TIMELESS WOLLONGONG

PART ONE

When the marriage of Joseph Makin to Rebecca Kerr took place in February 1864 at Dapto, this was to be the start of a very successful partnership lasting 56 years.

Their first child was born in December of that year and Joseph was listed as a labourer. In 23 years of marriage they had 13 children, six sons and seven daughters. By 1871, Joseph was employed carting stone from the quarry in Keira Street, where the GPT Wollongong building now stands. In 1873, the family were living next to Joseph's parents in Corrimal Street just north of the Harp Hotel. Then by 1875, the Makin family leased the Royal Hotel on the corner of Crown and Corrimal streets from the trustees of John Malcolm's estate. It is evident that both Joseph and Rebecca wasted no time in establishing themselves in business in the 1870s. In 1876, they sublet part of the old hotel to Percy Alexander and Carl Tronier for a photographic studio. From 1876 until 1892, Joseph drove the lead mourning coach at funerals performed by undertaker George Osborne. From 1879, Joseph owned his own coaches and buggies, hiring himself out as the driver. Rebecca used the kitchen and facilities of the hotel for her own catering service. Her first job was providing a spread after a football match between Illawarra Football Club and the Redfern Club in May 1879. The following year, Joseph opened up the Pioneer Wood and Coal Yard at the rear of the hotel and began to make deliveries to households.

In May 1882, Joseph Makin purchased the Royal Hotel building. In October of the same year, he started operating his made-to-order 22-seat horse-drawn omnibus "Edith", named after his eldest daughter. For many years Rebecca catered for judges and officials of the annual Wollongong Agricultural Show. While six months pregnant, Rebecca catered for the Odd Fellows Ball in May 1884. The infant, Ethel, was born in the August, but died four months later. This was the third baby Joseph and Rebecca had lost. When Rebecca was five months pregnant with her 13th and last child, she took on the catering for the banquet in the railway goods shed at the opening of the railway in June 1887. Their daughter, Maria, was born in the October and only lived for three months. From 1888 until 1893, Joseph also drove his coach as the lead mourning coach for funerals performed by undertaker William Hutson of Keira Street.

Expanding on his horse-drawn business at the rear of the hotel site by 1888, Joseph began the Illawarra Bait and Livery Stables, hiring out coaches, drags, buggies, cabs, furniture vans and drays, as well as horses from his stable.

At 10pm on Friday, January 18, 1889, Joseph Makin detected smoke coming from the second storey of a shop occupied by Mr McGuffie and his family on the opposite side of Crown Street. He rushed across the road into the shop and after alerting the McGuffies ran upstairs, noticing the curtains and bedding alight. Several of the McGuffie children were in the bed. He quickly woke them and sent them downstairs to their parents. Joseph's arms were severely burnt. It was Joseph's alertness that saved the sleeping children.

Again in August, Joseph witnessed another fire. This time he had to rescue his valuable horses from the stables at the rear of the hotel when the Temperance Hall next door caught fire and was destroyed.

On Sunday, September 29, 1889, about 100 people - parents, children and families after celebrating the children's First Holy Communion at St Francis Xavier Church - enjoyed breakfast in the adjoining school catered by Rebecca Makin. Joseph and Rebecca must have been struggling at this time. They had mortgaged the old hotel site when they purchased it in 1882, and decided in December 1889 to engage John Biggar to advertise the property for sale. It was fortunate they decided to hold onto the old building. Next week's story will continue the life and times of Joseph and Rebecca Makin.

Information courtesy of Carol Herben OAM.  Call 0409 832 854 or email sycado6@bigpond.net.au