Established as a horse changing station a shanty was owned by Henry Nelson and Louis Rich, built by Jack Stewart in 1879, which became an overnighting inn and hotel. The first licence was Henry Mussett, who died in 1880, after which the licensee in 1880 was Washington Harpur, the son of Charles Harpur, considered to be Australia’s first bush poet. There was an application made in 1880 to transfer the license from the Weetalibah Hotel. It is not known whether the application was made by Harpur, but it was opposed by police and refused by the bench. ‘Wash’ Harpur took on the license at the Exchange Hotel in Walgett until it was destroyed by fire, and he appears in several recollections of Walgett at the time.
Licencees change hands almost annually at the Weetalibah Hotel, until Joseph Becket added some stability to the tenure, with the family operating the hotel from 1887 to 1921 except for around 1905 when it is manned by Andrew Barrett for a year, presumably owing to the illness of Joseph which would ultimately take his life: “Mr. Joseph Beckett of the Weetalibah Hotel, died at Walgett while on the way home from Sydney, where he had been under medical treatment for some time. He was widely known and respected, and was one of the few remaining pioneering identities of the North west.” – 20th Feb 1907.
From 1907 to its closure in 1921 the hotel is operated by Catherine Beckett, (presumably Joseph’s wife) and evidently supported by her children, Annie and Albert. The premises remained a residence until destroyed by fire in 1926.
Murder of Coach Driver
In June 1914 the papers ran hot with scant but salacious details of a murder at Weetalibah involving a coach driver and a Chinese man. The details of what transpired, along with a fantastic snapshot of how these remote coach-stop-inns operated, were vividly spelled out in the testimony of Albert Beckett, son of the licensee:
Mon 22nd Jun 1914
MAIL COACH DRIVERS’ DEATH
THE INQUEST.
An inquest was held on Friday, by
Mr. Meeson, P.M., of Walgett, on the body of James Davidson, who met his death at Weetalibah Hotel on June 5 (says the New Angledool correspondent of the “S.M. Herald”).
Sub-inspector Nies appeared for the police; Mr. Champion, solicitor, appeared for George Chun, a Chinese.
Albert Kenneth Beckett, aged 18, son of the licensee of the Weetalibah Hotel, said:
“I remember the night of June 5; the hotel was closed at 11 p.m, and we all went to bed when the mail coach arrived at 2.30 next morning I got up; Constable Mussared also got up, and, together with Arthur Dawson and the deceased, came into the bar to have a drink, but previous to being served the deceased went down to the verandah and pulled his mate, Thompson, out of bed, and brought him to the bar; he declined to drink, deceased paid a shilling, remarking, “I will owe you for the rest”
Dawson and Thompson went to bed; Constable Mussared, James Davidson, and the accused remained in the bar ; the accused shouted for the three ; the coachdriver and the accused commenced spinning a coin for drinks; the Chinese shouted again; the constable then went to bed; Davidson and the Chinese spun the coin twice more for drinks ; then they both started arguing ; the Chinese accused the mailman of robbing him of 10 (??)
Davidson then pushed the Chinese out of the bar; I then caught hold Davidson and took him out to the kitchen to try and pacify him ; I could not hold Davidson, and had to let him go; he got very excited and rushed at the Chinese, but did not hit him; my sister called Constable Mussared, who came out and talked to the Chinese.
Davidson asked for a light, saying “I think I am stabbed”; the constable had previously retired to his room; he lifted his shirt in the presence of my mother and sister, showing a very slight mark about an inch from the navel; the deceased fell to the floor, and was then carried to a small room and put to bed;
Davidson then came to his senses and complained but very little, but wanted to get out and fight the Chinese; Davidson was under the influence of drink; I returned in about 20 minutes; he was then on the floor ; I covered him up, and he still wanted to fight the Chinese; I returned again shortly after, and in reply to my question he said he felt pretty good; I retired to bed, and at about 6.30 went with Dawson to the room and found Davidson dead.”
The evidence was corroborated by Mrs. Beckett, the licensee, and her, daughter Annie.
George Chun was. committed for trial on a charge of murder.