Following on from our post yesterday about the Jolly Frog/ Carrington and Robert Huggins; this series of photos, documents and family history was sent to us by a descendant of Robert Huggins:
For decades the descendants of Robert & Emily Huggins have viewed with passing interest the changing façade and modernization of the historical `Carrington Hotel’ into what has now become the charred remains of the `Jolly Frog’, Bridge Street, Windsor.
Thomas Cullen is recorded as the landlord in 1837 of the ` Currency Lass’ on this site opposite the old colonial Windsor Court House & Military Barracks. Subsequently hotels followed, even a school, and the premises had been residential for twenty years when Robert Huggins obtained a Hotel Licence in 1886 which continued until the death of Alderman Robert Huggins on the 24th May 1900.
Robert Huggins ( 1831-1900 ) met Emily Alice Davis ( 1851-1941) while in holidays in South Africa and they returned to England to marry in 1883, spending their honeymoon on the ~Rosetta’ sailing for Australia. In 1883 Robert became landlord of the ` Maid of Australia’ inn & store, Pitt Town, where there son Berry was born upstairs in 1884 and daughter Dora in 1886. Robert established a reputation as a model publican with his considerable experience in the manufacture of rum & liquors having grown-up in the West Indies.
In 1886 Robert bought the boarding house in New Town, Windsor and converted the building into the Carrington Hotel where their children, Flo, John & Hastings were born.The funeral cortege for Alderman Robert Huggins was one of the largest in the district consisting of 70 vehicles besides horsemen.
In 1908 after 22 years in the Carrington Hotel, widow of Robert Huggins, Mrs D. G. Callaher ( 1851-1941),aged 84, mother of 5 children, retired from her popular hostelry to live privately and travel overseas which she continued to do until her death aged 90 and was laid to rest beside Robert in St Matthews Church Cemetery, Windsor.
One can`t help be amazed at the Huggins`s true colonial, hard working character when you realise during those 22 years as the landlords of the Carrington Hotel they endured nearly 15 continuous, moderate ( over 6.9m.) to major ( over 12.2m.) floods, including three in 1890 and two in 1890. Two months after Robert Huggins death in 1900 there was a major devastating flood of 14.08 meters. Newspaper pictures of the Carrington Hotel in 1904 & 1925 ( 7.62 m.) show the water level around the ceiling line of the first storey. Bridge Street must be in a flood plain and drainage area when the Nepean River is in flood.
Robert Huggins being a business man kept detailed records of expenses in connection with the purchasing and repairs, filling up goods & furnishings for the house in Bridge Street, Windsor, now named the Carrington Hotel, together with the two adjoining cottages included in the purchase. On the Huggins`s third wedding anniversary the 12th July 1886, Robert bought a house & two cottages for 700 pounds from Mr Gosper, Agent for Mr Beard & Johnston family.
Robert`s total hotel expenditure on the 7th September 1886 was 1,440 pounds 7/6, which included adding a balcony & verandah to the front & back of the two storey late Georgian, early Victorian inn building.
If the Jolly Frog is rebuilt it would be a fitting memorial to Windsor's past if it rebuilt in the grand colonial style of the Carrington Hotel in 1886.
Sue Huggins.
Lawson. NSW.
For decades the descendants of Robert & Emily Huggins have viewed with passing interest the changing façade and modernization of the historical `Carrington Hotel’ into what has now become the charred remains of the `Jolly Frog’, Bridge Street, Windsor.
Thomas Cullen is recorded as the landlord in 1837 of the ` Currency Lass’ on this site opposite the old colonial Windsor Court House & Military Barracks. Subsequently hotels followed, even a school, and the premises had been residential for twenty years when Robert Huggins obtained a Hotel Licence in 1886 which continued until the death of Alderman Robert Huggins on the 24th May 1900.
Robert Huggins ( 1831-1900 ) met Emily Alice Davis ( 1851-1941) while in holidays in South Africa and they returned to England to marry in 1883, spending their honeymoon on the ~Rosetta’ sailing for Australia. In 1883 Robert became landlord of the ` Maid of Australia’ inn & store, Pitt Town, where there son Berry was born upstairs in 1884 and daughter Dora in 1886. Robert established a reputation as a model publican with his considerable experience in the manufacture of rum & liquors having grown-up in the West Indies.
In 1886 Robert bought the boarding house in New Town, Windsor and converted the building into the Carrington Hotel where their children, Flo, John & Hastings were born.The funeral cortege for Alderman Robert Huggins was one of the largest in the district consisting of 70 vehicles besides horsemen.
In 1908 after 22 years in the Carrington Hotel, widow of Robert Huggins, Mrs D. G. Callaher ( 1851-1941),aged 84, mother of 5 children, retired from her popular hostelry to live privately and travel overseas which she continued to do until her death aged 90 and was laid to rest beside Robert in St Matthews Church Cemetery, Windsor.
One can`t help be amazed at the Huggins`s true colonial, hard working character when you realise during those 22 years as the landlords of the Carrington Hotel they endured nearly 15 continuous, moderate ( over 6.9m.) to major ( over 12.2m.) floods, including three in 1890 and two in 1890. Two months after Robert Huggins death in 1900 there was a major devastating flood of 14.08 meters. Newspaper pictures of the Carrington Hotel in 1904 & 1925 ( 7.62 m.) show the water level around the ceiling line of the first storey. Bridge Street must be in a flood plain and drainage area when the Nepean River is in flood.
Robert Huggins being a business man kept detailed records of expenses in connection with the purchasing and repairs, filling up goods & furnishings for the house in Bridge Street, Windsor, now named the Carrington Hotel, together with the two adjoining cottages included in the purchase. On the Huggins`s third wedding anniversary the 12th July 1886, Robert bought a house & two cottages for 700 pounds from Mr Gosper, Agent for Mr Beard & Johnston family.
Robert`s total hotel expenditure on the 7th September 1886 was 1,440 pounds 7/6, which included adding a balcony & verandah to the front & back of the two storey late Georgian, early Victorian inn building.
If the Jolly Frog is rebuilt it would be a fitting memorial to Windsor's past if it rebuilt in the grand colonial style of the Carrington Hotel in 1886.
Sue Huggins.
Lawson. NSW.
