Mr Robert Huggins “built” the Carrington in 1886.
He was born in Belfast, Ireland in 1841 and came to Australia in abt. 1883, spent 6 months in Sydney, then went to Pitt Town where he was the licensee of the Maid of Australia hotel for 2 years.He bought the property on Bridge Street where up until the time of his death he kept and ran the popular “Carrington” Hotel. His hotel was seen as a great improvement because he took what had been the town eyesore at the approach to Windsor, and made it very smart, clean and useful – he basically re-cycled old buildings with a bit of spit and polish, some paint and whitewash and some remodelling and additions. From the Hawkesbury Chronicle :- “ In Bridge Street , Mr Huggins, the pushing landlord of the Carrington Hotel, has further added to his improvements by making new cottages out of old ones – like Paddy’s musket, they have been renewed lock, stock and barrel. Bridge Street has quite altered in appearance these last few months, for where there was a howling wilderness of old bricks, rotten weather-boards and studding, waste and rubbish, are now comfortable shop and dwellings. Thus though there are too many property owners asleep in Windsor, there are some who are free from the blighting influence of conservative dry-rot.”
Mr Huggins would have given those TV Show Renovators on “The Block” good a run for their money!!
It appears that a Mr Frank O’Donell had kept a hotel in Windsor for many years. After this he had a house where the Carrington now stands but during the 1867 floods the building was washed down and he had to move further up the street. That may be why this particular part of town had been “let go” so to speak.
The house Mr Huggins purchased must therefore have been built after the flood of 1867.
He had a great deal of trouble getting a license because the local magistrates felt a hotel so close to the Court House would not be good.
Huggins purchased the whole block of buildings in Bridge Street from North Street to Macquarie. He set about making what was “a good house going to ruin through neglect” into what is now a really comfortable hotel. Mr R.W. Dunstan was the contractor who did all the work.
This following passage, from the Hawkesbury Chronicle, describes how the Carrington looked when first built...it must have been a bobby-dazzler!
They took down the old verandah and erected a fine balcony – supported by iron pillars and having an ornamental railing of the same material. The old-fashioned windows were converted into French openings; all the rooms were cleansed, white-washed, and papered, and all the woodwork painted and varnished throughout. Some hundreds of loads of stuff were carted to level the sloping land at the back; a retaining wall was built and a most substantial fence erected along the wall to enclose all the hotel’s property. Outside this fence are the stables and sheds and ground for a kitchen garden; besides which trees are planted and enclosed which will in a few years time afford grateful shade.
Upon entering the bar, one finds oneself in a very neat, cheerful apartment, plentifully supplied with shelving, upon which is a good display of the best brands of wines, spirits, beers etc.. Mirrors face the visitor on all sides ; and handsome vases, in which are growing choice plants, decorate unused corners. To the left of the bar is a large private parlour opening onto a verandah, while on the right is a smaller snuggery where a few friends may drink their lager in peace. Both rooms are comfortably furnished and in good taste. At the rear of the bar and extending to the rear of the house is a fine large dining room, and close by is the entrance to commodious cellar, a passage out to the kitchen and a bedroom at the rear of Parlour No 2. A broad verandah extends the whole length of the house at the back; at one end is a large airy pantry at the other the proprietor’s office.
The kitchen is detached but will be connected by a covered way to the house, and a lift will also be provided so that upstairs wants may be supplied quickly. Close to the house is a well of excellent water, from which every part of the house will be supplied by pump.
The upper portion of the hotel consists of 4 well-furnished bed-rooms and a large drawing room- which may be converted into two or more bedrooms of required. This is a fine apartment and opens onto the balcony – from which a very expanded view of the surrounding country may be obtained.
Gas is laid on throughout the house, and the parlour, drawing room and dining room provided with handsome chandeliers. The furniture throughout is all new and of the best quality; the parlours and dining room are carpeted, and the bedsteads in every room provided with patent wire mattresses in addition to the ordinary palliasses. Comfort seems to have been the dominant idea of the proprietor which will be maintained by his good lady.
Adjoining the hotel is a cottage which will be elevated another storey and thoroughly renovated throughout and will then form part of the hotel.
Another cottage further up the street will also be overhauled and made habitable for an old tenant of the former proprietor but who prefers living under the new regime .
The following is an opinion by the journalist of the Hawkesbury Chronicle 1886 :- “We think Mr Huggins has done well in this matter – both for himself and the town, and it should be a hopeful indication that old Windsor is not beyond recovery, as some of her own sons seem to think. She has had but little public money spent on her of late years, but we are inclined to think she will get a better share in future.”
When one stands and views the Carrington (Jolly Frog) today it must represent closely ( though the old cottage he bought was simply dilapidated ) the sight that first met Mr Huggins when he purchased the place all those years ago. All his work and imagination was gradually allowed to decline, was whittled away, was degraded – and finally set alight by a fiend in the night with little respect or regard for what was our town’s heritage.
Mr Huggins died in June 1900, aged 59. He is buried in St Matthew’s C/E. At his own request he was buried in the same black cloth suit he always wore when alive. The coffin was of polished cedar, heavily mounted with silver and it was covered with beautiful wreaths.
