Morpeth Trading Post NSW Australia

22/09/2026

🚨🚨HAVE YOU SIGNED THE PETITION? 🚨🚨

Please help us save the only building of it's type in Australia.

We need your support as a community.

Save Morpeth Trading Post from development

17/09/2026

Smoke Without Fire

Morpeth Furniture Craftsman White’s Smoking Cap

After returning home each evening, weary from work, Morpeth furniture craftsman Joseph George White (1822-1912) probably followed the fashion of his fellow Victorian era gentlemen.

Retreating to a quiet room in his home after dinner, he probably put on a smoking jacket and this smoking cap. But did he then light up a pipe and smoke it?

‘Smoking (or ‘lounging’) caps’ were popular between 1840-80 and were worn to prevent men’s hair from being infused with the smell of smoke while smoking to***co.

This cap may have been sewn by Joseph White’s wife, Julia, as it was common for women to make them as gifts for husbands, who sometimes only wore them to show off their wives’ fancy needlework skills.

Born in Surrey, England, White came to Australia in 1838, and settled in Morpeth in 1839, where he established a successful furniture and bedding manufacturing business in 1845. White became a prominent local figure, serving various terms as Mayor, Alderman, and local magistrate, and being engaged with numerous community committees and political initiatives.

White was well-read and a staunch believer in vegetarianism and temperance and gave lectures on those subjects, including one entitled ‘How to live a hundred years.’

The health risks of smoking were certainly less understood then, but since White was so concerned about health and longevity, it seems most likely that he never smoked while wearing this cap.

Source: Story Place Archives (storyplace,org,au)

16/09/2026

💭DID YOU KNOW?

Have you ever wondered who manufactured all of the magnificent church pews at the historic St James Church in Tank Street, Morpeth?

Although these stunning pews were designed by Architect Blacket, they are made from the finest red cedar (red gold) and were built and carved by Morpeth's very own Mr J.G. White.

Joseph George White was the main supplier in the colony, maker of all things timber, fine furniture pieces, joinery and bespoke pieces to many clients from churches to glorious estates such as Belltrees mansion and Anambah House.

So the next time you are sitting in this beautiful church or just to visit, take a closer look around and admire the exquisite craftsmanship.

15/09/2026

Fast Furniture

Steam-powered Manufacturing at J. G. White’s of Morpeth.

The steam engine hummed and clanged to a steady beat and the machines buzzed and whizzed. Fine sawdust scented the air and coated every surface.

From the 1860s, J.G. White’s furniture factory in Morpeth was equipped with all the newly invented, thoroughly modern power tools, saving countless hours of laborious hand sawing and carving.

It is no wonder that White and his staff so efficiently and expertly produced a wide range of furniture and bedding, including this dining table and chairs, elaborately carved foot stool, folding chair, side table and upholstered armchairs.

Many pieces of furniture were passed down to Paulene White, fourth-generation daughter of J G White, who donated a large selection to Morpeth Museum.

English-born craftsman Joseph George White (1822-1912) established the business in 1845, supplying products to customers around the Hunter region and beyond. Continued by White’s sons until 1968, it was the longest running family business in Australia.

Workshop visitors were wowed by White’s steam-powered machines including a circular saw table, a band saw, a lathe for making broom handles, an American planing machine, a jigsaw, and a morticing and tenoning machine. In 1892, White proudly boasted that he had ‘The Best and Most Complete Plant of Machinery in the Colony.’

But the fast production of this beautiful furniture came at a price for White. In 1888, a piece of wood flew out of the circular saw and struck him below the eyes, cutting him to the bone.

Eight years later, the revolving knife on the planing machine cut off his thumb and two fingers.

Source: https://storyplace.org.au/story/fast-furniture/

08/09/2026

📩 OPEN MESSAGE TO THE OWNER 📩

Since my last post on 3 September “Demolition by Neglect?”, it has received over 15,000 views so far and the page has received nearly 90,000 views and counting.

Further to this, I have been receiving multiple comments and questions:

- Who owns the Trading Post?
- What does the owner want to do with the site?
- Has anyone spoken to the owner about its future?

When this community page was first created, I received a like from a Mr Adam Horley. I’ll assume it was you (the owner) and that you are now aware of the public scrutiny surrounding this significant and historic site.

