Lambton, New South Wales

Infobox Australian Place | type = suburb
name = Lambton
city = Newcastle
state = nsw


caption =
lga = City of Newcastle
postcode = 2299
pop = 4681 (2006 census)
area = 3
est =
parish = Newcastle
stategov = Newcastle, Wallsend
fedgov = Newcastle
dist1 = 8
dir1 = W
location1= Newcastle
dist2 = 2
dir2 = SE
location2= Jesmond
near-nw = Jesmond
near-n = North Lambton
near-ne = Waratah
near-w = Wallsend
near-e = Broadmeadow
near-sw = New Lambton Heights
near-s = New Lambton
near-se = Broadmeadow

Lambton is a suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, located convert|8|km|mi|0|lk=on from Newcastle's central business district.

Early days

Originally a coal-mining township, Lambton was incorporated as a Municipality (including Jesmond, New South Wales), on 24th June 1871. The 1891 Census gave the population as 3,434. It was the first municipality in Newcastle district to be lit by electric light.

In the early years the miners of the township used to entertain themselves gambling on dog races known as the "Dog & Rat" because they would release a rat (wallaby) on flat open area then let their dogs chase it down the dog that caught the rat won (the rat won if it made it to the scrub)

In 1901 there were 14 churches, a Music Hall, Assembly Rooms, a Temperance Hall, a Mechanics' Institute, Miners' Institute, a Post, Telegraph and Money Order Office, a Savings Bank, Court House, Fire Brigade, Council Chambers, and fine public schools. There were collieries, coke-ovens and a soap-works at Jesmond.

In 1901 the Municipal Council had as Mayor: Matthew Thornton and Town Clerk: Thomas Johnson. In 1938 an Act of the New South Wales Parliament created a "City of Greater Newcastle", incorporating 11 municipalities into one local government area, including Lambton.

Historically Lambton has played an important part in the sporting history of the Hunter Region. Lambton Park was also the location of the first organised soccer match played in Australia between miners from Lambton and miners from Weston. Newcastle oldest rugby league football club "Western Suburbs (NCLE) Rosella's" was formed at Smiths Pub (also known as "Snake Gully" and "Bar 121")

The Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly who represented Lambton was Arthur Hill Griffith, Member for Waratah. [cite book
title = The Federal Directory of Newcastle and District for 1901
date = 1901, reprinted 1982
publisher = Davies & Cannington
location = Newcastle
id = ISBN 0-9593518-0-9 ]

Colliery

The largest and principal industry was the Scottish-Australian Coal Mining Company's Lambton Colliery, mine and estate managed by the three Croudace brothers: Frank, Thomas, and Sydney. It finally closed in the late 1950s although the railway line which connected it with Newcastle harbour was operational for about another decade because of other coal-loading facilities still operational at the mine. Today the entire area is covered with housing.

Other

Lambton boasted a popular cinema, the King's Theatre, which still operated as such into the 1980s. It is today a theatre-restaurant known as "King's Comedy".

One of the great attractions of the town centre is the magnificent Lambton Park, which contains a 19th century bandstand (Renovated since, better known to locals as "The Rotunda"), children's play area, bowling greens, tennis courts, and beautiful gardens.

Lambton Jaffa's Soccer team boast products such as Australian Woman team captain "Cheryl Sailsbury"

Notes

External links