Builders and Contractors

Written by Graham Wilson

Bingara

Rowland Bros. were Bingara builders by October 1898 and in March 1899, this company was the lowest tenderer for the erection of four railway station buildings between Moree and Gravesend on the Moree to Inverell railway line.

Warialda

Amos Loseby advertised his services as a bricklayer, plasterer and general mason in Warialda by January 1898.  Donald G. Grant was a carpenter, builder and undertaker in Warialda in February 1902.  In March 1902, W. Morris, another builder gave his temporary address as the ‘Tattersalls Hotel’, Warialda.    Fred Beck was a builder and contractor in Warialda in October 1904 and C.G. Aurisch was a builder and contractor in Hope Street, Warialda in November 1912.  W.R. Slack was there in the period from July 1914 to September 1921.  Other builders to advertise in the Warialda Standard at different times included: C.E. Williams November 1916; Cheyne and Hubbard December 1925; Thomas Halloran June 1926; George M. Rose June 1926 to May 1932; George M. Rose and R.G. Cleal July 1926; Walter E. Lightfoot Stephen Street, Warialda.

Warialda Railway

In July 1909 C.E. Williams commenced his builder and contractor business at Warialda Railway.  He was still there in April 1911 but in November 1916 gave his address as Geddes Street, Warialda.  Other builders included:  T.J. Kelly 1916, J. Masterton 1915 and G.W. White by August 1926.

Brickyards.

Brick-maker Thomas Steel began making bricks around 1897 when two acres of the Bingara common west of the cemetery was set aside for quarrying clay and moulding bricks.

A brickyard was also established at Warialda.  The Carney family was involved in the brickyards and a Mr and Mrs Carney left for Kandos in February 1923.  These bricks were used in construction of local buildings.  It appears that the brickyards may have closed for a period of time.  In April 1933, A.C. Carney advertised that he had started a brickyard.  It was his bricks that were used in the construction of the new building opposite the Post Office. In November 1936, J.A. McGregor advertised good quality bricks for sale at the Warialda Kiln.