minter Street, Canterbury, on a half-acre of land purchased from the Sugar Company for £30. It is not certain how long these services were continued.
Moorefield was reported as a preaching place in 1848 or 1849. Services were said to have been held in the residence of Mr. Chard adjoining Evan’s “MAN OF KENT” inn. John Chard gave half an acre for a church site in 1850. The conference minutes for 1851 report that a chapel was being built at Moorefield. Mr. Chard provided the bricks and also helped to build the chapel. In 1851 the chapel was a brick structure 18 feet by 25 feet standing in Moorefield Road. The bricks were made on the adjoining land and the timber for the roof and fence cut at the saw-pit of John Lees. The stone for the window-sills and for the stone name-plate was cut by Mr. Sly, a stone-mason of Newtown who was a brother-in-law of Thomas Chard. In 1851 Reverend John Eggleston reported the chapel was in course of erection. In 1860 the building was enlarged, catering for the new settlers to the district.
We find that at least three taverns carried on business in the King’s Grove area during the early days of its progress. It is recorded that in 1852 the “ROBIN HOOD AND LITTLE JOHN” was owned by Mr. Stephen Bown at Dumbleton (now Beverly Hills) and in 1854 Mr. Evan Evans established the “MAN OF KENT”, a hostelry which adjoined “MOOREFIELD COTTAGE”, the Sharp Street residence of Thomas Chard. A third licence was held by Peter Shannon who in 1858 opened the “CURRENCY LASS” at King’s Grove. The only other tavern trading in the St. George District at about this period was at Wincanton, the early name for Arncliffe, where “THE BOLD FORESTER” alias “THE YORKSHIREMAN’S COAT OF ARMS”, alias “THE SANDS”, located at the north-west corner of Wollongong Road and the present Kelsey Street. There was another tavern, known as “Prendergast’s”, located at the junction apex of Rocky Point Road and Kogarah Road at Kogarah, but unfortunately, precise details of its ownership, or establishment, have so far proved elusive. It is possible that one licensee was named Emerson, a gentleman who subsequently became “mine host” at the “Sea Breeze” Hotel at Tom Ugly’s Point.
Apropos publicans, it is interesting to point out that Thomas Kelsey who pioneered the “Yorkshireman’s Coat of Arms” in Arncliffe to satisfy timber getters at the time of the economic depression about 1841-42 had previously been a publican of a sort at ‘Snugborough Park” King’s Grove, a property belonging to T. Oakey. After leaving the “Yorkshireman’s Coat of Arms” Kelsey took out a publican’s licence for the “Canterbury Arms” in 1847 at Canterbury village. Stephen Bown left the Robin Hood Hotel when Cobbler’s Pinch had been conquered on Arncliffe Hill in 1865, with the opening up of the new road to Tom Ugly’s Point, and took up residence as licensee of the “Gardener’s Arms” sited at the junction of Rocky Point Road and Kogarah Road.
So we may see from the above summary that Kings Grove was a very important part of the St. George District from the earliest times and we would be forfeiting our trust as writers of local history if we did not pay recognition to Thomas and John Chard, William Lee, the Hancock’s, and other early settlers in this short essay. Thomas Chard was a member of the Forest Road Trust, together with Michael Gannon, P.A. Thompson, F. Unwin, amongst others, when Stoney Greek Road joined Forest Road in the route from King’s Grove to Bexley in 1849.
This article was re-published in the May 1971 edition of our magazine.
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