The Settler's Arms Fire

Robert Martin was born c.1830 and arrived in Australia from Ireland in  1838. He worked as a digger on the Victorian goldfields before marrying Lily Ann Cochrane in 1853. In 1856 he was granted a publicans license for the Settler’s Arms at Shellharbour.

The ‘Settlers Arms Inn’ was a meeting place for many  significant events during the early development of the Village, most notably it was the meeting place for the petition of 210 persons signatories for the formation of Shellharbour as a    Municipality.  Mr. Robert Martin was one of the first Aldermen on Council 1859-1864. 

       

In 1864, Mr. Henry Parkes, MP for Kiama, on his campaign visit to Shellharbour, addressed the schoolchildren of the National School from the verandah of the Settlers Arms Inn.

Sadly Robert’s eldest daughter Isabella, drowned in a well while getting water for the family in July 1868. All efforts to resuscitate her failed after many townsfolk came to her aid.

The following year, Robert’s wife Lily Ann died, leaving six surviving children of the original eleven born. In 1872 Robert married Rebecca Clinton.

Misfortune struck the Martin family once again, when around 3 o’clock in the morning of  8 April 1872, The Settlers Arms Inn and dwelling house of Robert Martin were destroyed by fire. 

The townsfolk evacuated all the family and an enquiry into the origin of the fire was held at the Steam Packet Inn four days later.  The District Coroner, Mr. H. Connell could find no evidence how the fire started.

The site of the Settlers Arms Inn was left vacant until Mr. Henry Mood, builder and coachbuilder of Shellharbour built his New Royal Hotel.  Subsequent owners and licensees had occupied The New Royal until it was purchased by Mrs. Henrietta Bush.  It suffered the same fate as The Settlers Arms Inn, destroyed by fire in 1931. 

The Settlers Arms Hotel Addison Street, Shellharbour Village c.1860.
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