He was born in Belfast, Ireland in 1841 and came to Australia in abt. 1883, spent 6 months in Sydney, then went to Pitt Town where he was the licensee of the Maid of Australia hotel for 2 years.He bought the property on Bridge Street where up until the time of his death he kept and ran the popular “Carrington” Hotel. His hotel was seen as a great improvement because he took what had been the town eyesore at the approach to Windsor, and made it very smart, clean and useful – he basically re-cycled old buildings with a bit of spit and polish, some paint and whitewash and some remodelling and additions. From the Hawkesbury Chronicle :- “ In Bridge Street , Mr Huggins, the pushing landlord of the Carrington Hotel, has further added to his improvements by making new cottages out of old ones – like Paddy’s musket, they have been renewed lock, stock and barrel. Bridge Street has quite altered in appearance these last few months, for where there was a howling wilderness of old bricks, rotten weather-boards and studding, waste and rubbish, are now comfortable shop and dwellings. Thus though there are too many property owners asleep in Windsor, there are some who are free from the blighting influence of conservative dry-rot.”
Mr Huggins would have given those TV Show Renovators on “The Block” good a run for their money!!
It appears that a Mr Frank O’Donell had kept a hotel in Windsor for many years. After this he had a house where the Carrington now stands but during the 1867 floods the building was washed down and he had to move further up the street. That may be why this particular part of town had been “let go” so to speak.
The house Mr Huggins purchased must therefore have been built after the flood of 1867.
He had a great deal of trouble getting a license because the local magistrates felt a hotel so close to the Court House would not be good.
Huggins purchased the whole block of buildings in Bridge Street from North Street to Macquarie. He set about making what was “a good house going to ruin through neglect” into what is now a really comfortable hotel. Mr R.W. Dunstan was the contractor who did all the work.
This following passage, from the Hawkesbury Chronicle, describes how the Carrington looked when first built...it must have been a bobby-dazzler!
They took down the old verandah and erected a fine balcony – supported by iron pillars and having an ornamental railing of the same material. The old-fashioned windows were converted into French openings; all the rooms were cleansed, white-washed, and papered, and all the woodwork painted and varnished throughout. Some hundreds of loads of stuff were carted to level the sloping land at the back; a retaining wall was built and a most substantial fence erected along the wall to enclose all the hotel’s property. Outside this fence are the stables and sheds and ground for a kitchen garden; besides which trees are planted and enclosed which will in a few years time afford grateful shade.
Upon entering the bar, one finds oneself in a very neat, cheerful apartment, plentifully supplied with shelving, upon which is a good display of the best brands of wines, spirits, beers etc.. Mirrors face the visitor on all sides ; and handsome vases, in which are growing choice plants, decorate unused corners. To the left of the bar is a large private parlour opening onto a verandah, while on the right is a smaller snuggery where a few friends may drink their lager in peace. Both rooms are comfortably furnished and in good taste. At the rear of the bar and extending to the rear of the house is a fine large dining room, and close by is the entrance to commodious cellar, a passage out to the kitchen and a bedroom at the rear of Parlour No 2. A broad verandah extends the whole length of the house at the back; at one end is a large airy pantry at the other the proprietor’s office.
The kitchen is detached but will be connected by a covered way to the house, and a lift will also be provided so that upstairs wants may be supplied quickly. Close to the house is a well of excellent water, from which every part of the house will be supplied by pump.
The upper portion of the hotel consists of 4 well-furnished bed-rooms and a large drawing room- which may be converted into two or more bedrooms of required. This is a fine apartment and opens onto the balcony – from which a very expanded view of the surrounding country may be obtained.
Gas is laid on throughout the house, and the parlour, drawing room and dining room provided with handsome chandeliers. The furniture throughout is all new and of the best quality; the parlours and dining room are carpeted, and the bedsteads in every room provided with patent wire mattresses in addition to the ordinary palliasses. Comfort seems to have been the dominant idea of the proprietor which will be maintained by his good lady.
Adjoining the hotel is a cottage which will be elevated another storey and thoroughly renovated throughout and will then form part of the hotel.
Another cottage further up the street will also be overhauled and made habitable for an old tenant of the former proprietor but who prefers living under the new regime .
The following is an opinion by the journalist of the Hawkesbury Chronicle 1886 :- “We think Mr Huggins has done well in this matter – both for himself and the town, and it should be a hopeful indication that old Windsor is not beyond recovery, as some of her own sons seem to think. She has had but little public money spent on her of late years, but we are inclined to think she will get a better share in future.”
When one stands and views the Carrington (Jolly Frog) today it must represent closely ( though the old cottage he bought was simply dilapidated ) the sight that first met Mr Huggins when he purchased the place all those years ago. All his work and imagination was gradually allowed to decline, was whittled away, was degraded – and finally set alight by a fiend in the night with little respect or regard for what was our town’s heritage.
Mr Huggins died in June 1900, aged 59. He is buried in St Matthew’s C/E. At his own request he was buried in the same black cloth suit he always wore when alive. The coffin was of polished cedar, heavily mounted with silver and it was covered with beautiful wreaths.