Source:
In the Service of the Company. Letters of Sir Edward Parry, Volume 2 June 1832 - March 1834 Letter 777
Details:
Agreement with A.A. Company to expire 3rd April.
Source:
In the Service of the Company. Letters of Sir Edward Parry, VolumeII June 1832 - March 1834 Letter 817
Details:
Correspondence from Sir Edward Parry regarding Steel's agreement with the company and outlining new Agreement. New agreement on proviso that Michael Steel (son) enter into the same agreement
Details:
Marriage of William Alston Hutchinson, son of Thomas Hutchinson of Alston, Cumberland and Miss Barbara Telena, daughter of James Steel, engineer of Newcastle on 23 July. Minister Rev. W. Hill
Place:
At the residence of the bridegroom's parents. Brown Street, Newcastle
Details:
Marriage of Michael Steel, engineer, a native of Newcastle, and fifth son of Mr. James Steel of the above city to Miss Winifred Dawes, a native of Parramatta and 8th daughter of Mr. George Dawes of Newtown
Place:
Dwelling house. Address near A.A. Co. pits
Details:
On a list of electors in the police district of Newcastle who had the right to vote for elections in the county of Northumberland in 1855. Printed in the Newcastle Morning Herald 1 November 1911
Place:
Freehold. King St. Newcastle
Details:
On a list of electors in the police district of Newcastle who had the right to vote for elections in the county of Northumberland in 1855. Printed in the Newcastle Morning Herald 19 July 1911
Source:
Newcastle Gaol Entrance Book. State Archives NSW. Roll 137
Details:
Mary Finnegan per Surry assigned to Mr. Steele at Newcastle on release from gaol
Source:
Newcastle Gaol Entrance Book. State Archives NSW. Roll 136
Details:
Catherine McCarthy per Sir Charles Forbes assigned to James Steele at Newcastle
Source:
Newcastle Court of Petty Sessions Letter Book
Details:
Letter 46/43. Correspondence from Magistrates Crummer and Furlong to the Principal Superintendent of Convicts.....With reference to your letter of the 4th instance on the subject of the indulgence granted to the men who rendered assistance at the fire on the premises of the A.A. Company at Newcastle some few months back, we do ourselves the honor to observe that we conceive there must be some misapprehension as regards the case of James Brown whose exertions and meritorious conduct were particularly noticed both by Mr. Steel and Mr. Brown, overseers of the Company at the fire, as they signed the memorial of Brown and stated in their recommendations that they were eye witnesses of his praiseworthy efforts under all the circumstances of the case. We feel it a duty to suggest most urgently this convict be granted a ticket of leave immediately for his as a reward for his conduct which indulgence we are firmly of opinion is only commensurate with his deserts on the occasion referred to.
Source:
Newcastle Court of Petty Sessions, Bench Books, 1833-1836 (Ancestry)
Details:
Joseph Hudson per Isabella, assigned to the A.A. Company. Charged with obtaining liquor under false pretences....Simon Kemp, publican, testified...Last Friday or Thursday the prisoner came to my house and asked me for a pint of rum for Mr. Steele. He brought a bottle and told me he had just come from Mr. Steele at the pit. He told me that Mr. Steel was in the pit at work and he would give me the order when he came up. I gave it to him. I saw Mr. Steele on Saturday morning when he told me it was not correct.....James Steele testified....I never ordered the prisoner to get rum for me at Mr. Kemp s house without an order or at any time at all. I never sent him for rum. Guilty. Sentenced to 100 lashes
Source:
Newcastle Court of Petty Sessions, Bench Books, 1833-1836 (Ancestry)
Details:
Francis Shooter, per Bengal Merchant, assigned to the A.A. Company charged with neglect of duty and disobedience of orders.....William Latham testified....The prisoners work in the pit is to wheel from twenty four to thirty skips of coal. This morning he went to his work at the usual time. He had some altercation with the men in the pit about the wagon he formerly did his work with. He told the underground overseer he would not do his work unless he had the wagon. The wagon did not belong to him, he was sent up from the pit by the overseer to Mr. Steele. Mr. Steele gave him his choice of five other waggons. He positively refused to go down into the pit to do his work. He left the works and went to the barracks. Mr. Steele ordered me to send him to court. I was present when Mr. Steele offered him the other waggons and heard him refuse Mr. Steele. Three out of the five waggons were whole and fit for work. Guilty. Sentenced to 50 lashes
Source:
Newcastle Court of Petty Sessions, Bench Books, 1833-1836 (Ancestry)
Details:
James Kendall per Parmelia, assigned to A.W. Scott. William Lear per Mellish, Thomas Bagley per Nithsdale assigned to the A.A. Company, all charged with disorderly conduct and being out of barracks after hours. Thomas Armstrong per Isabella, James Armitage per Exmouth, Robert Ridley per Isabella and John Clish per Bengal Merchant, assigned to the Company, charged with disorderly conduct......Constable Anthony testified....On Saturday night about twelve oclock, we heard a noise as we were passing Mr. Scotts cottage. We looked at the door to see who it was. Mr. Scotts man was playing the fiddle and Bagley and Lear were inside before the fire there was a bottle and some rum in it the bottle produced we took Bagley and Lear on going to the watch house we met the other four prisoners on the flat going towards the cottage. We brought them all to the watch house. Hannell was with me at the time....Constable Hannell testified.....On Saturday night last between twelve and one oclock I heard some singing and noise in Mr. Scotts Cottage. We knocked at the door. They admitted us. There was a bottle before Kendall on the floor. We took the two Company men in charge. In going towards the town we met the other four prisoners, none of them was disorderly. They were making no noise. James Rawson testified....I was at the mens barracks about half past eight on Saturday night when William Latham mustered the men. They were all present. I have not seen any of the prisoners from that time till now. There was a fight amongst the men late on that night inside on the Flats. I know no reason why the prisoners should not have gone to their beds that night....Mr. James Steele, Engineer, testified....At the hour of eleven I desired all the men to go to their beds including the prisoners. I cannot say that any of the men was drunk. I believe Bagley had been drinking. Clish has been with the Company nearly twelve months and I have had no trouble with him. All the prisoners are generally well behaved.....A.W. Scott testified....I do not remember ever giving the prisoner Kendall any positive orders that he should not admit any person into the cottage, but it is my impression that the prisoner must have known that it is against my orders and that he knows that some of my men have been punished for the same offence.....Sentence...Bagnal, Ridley, Armstrong 25 lashes each. Kendall 75 lashes
