Watering holes in Windsor

In the early days of the colony, the popular meeting place was the Inn. Because of the lack of literacy, it was usual to give a vivid title which could be easily illustrated. Windsor can boast of having over 50 such watering holes between 1798 and 1850. Licensed businesses were -

Bush, Wheatsheaf, Coach & Horses (1798); Plough, Royal Oak (1811); Lord Nelson (1813); Macquarie Arms (1817); Lord Nelson (1818); Green Dragon (1820); Hope & Anchor (1821); Green Lamp (1827); Windsor Hotel (1828); Red Lion, White Swan, Dover Wagon,

Barley Mow (1830); Rising Sun (1831); St Patrick, Kings Arms, King William IV (1832); Currency Lass, Cross Keys (1833); White Hart, Australian (1834); Bricklayers Arms, Brickmakers Arms (1835); Currency Lad, Kings Head (1836); Daniel O’Connell Inn,

Erin go bragh, Horse & Jockey (1837); Industry, Help me through the World (1838);

White Bear, Cricketers Arms (1839); Butchers Arms, Hole in the Wall, Jim Crow (1840); William IV, Steam Packet (1842); Rose-Shamrock & Thistle (1843); Bell Inn, Commercial Hotel, Peninsular Hotel, Dog and Stile, Star (1845); Windsor Hotel, Jockey,

Bird in Hand (1846); Macquarie Inn, Barraba Hall Hotel, Sir John Barleycorn (1847);

Fitzroy Hotel (1849).

To illustrate the humour of one of the signs, Help me through the World (1838) comprised a globe of the World with head and shoulders sticking out one side and a pair of legs on the opposite side.

Trevor Patrick is a local historian of the north-west of Sydney, Australia. His latest book, In Search of the Pennant Hills, is available at Pennant Hills Pharmacy.