As you are currently the owner of the J.G. White Furniture Factory located at 7 Robert Street, Morpeth, there has always been significant community interest regarding this site and at times anger surrounding what hasn’t been done to protect and preserve the heritage significance.

To allay any future community concerns, I kindly invite you to respond and explain what your intentions are for the site.

03/09/2026

DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT?

People have asked me what are the immediate structural problems regarding the Morpeth Trading Post site and what is currently being done to prevent its further decline?

I went for a walk past the Trading Post the other day and I just happened to catch the caretaker.

I asked him some questions and he explained to me one of the urgent issues to protect the building was the trees located on the northern side (Swan Street) of the Trading Post causing serious damage and structural integrity to the building.

Due to the location of the trees in question that are causing years of structural damage, they are OUT OF SIGHT AND OUT OF MIND for the community to really see what is happening on this side of the building.

Apparently, the trees causing damage to the building are equally owned by the owner of the Trading Post and an adjoining property as they all straddle both properties.

Any attempts the caretaker has made to remove or prune the trees against the building has been met with strong resistance whereby the neighbours have come outside with their mobile phones saying cease and desist, and calling Police and Council officers to have the volunteers charged with trespassing.

Surely this can’t be true?

I’m not entirely sure why these particular trees still remain and in the meantime, the building continues to deteriorate having seen these images.

Furthermore, I do not understand why the trees have not or are not in the process of being removed as a matter of urgency.

What I can say is these trees just didn’t appear overnight and my thoughts are irrespective of whoever owns the trees, they need to be removed ASAP due to the proximity of the trees literally growing under the building and pushing the northern wall inwards!

Why are the owners of these trees being allowed to contribute to this historical site's demise not to mention the leaf litter build up on the roof and branch debris piling up along the building wall? This is clearly a fire hazard!

Come on Morpeth!

This is happening under your very nose!

Our community deserves and can do much better I’m sure.

I have also been informed, apparently all parties, including Council and the relevant owners are fully aware of this dilemma and yet the trees are still pushing up against the Trading Post wall and another tree is growing through the tin roof and guttering.

The caretaker also said "he could be wrong, wouldn’t be the first time but to his knowledge to date, no DA application has been made to remove the trees".

If this was happening to your property, would you sit there and watch these row of trees destroy your building and also grow through the roof and under the flooring? I highly doubt it!

I noticed in the photos the trees have termite trails all over them!

Meanwhile J.G. White's Legacy is slowly being erased by these people's inactions.

PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION! WE HAVE TO SAVE IT!

03/09/2026

🌟💡ℹ️YOUR FEEDBACK IS NEEDEDℹ️💡🌟

As part of the State Heritage submission to have this significant & unique building and well heritage listed, we are calling on the community for your input and help as part of the community consultation process.

Did you know it's the only building and well of its kind in the Country? That's why we have to protect it.

YOU ARE INVITED TO PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION WHICH MAY INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
- Memories
- Stories of the past
- Photos of the building, people etc.
- Past employees
- Past customers
- Owners of furniture
- Machinery or other items kept

To date, we have gathered a huge amount of information and we are still collecting more each week.

The community consultation process will help add any valuable community information we may not have or have missed so your assistance is greatly appreciated.

You can either post here directly or message me via messenger.

Submissions close on 23 September.

ALL NEGATIVE, ANONYMOUS AND UNHELPFUL COMMENTS WILL BE DELETED.

Please follow us as there is SO much more interesting information to be posted.

01/09/2026

Litres of Lacquer

A Shellac Jar from White’s Factory, Morpeth

Each time the last few drops of tacky, golden liquid dribbled out of this one-gallon (3.8 litre) copper jar, the French polisher at J.G. White’s furniture manufactory in Morpeth filled it again with methylated spirits.

Then, carefully measuring out a pound (450 grams) or two of dry amber coloured shellac flakes, he emptied them into the jar, agitated it a little, then left it on the bench. The flakes dissolved overnight, creating the large quantity of lacquer he needed to begin work the next morning.

Produced by the female lac bug on trees in India and Thailand, shellac has had a multitude of uses, including as a glue for making ballet shoes and for preserving dinosaur bones. But in the Morpeth factory established in 1845 by Joseph George White (1822-1912) shellac was used for French polishing newly made furniture.

