Hamilton's hidden history revealed by author Ruth Cotton

‘‘You can’t escape history in Newcastle and it is a very unusual city really because so much of it is still there,’’ she says. ‘‘I use the phrase, ‘You see the bones poking through the skin’. Some of it is not pretty, some of it is wonderful and you know there is a story behind everything.’’

The former health consultant’s curiosity about long-abandoned coalmines in the area around her Hamilton home prompted Cotton to seek out historical documents in Newcastle Region Library. ‘‘I worked in health all my life and my job involved talking to people,’’ she says. ‘‘I’ve had a lot of experience getting to the bottom of things.’’

Cotton was also interested in learning more about some of the older buildings in the suburb. ‘‘Rustling through all the clippings was a very introverted thing to do and then my husband got sick of being the only audience for my discoveries,’’ she laughs. ‘‘Then I started to talk to people about what I was learning and one thing led to another.’’

Cotton was not interested in writing a comprehensive or academic history of Hamilton – it was people’s stories that excited her. 

 The stories she was collecting brought the past to life and Cotton felt compelled to share them so she decided to start her Hidden Hamilton blog. ‘‘My husband’s a computer expert, but I did it all myself,’’ she says emphatically, tapping the cafe table with her index finger. She also learnt how to use Facebook.

We are seated at Eurobar in the middle of bustling Beaumont Street. Nearby, a table of five grey-haired men in white sneakers and socks are chatting loudly in Macedonian. Their lively conversation is animated with hand gestures. It is a quintessential Hamilton moment.

Cotton emphasises that it is people who make a place. ‘‘Here was I and who would know whether I had the skills to write and create something meaningful. But people have entrusted their stories to me.’’

After a year of writing her blog, Cotton paused and realised she had created a substantial body of work covering everything from the construction of the majestic Lindsay Street mansion, Fettercairn, to the suburb’s gay community and the legacy of the colourful Mook family, who owned a fruit shop in the 1960s. A book was born with the assistance of a Greater Building Society grant and the support of local businesses.

Published by Hunter Press, the book Hidden Hamilton includes photographs from as far back as 1897 when Beaumont Street was a desolate dirt track. An 1892 image of Denison Street, which was originally the main road, shows a long line of hotels with ornate wrought iron balconies. Cotton’s approach is not chronological, instead she has used themes such as ‘‘community’’ and ‘‘work’’ to weave together the stories of the suburb’s buildings, influential businesses and families, as well as its multicultural heritage. And it works. Hamilton’s rich and diverse past comes to life.

‘‘It wasn’t a matter of simply transferring the blog to the book,’’ explains Cotton. ‘‘A huge amount of work went into recreating stories for this format.’’

Cotton shared many cups of coffee with locals, all of whom embraced the opportunity to talk about relatives – many of whom were long-dead – and their part in the suburb’s past. One of her interview subjects, Mervyn Roberts, the only surviving partner of Jim’s Dairy Delite Bar, became seriously ill before they spoke. 

‘‘The family gathered around his bed, worried that he was dying, but he said he had to get better for the interview,’’ says Cotton. ‘‘I’m so pleased he did and I could capture his story. Jim’s is a Newcastle institution.’’

As a newcomer, what has struck Cotton about the people of Hamilton? ‘‘There is a resilience and determination that has helped the area grow from a dusty pit village to what it is today. There is a strong entrepreneurial streak and what has been revealed to me is that social capital that’s been put into this community is enormous and that’s probably what people drew on after the earthquake.

‘‘It is a microcosm of wider Newcastle, Iknow that.’’

Hidden Hamilton celebrates a suburb but it has also enabled Cotton to establish a meaningful relationship with her new home. ‘‘I live within walking distance of the shops and I’m becoming one of those people I have always envied,’’ Cotton says, beaming. ‘‘I can walk up and down the street and speak to people I know.’’

Hidden Hamilton by Ruth Cotton is published by Hunter Press. It is available from hunterpress.com.au and if you order before November 11, the cost is $35 and includes free delivery. After this date it will cost $39.95 and will be available from Hamilton newsagencies, Newcastle Museum and MacLean’s Booksellers. Cotton blogs at hiddenhamilton.blogspot.com.au.