Albert Aspinall
Encyclopedia
Albert Wood Aspinall was an Australian stonemason and builder. He was an expert in constructing round towers and buildings.
, West Riding of Yorkshire
, England. He came to Australia in 1857 with his parents, John Aspinall and Sarah (née Ingham), and siblings, aboard the Mary Ann. He was their the third, but second surviving son. In 1864, Albert married Mary Jane Bennett with whom he had thirteen children, seven of whom lived into adulthood.
area. For about one year in 1865 he was building in the Maitland
district. It is unknown whether any of the stone buildings still standing in the area were built by him.
for about five years from 1876 while he constructed stone buildings in the vicinity. During this period Albert constructed the Police Station and Lockup at Penrith
. For many years, the building was regarded as a historic building by the Nepean District Historical Society. Recent expansion in Penrith resulted in the demolition of the buildings but archival material remains.
brick works. Some kilns were located beside the quarry next to the Illawarra railway line (now filled and transformed into the Camdenville Oval). These kilns have been demolished. It is not known whether the historic brick kilns at the north-west corner of Sydney Park
were also his construction.
on Green Cape
, at the northern tip of Disaster Bay, south of Eden
. The Eden Killer Whale Museum
and Historical Society has information concerning this project and the suicide of Aspinall. The precinct of the lighthouse is now a historic tourist site.
Building the lighthouse started in the late 1870s, with the construction of a jetty and storehouse at Bittangabee Bay
. Aspinall then spent five months building a seven-kilometre wooden tramway from Bittangabee Bay to Green Cape
. Soon, he found that the soil and rock were unsuitable for the foundations of such a heavy structure. The foundations had to be made much deeper than he had expected. He also experienced difficulties with his hired labourers. Building the lighthouse took almost 3 years, a period much longer than he had anticipated. The construction drained him financially and physically. It became necessary for him to accept other contracts elsewhere during the period of construction. Then his health began to fail. At times, Aspinall was forced to spend time in Pambula Hospital. He committed suicide in Eden in 1903. He is buried in the Eden Cemetery. The Eden newspapers contained lengthy articles about his death.
Graphic details from the period are still held by the museum. His creditors completed the lighthouse.
In the late 1880s, Aspinall also constructed the Post Office at Eden. It was officially opened in 1891. The Post Office is now a historic building. In the early 1890s, Aspinall carried out the renovations of the New Brighton Hotel to adapt the building as a boarding school for his brother, Arthur Aspinall.
, and a great-grandson, Charles Mannins, also became builders. Both had a suburban Syney street named after them.
. His early constructions were in the Newtown
-Camperdown
-Enmore
area. Some of the stone buildings still standing in these areas may have been constructed by John, but rarely is the name of a builder retained for a building.
The cream sandstone house, "Arden Lea", which John Aspinall built for his son, still stands. The house is nestled at the foot of a cliff on what was a large property at 8 View Street, Woolwich
. When his daughter-in-law died the property was sold and sub-divided. Aspinall Place, off View Street, was named after the family. Access to the house was lost until stairs were constructed from Werambie Street whence the address was altered to 1a Werambie Street, Woolwich.
Early life
Aspinall was born in Exley Bank Bottom, SouthowramSouthowram
Southowram is a village in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, England that stands on the hill top to the east of Halifax, on the south side of Shibden valley. It is a small Pennine village with outlying regions of Bank Top, Brookfoot and Siddal...
, West Riding of Yorkshire
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
, England. He came to Australia in 1857 with his parents, John Aspinall and Sarah (née Ingham), and siblings, aboard the Mary Ann. He was their the third, but second surviving son. In 1864, Albert married Mary Jane Bennett with whom he had thirteen children, seven of whom lived into adulthood.
Early Constructions
Aspinall moved frequently to wherever his building contracts took him. Much of his early work was done in the SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
area. For about one year in 1865 he was building in the Maitland
Maitland, New South Wales
Maitland is a city in the Lower Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia and the seat of Maitland City Council, situated on the Hunter River approximately by road north of Sydney and north-west of Newcastle...
district. It is unknown whether any of the stone buildings still standing in the area were built by him.
Penrith
Aspinall moved his family to LiverpoolLiverpool, New South Wales
Liverpool is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Liverpool is located 32 km south-west of the Sydney central business district, and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Liverpool...
for about five years from 1876 while he constructed stone buildings in the vicinity. During this period Albert constructed the Police Station and Lockup at Penrith
Penrith, New South Wales
Penrith is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Penrith is located west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Penrith...
. For many years, the building was regarded as a historic building by the Nepean District Historical Society. Recent expansion in Penrith resulted in the demolition of the buildings but archival material remains.
