This weatherboard and galvanised iron cottage was constructed between1914-1917. The ‘Wallarah Coal-mining Company’ built this cottage to house its mineworkers.
The Tobin family first occupied this house. When Mr Tobin died Mrs Tobin married Bill Stanley and moved to Nords Wharf.
In 1935 the Northwood family moved in. Fred, Kate and young Gordon. Kate was a Henderson and had grown up in the town and met her English husband in Newcastle. A daughter Colleen was born in the local maternity hospital and grew up in the Bay. Sadly their son Gordon died aged 17 just weeks before the birth of his sister Colleen.
Fred was one of the hard working men that built the Bowling Green during his long service leave holidays and spent many years as Secretary of the Progress Association and with the help of other members was successful in gaining some much needed improvements for the Bay. He also helped maintain the cemetery along with Lorry Ham, Dave Anstruther, Dave Wiltshire, Vic Frost and several others.
The arrival of electricity and the remodelling and sealing of Flowers Drive were just two of these achievements. For some years in the 1950’s Fred and Kate had a phone in the house, the number was Catherine Hill Bay 26. However the arrival at the front door by locals at any time to use the phone soon became a bother to Fred and he decided to have it cut off much to everyone’s annoyance. Fred was also the local tax man, come June onwards there would be a stream of local men arriving to have their tax return filled out. He was a regular contributor to the “Letters to the Editor’ pages in the Newcastle Herald.
Both were keen bowlers and Kate held many club championships and several regional and state awards.
In1964 the coal company ‘Coal & Allied’ subdivided some of its land. The Company determined that this house and land would be purchased for 400 pounds by Mr F Northwood.
Kate sold the house in 1992 and went to live with her daughter in Summerland Point.
The following family, with two children, bought the house and lived here for a number of years extending and renovating the house.