This weatherboard house was built around 1889 by the Wallarah Coal-mining Company to house its mineworkers.
This house is unusually large. I am not sure why the Coal Company allowed the additions. Lil Henderson a daughter of the first remembered family said that a shop was on the side of the house that sold mining supplies. However, I have not been able to find any other evidence for this.
Mr and Mrs Gill and family. lived here for many years. There were six boys and two girls, Ettie and Lil. Their mother was the midwife. The father used to dredge the creek using a pit pony and dray when the opening to the sea closed. The creek was much larger in the early days People used to swim, fish and dive in from the bridge (12-14 feet of water). Roy Mc Dougall who has lived in the Bay 80 odd years thinks the water disappeared years ago due to mine subsidence.
Lil, a daughter, married Jack (fisho) Henderson and they then lived in the house.
Their children were Tony, Kerrie, Darrell and Katrina.
In 1964 the Coal Company ‘Coal & Allied’ subdivided some of its land and determined that this house and land would be sold to Mr J Henderson (fisho) for 350 pounds.
Mrs Henderson lived there until around 1994 and then sold in July 1994 for $153,000. The new family renovated the house to include a new kitchen, bathroom and laundry at the rear. A large deck was also added. The front remains pretty much as it was.