Free Settler or Felon
Convict and Colonial History




The Shamrock Inn

Muswellbrook


Patrick Bellew arrived on the Cambridge in 1827. He was assigned to Stephen Coxen at Dartbrook when he first arrived. Patrick Bellew married Mary Ann Watt at Scone in 1845. This may have been Mary Ann Watt who arrived on the Numa in 1834 and was also assigned to Stephen Coxen.

Patrick Bellew was granted a publicans' licence for the Shamrock Inn at Muswellbrook in July 1846. The Shamrock Inn was probably one of the five Inns mentioned in Rev. Richard Boodle's Memoirs when he first arrived in Muswellbrook in 1848.

After he died in 1848, Patrick Bellew's wife Mary Ann Bellew continued to live in Muswellbrook. She was granted a licence for the Shamrock Inn in 1853.

Isaac Moses

In September 1856 Isaac Moses advertised his intent to take over the Shamrock Inn (formerly in occupation of Mrs. Bellew) in Bridge Street Muswellbrook - and on the road to the Rocky River and Hanging Rock Diggings. He intended to rename it the Rose Inn.

Mary Anne Bellew

In 1875 a correspondent to the Maitland Mercury described his visit to Muswellbrook - At a small cottage about ten miles out, I made some inquiries concerning a short cut which by avoiding Denman, through which the main road passes, saves about four miles. Taking this is said 'to be going by Bell's lane'. The entrance to it is about three miles further on. Here I found a large brick house, apparently of substantial build, but as it was empty its doors and windows were in that state peculiar to empty buildings. It would seem to have been built either as an accommodation house or an hotel, most probably the latter. It was built by, I was informed, and now belongs to Mrs. Bellew of Piercefield whose present residence is situated on the estate, about a quarter of a mile from the road. [1]

Mary Ann Bellew died on 28 February 1882 at her residence, Piercefield aged 67 years. She had been a resident of the district for 25 - 30 years and had been ill for about a month having had a fall in the train at Newcastle. She was interred at Merton Burial ground.

References

[1] Maitland Mercury 29 May 1875