Hannel Family Vault

Item details


Name of item:	Hannel Family Vault
Other name/s:	Hannell Family Vault
Type of item:	Archaeological-Terrestrial
Group/Collection:	Monuments and Memorials
Category:	Memorials
Primary address:	398B Maitland Road, Hexham, NSW 2322
Local govt. area:	Newcastle

Boundary:

HEXH.005 Field survey number 0577

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
398B Maitland Road	Hexham	Newcastle			Primary Address

Statement of significance:


	Associated with the prominent Hannell Family. An unusual monument and location. Provides insight into social class and lifestyle.
	Date significance updated: 17 Jun 20
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the Department of Premier and Cabinet copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Physical description:	Stone construction. Only 20 metres from Hunter River banks and stands approx 3m above flat Hexham Plain.


Current use:	Memorial

History

Historical notes:

The Hannells are one of the founding families of Newcastle, three brothers arriving in the early 1830s from Sydney to join their mother Elizabeth Hannell who, after committing herself to abetting forgery, was in 1820 sentenced to 'Life' and transported to Newcastle. Family vault of the first Mayor of Newcastle and chief benefactor of the new Newcastle Hospital, James Hannell (who died on 31 December 1876, aged 63 years and was buried in Christ Church cemetery, Newcastle), his wife Mary Anne Sophia (who died in 1884, aged 65); his brother John Hannell (who died on 7 May 1891, aged 76 years) publican of the former Wheat Sheaf (or Wheatsheef) Inn on Maitland Road - a Halfway House or 'The House that Jack Built', a changing post for coach horses on the Newcastle-Maitland journey in the colonial era (original destroyed by fire in 1853, re-built 1856, demolished in 1960) and his wife Mary Ann Hannell (who died on 27 April 1902, aged 84 years); his brother Jesse Hannell (1818 to 1895) is credited as the first lighthouse keeper at Nobbys, took a major role in many boat rescues including the sole survivor of the paddle-steamer Cawarra which sank on the port's Oyster Bank in heavy seas in July 1866, Newcastle's worst maritime disaster.

James Hannell took an active part in securing the incorporation of Newcastle Council in 1859, when he was elected an alderman to the city ward and then as its first Mayor from 1859-62, serving again in 1868-69 and 1871. In 1871, upon the incorporation of Wickham, James was elected first mayor of the borough, occupying the position until 1874. Hannell Street, in the Wickham Municipality being named after him. From 1860 to 1869 James was twice returned by the electors for Newcastle City, and between 1872-74 was twice victorious in the polls for the electorate of Northumberland.

Due to its proximity to Hunter River, over the years the vault has been flooded several times and during major floods has been completely covered by water.

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
9. Phases of Life-Marking the phases of life	Persons-Activities of, and associations with, identifiable individuals, families and communal groups	(none)-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	Rare Local
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	Rare Local
SHR Criteria d) [Social significance]	Local representative
SHR Criteria f) [Rarity]	This item is assessed as historically rare locally. This item is assessed as aesthetically rare locally.
SHR Criteria g) [Representativeness]	This item is assessed as socially representatively locally.
Assessment criteria:	Items are assessed against the State Heritage Register (SHR) Criteria to determine the level of significance. Refer to the Listings below for the level of statutory protection.

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Local Environmental Plan	Newcastle Local Environmental Plan 2012	I179	15 Jun 12	64
Heritage study

Study details

Title	Year	Number	Author	Inspected by	Guidelines used
Newcastle City Wide Heritage Study	1996	HEXH.005	Suters Architects Snell	SA	Yes

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Written	Hunter Living Histories, University of Newcastle	2017	Wreck of the Cawarra, at Newcastle (Illustrated Sydney News 16th August 1866)	View detail
Written	Mike Scanlon	2017	History \| A curious clan	View detail
Written	Unknown	1922	NEGLECTED TOMB Coffins in Water FILTH AND DECAY - Silent Grave at Hexham	View detail
Written	Unknown	1902	THE CATHEDRAL CEMETERY. MR. JAMES HANNELL- FIRST MAYOR OF NEWCASTLE. QUAINT CUSTOMS.	View detail

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	Local Government
Database number:	2170929
File number:	929

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