This technique, involving the application of many thin coats of shellac to produce a high gloss finish, was perfected in France in the eighteenth century. White employed specialist French Polishers for this work, including one named William Leek in 1868, who broke his employment contract and left without giving White any notice.

But White’s did not only produce glossy lacquered furniture. Since his was the principal woodworking business in town, a natural side-business was coffin making and by 1860 White had also begun providing services as the town’s undertaker.

The coffins he and his workers built were presumably also French polished to a high sheen with shellac from this jar.

Source: https://storyplace.org.au/story/litres-of-lacquer/

31/08/2026

The article of today is news of the passing of Mr Joseph George White.

As part of my research, I went to the Morpeth Cemetry to locate his final resting place. I said a thank you and reflected on his achievements.

The news of his death very quickly spread and in another death notice it states, Mr White's funeral was the largest service the town had ever seen.

Enjoy the read.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate
Saturday 1 June 1912 Page 6

MAITLAND DISTRICT

DEATH OF MR. J. G. WHITE

A MORPETH PIONEER

Mr. Joseph George White, of Morpeth, passed away in Sydney on Thursday at the ago of 90 years. The body will be brought to Morpeth, and the funeral will take place tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon.

A native of Rotherthite, Surrey, England, he was born in June of 1822, and came to Australia in 1838.

In the following year he visited the Hunter River district, and decided to settle in Morpeth, which he reached for the second time in April of 1839, a year, which saw two floods, one in April, and another in September. In that year land values were rather low on the Hunter, and land could be had for a keg of rum or other spirits on the flats now occupied by Maitland.

The land opposite Morpeth was cleared in patches, but there was a wealth of brushwood that was the dread of the settler. Maitland was then commencing to assert itself as a frontier settlement, M'Arthur, in his 'Present State and Future Prospects," wrote in l839 "Seven years ago, it (Maitland) was a thickly timbered hill, and partly a stagnant morass, the more valuable portion of its soil, the property of an illiterate old man whose devotedness to the bottle induced him to sell it, piecemeal, for trifling sums.

Now it is the emporium of the north, etc." Morpeth was the head of the navigation, and a brisk business was carried on with Sydney by means of a number of small vessels.

The Ariel which brought Mr. White to Morpeth, was of 15 tons, but there were others of a much larger freight. Morpeth was rather a small but busy place. Mr. White found employment at Mr. J. Portus' flourmill, where he, remained for some time.

Later he worked as a shoemaker, and was the first man in the northern district to make a pair of boots, as he was also the first to make a boot-blocking machine, out of Sydney.

He became a man of many parts, and might well have been termed a genius. He took a hand at carpentering and boatbuilding, and turned out for Messrs. Dickson and Pierce two boats that remained in service for over twenty years.

Being of an inventive turn of mind, he commence to devise, labour-saving aids, and soon had a collection of machinery, largely of his own devising, which won appreciation of keen tradesmen.
Cabinet making he followed successfully for many years, during which some of the best furniture in the north, was manufactured in his workshops.

He was a brainy, well read man and with his 73 years' residence at Morpeth, was probably the best authority on matters relating to the early days. At one time he delivered a series of lectures on vegetarianism and drink, claiming that his own healthy life justified his advocacy of moderation in drink and food. He boasted of the fact that, though nearing 90 years, he had never been ill in his life.

He was not a keen sportsman, but he was fond of sport, and was the first man in Australia to pull in an Australian made outrigger.

He was a vegetarian, a non-smoker, and a tee totaller, but could in no sense be regarded as a straight laced man. ln business as in private life he was honorable in all his dealings, and though suable to see eye to eye on orthodox lines with most people, he was yet a fine type of the true Christian.

He served as an alderman of Morpeth for a number of years, and also occupied the Mayoral chair. He married in 1845, but his wife passed away eighteen months ago, leaving two sons, five daughters, and many grand children.

He was a fine old man, and made legions of friends who will learn with regret of his death away from the town with which he had been associated for so many years.

The people of Morpeth thank you for your pioneering spirit and contribution Mr White.

May you rest in eternal peace.