History Notes - Do you know about Stevens or Dower families?

History Notes

Back on the job this week and I am glad to report that Julie has had her operation and is staying in Sydney for a while to recover.  We hope that the surgery has been successful and look forward to her returning home in a little while.

This coming week is going to be rather busy with two different family researchers visiting on Friday and then the markets on Saturday with at least two usual members missing from the stall.  Perhaps someone might like to come along and help with the society stall.

The first family researcher to visit is the family of an early manager of the Gulf Creek Copper Mine – their request was published in the Barraba News a couple of weeks ago and I am hoping that one of our readers may be able to help answer their questions.  I have tracked down the old Gulf Creek folder without finding anything much about the Stevens or Dower names.

We do have some information from the descendants which may help with the ownership of the Royal Hotel in Barraba.  William Stevens came to Barraba with his two sons and a daughter and the daughter’s husband, Michael Dower.  Michael Dower was supposedly the manager of the Gulf Creek Mine in about 1900 – I have found him although not the mine manager, he was the mine captain in mid-1901.

The mine manager was the well-known Mr W.H. Trewenach.  The two Stevens sons seemed to have a connection with the Royal Hotel in Barraba, and it is noted that Harry Stevens was in charge of the Royal Hotel in 1915 and 1918 although Mrs Stevens is recorded as the owner when it burnt down in 1935.  I have also found that Harry Stevens had the Commercial Hotel in Bundarra in 1910!  Hopefully the story will be a little clearer after their visit.

The second visitor, also arriving at 10am on Friday, has seven families that she is following.  We have information on the Myers and some on Baldocks but not a lot on Riley, Field, Mulholland.  The Kirk family may be in order at the museum and then there is the Waldron family who were out west at Walgett as far as I know.  We are going to have a very interesting morning on Friday and if anyone can assist please let me know.