Details:
Mr. Todd and Mr. James Steel worked together at Wallsend as mates, and it may be interesting to many holding similar positions to know that Mr. James Steel and his brother, Mr. W. A. Steel, are the two oldest colliery engine drivers in Australia. The first colliery engine ever erected in Australia was put up at the A.A. Companys A pit by Mr. James Steel, sen., and was first worked by that gentleman until he had trained two brakemen, named Barney Stevenson and John Greenwell, to do the work. At this time James and William Steel were engineer apprentices under their father, and were the next to take charge of the engines, James being the first. After further experience in the company s service he left Newcastle for the California gold diggings in 1849, the voyage to San Francisco occupying some- thing like four months. His adventures in search of gold were, however, not attended with any great degree of success, and for some time he served In the capacity of second engineer on a small coasting and river steamer. The discovery of gold In New South Wales was principally re- sponsible for his return from California in 1853, but the fields did not appear to have been exploited to any appreciable extent, as a result of his efforts at this period. Mr Steel, in conjunction with his brother- in-law, Captain Jewell, was afterwards engaged in the coastal and river trade, and for some time was mate of a coal schooner plying between Newcastle and Sydney. His first acquaintance with Wallsend was in the sinking of a trial shaft 44 years ago, which was carried out under the direction of his brother, Mr. W. A. Steel and which proved the existence of the seam sought for, the land being afterwards sold to the Wallsend Coal Company. Mr. Steel is particularly proud of a re- cord made while in charge of the B pit winding engine, 109 score 16 skips being drawn in nine hours, a performance not to be despised when compared with present outputs, and improved appliances. Mr. Steel asserts that he was the last man to pass between Fort Scratchley and Nobbys in an open boat, and that he carried the Union Jack on the first train of coal from Wallsend. Mr. Steel has always been a most enthusiastic devotee and supporter of acquatic, sports, &c. and his name and fame in this respect will be long remembered, more particularly by frequenters of Lake Macquarie. During late years he has suffered from a serious trouble affecting his eyesight., and although he has undergone several painful operations in the hope of effecting a cure, he is now unfortunately completely blind.
Source:
Newcastle Chronicle
Details:
Marriage, on 1st instant, at the residence of Mr. Moodie, father of the bride, Pitt Town, near Newcastle, by the Rev. James Coutts, M. A., Mr. Ralph Martin George Henry Steel, sixth son of the late Mr. James Steel, of Newcastle, to Miss Marion Moodie, only daughter of Mr. Hugh Moodie, of Pitt Town
Source:
Newcastle Chronicle
Details:
The Rev. Charles Olden to preach a funeral sermon in the Wesleyan Church, Tyrrell-street on the death of the late Mr. James Steel one of the oldest residents of Newcastle
Details:
Brakeman. Employed by Australian Agricultural Company
Details:
Servant indented to Australian Agricultural Company. Aged 43 . Came free
Details:
Many years ago two young men were employed at a colliery in the North of England where they worked as mates in tending the pit machinery. One of them, George Stephenson, was destined to become famous as the pioneer of the locomotive engine and railways while the second Mr. James Steele was to be associated with the development of the coal industry at Newcastle NSW. When the Australian Agricultural Company were looking for experienced men to control their coal getting operation the choice fell upon Mr. Steele who was selected as engineer and Mr. John Henderson who was appointed colliery viewer. These two gentlemen embarked on board the ship Australia owned by A.W. Scott of Ash Island and arrived in 1826. In the early days the whole of the work at the various collieries was performed by prison labour many hundreds being under the personal direction of Mr. Steele. he was a general favourite with them and never had a serious difficulty in managing them. Many a little concession received at his hands out of pure kindness made an impression on their minds and as a result his orders were cheerfully obeyed. Sometimes when work was finished, the men would be allowed to assemble on the green for an hour and play quoits. Nothing pleased the veteran manager better than to watch the men enjoying themselves and forgetting for a time at least the realities of their positions....In about 1836 Mr. Steele built a house n Brown street or what is Brown St now for at that time it was a beautiful green hill, sloping down towards the harbour. At that time there was no other dwelling westward of Wolfe street or southward of Church street. Around the house was a large garden and there as many as two hundred convicts have been working at a time. Frequently there would not be employement for all the companys assigned servants and as the order of the day was keep them employed, they were temporarily transformed into gardeners..
Place:
Christ Church Burial Ground, Newcastle
Details:
Mr. James Steele was among those buried in the old churchyard and when his wife died in 1890 the remains were removed to Sandgate where husband and wife lie side by side. Mr. Steele was twice married. There were four children by the first marriage including Mr. Michael Steele, who came out with his father to be blacksmith for the A.A. Co, Mr. Joseph Steele, Mr. Alexander Brown and Mr.s Ihnen, the wife of Captain Ihnen. The second family are Messrs James William, Michael Robert, Ralph and Alexander Steele, Mrs. Hutchinson and Mrs. Captain Jewell and Mrs. Firth, wife of Captain Firth.
Details:
Obtained Ticket of Leave
