Hamilton, New South Wales

Hamilton is a suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, located from Newcastle's central business district. The main commercial centre is located around Beaumont Street and boasts a vibrant multicultural atmosphere providing an array of restaurants, retail, fashion and commercial outlets along with day-to-day services such as pharmacies, banks, florists, hairdressers, fruit shops and delicatessens.
History.
Hamilton became a municipality on 11 December 1871 and was named in honour of Edward Terrick Hamilton, who was then Governor of the board of directors of the Australian Agricultural Company (AA Co), from August 1857 to September 1898. The AA Co. were instrumental in the growth of the area, operating the mines and owning most of the land.
The discovery of coal near St Peter's Church in the area known as Cameron's Hill, was the beginnings for the township of Hamilton (originally known as Pittown, Borehole or Happy Flat). A borehole was sunk and a shaft was completed in 1849 and was known as the D Pit, or borehole. Pittown grew up somewhere in the vicinity of today’s Beaumont street to service the needs of the miners and their families.
By 1928 there were over 400 retail outlets in Hamilton, having increased from 80 in 1909.
In 1947, Lettesi (a settler group made up of nearly 150 families from the village of Lettopalena in the
Abruzzo Region of Italy), initially settled in Islington but they soon expanded into the nearby suburbs of Hamilton and Mayfield. This was primarily due to Islington's proximity to the BHP steel works. Before long Hamilton (especially Beaumont Street) was to become a strong community and commercial centre for Newcastle’s Italians. By the late fifties, the local Italian community began patronising the Australian owned Exchange Hotel, located on the corner of Beaumont and Denison Streets. It continues to be a regular meeting place for Italian men of Hamilton. The story of the Lettesi community in Hamilton can be read in the 'Hidden Hamilton' blog at http://hiddenhamilton.blogspot.com.au/2015/12/a-community-finds-its-place-lettesi.html.
Mechanics Institute.
In the early nineteenth century, a time when education was the privilege of the elite few, Mechanics’ Institutes were set up in Britain and later, Australia.· Their aim was to provide working men with access to technical education – through talks, courses, lectures and books accessible in a reading room. Mechanics Institutes gave many worker access to books and lectures which they could otherwise afford. By the late 19th and 20th initiatives such as TAFE and public libraries made mechanics institutes less relevant. As source of income the institute could hold dances , theatre , movies and hire out the billiard table which started be replaced by social clubs.The Hamilton Mechanics Institute has architectural significance as a particularly fine and intact example of a Mechanics Institute in the Renaissance Revival style.
Located between Tudor and Milton Streets.The Hamilton Mechanics Institute was founded in 1859 and the present building was constructed in stages between 1869 and 1903.· The Institute was granted a block of land in Gray Street in 1859, but meetings were held at first in a private house and in rented rooms.The Hamilton institute was originally a wooden structure built in 1862.·The first building was a lecture hall designed by the architect JS Jenkins and constructed in 1869.In 1872 this was extended to designs by the local architect William Smith, with a Free Library built west of the lecture hall and separated from it by a wide hallway. In 1872 the originally building was demolished and the façade was replace across the building. In 1872 saw the building extended and library added by William as well as new facade to Gray Street section to combine to new and old section. In 1879 the Learmonth Memorial Hall was added.In 1879 a large room costing £500 was collect through a memorial to Alexander Learmonth an original trustee.This was replaced in 1888 with a Victorian building designed by renowned Newcastle architect Frederick Menkens. On August 1888 NSW premier Sir Henry Parkes opened the building. In 1891 an extension on the building was completed.
In 1903 two large rooms and lantern lights were added to the back of the building at cost of £1200 by Frank Hammond.By the early 1920's membership rose to about 800 members. The downstairs hall could seat 400 people. In 1940's Hamilton RSL Sub Branch purchased the property and named in Anzac House. 
As common in building of the 1800s the cast iron lace verandahs have not survived.The building was developed by Bernadette and Dan Connolly as part of redevelopment of Hamilton RSL/ DJB Developments are renovated the buildings there into a 33 apartment complex. The work was completed in January 2018.
Heritage listings.
Hamilton has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
Population.
According to the 2016 census of Population, there were 4,229 people in Hamilton.
Transport.
Rail.
Hamilton's train station was constructed on the Islington Junction to Newcastle railway line. The station is from the "Way & Works Branch" and is above sea level.
With the opening of the station in 1872, the importance of Hamilton as a suburb grew.
The station is served by NSW TrainLink's Hunter line to Maitland and beyond, and the Central Coast & Newcastle Line, which runs to Sydney.
Bus.
Hamilton is the home to Newcastle's major State Transit Authority bus depot.
Sporting Teams.
Association football - After a recent name change by Olympic, Hamilton is only represented by Hamilton Azzurri FC
Rugby union - Represented by Hamilton Hawks
Rugby League - Represented in the Newcastle & Hunter Rugby League by "Hamilton Ducks Rugby League Football Club"