St Peters Brick Kilns
In the mid 1880s, Aspinall was contracted to construct the brick-firing kilns of the St PetersSt Peters, New South Wales
St Peters is a suburb in the inner west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. St Peters is located 7 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Marrickville Council.-History:...
brick works. Some kilns were located beside the quarry next to the Illawarra railway line (now filled and transformed into the Camdenville Oval). These kilns have been demolished. It is not known whether the historic brick kilns at the north-west corner of Sydney Park
Sydney Park
Sydney Park is a large recreational area in the inner-city area of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The parkland is located in the suburb of St Peters, sitting along the borders of Alexandria, Newtown and Erskineville....
were also his construction.
Building Green Cape Lighthouse and the Eden Post Office
Aspinall's longest project was the partial building of the Green Cape LighthouseGreen Cape Lighthouse
The Green Cape Lighthouse is a lighthouse located at the tip of Green Cape, a headland forming the northern boundary of Disaster Bay, in southern New South Wales, Australia. It is the southernmost lighthouse in New South Wales and Australia's first lighthouse built in concrete. At it is also the...
on Green Cape
Green Cape
Green Cape is a headland or cape on the far south coast of New South Wales. It is located at 37° 15' S 150° 03' E, within Ben Boyd National Park, south of Eden, New South Wales...
, at the northern tip of Disaster Bay, south of Eden
Eden, New South Wales
Eden is a coastal town in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. The town, south of the state capital Sydney near the border with Victoria, is located between Nullica Bay to the south and Calle Calle Bay, the northern reach of Twofold Bay, and built on undulating land adjacent to a...
. The Eden Killer Whale Museum
Eden Killer Whale Museum
The Eden Killer Whale Museum is a museum in Eden, New South Wales, Australia. It was originally built to house the skeleton of the orca "Old Tom" and tell its story...
and Historical Society has information concerning this project and the suicide of Aspinall. The precinct of the lighthouse is now a historic tourist site.
Building the lighthouse started in the late 1870s, with the construction of a jetty and storehouse at Bittangabee Bay
Bittangabee Bay
Bittangabee Bay is a tiny picturesque bay on the rugged and remote stretch of coastline south of Eden, New South Wales in New South Wales . The bay is located in Ben Boyd National Park, with a small camping ground and facilities maintained by...
. Aspinall then spent five months building a seven-kilometre wooden tramway from Bittangabee Bay to Green Cape
Green Cape
Green Cape is a headland or cape on the far south coast of New South Wales. It is located at 37° 15' S 150° 03' E, within Ben Boyd National Park, south of Eden, New South Wales...
. Soon, he found that the soil and rock were unsuitable for the foundations of such a heavy structure. The foundations had to be made much deeper than he had expected. He also experienced difficulties with his hired labourers. Building the lighthouse took almost 3 years, a period much longer than he had anticipated. The construction drained him financially and physically. It became necessary for him to accept other contracts elsewhere during the period of construction. Then his health began to fail. At times, Aspinall was forced to spend time in Pambula Hospital. He committed suicide in Eden in 1903. He is buried in the Eden Cemetery. The Eden newspapers contained lengthy articles about his death.
Graphic details from the period are still held by the museum. His creditors completed the lighthouse.
In the late 1880s, Aspinall also constructed the Post Office at Eden. It was officially opened in 1891. The Post Office is now a historic building. In the early 1890s, Aspinall carried out the renovations of the New Brighton Hotel to adapt the building as a boarding school for his brother, Arthur Aspinall.
Ill Health and a Patent
Aspinall found drinking a herbal tea made from an infusion of the leaves of the coastal sea box Alyxia buxifolis helped his medical condition. He applied for and secured the patent for this herbal tea.Family
Aspinall's only son did not have children. Mary died in 1886. In 1887 Aspinall married a widow from Eden, Eliza Silk (née Marshall). The marriage did not last, however. A grandson, James GoyenJames Goyen
The builder, James Goyen, constructed many houses and other buildings in the St George District, south of the Cooks River, New South Wales, Australia. Initially he had trained as a carpenter. His ability, leadership skills, personal qualities and business acumen transformed him from an employee to...
, and a great-grandson, Charles Mannins, also became builders. Both had a suburban Syney street named after them.
John Ingham Aspinall
Albert's elder brother, John, was also a stonemason of note, both in Australia and in New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. His early constructions were in the Newtown
Newtown, New South Wales
Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west is located approximately four kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, straddling the local government areas of the City of Sydney and Marrickville Council in the state of New South Wales, Australia....
-Camperdown
Camperdown, New South Wales
Camperdown is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Camperdown is located 4 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the Inner West region...
-Enmore
Enmore, New South Wales
Enmore is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Enmore is located 5 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of Marrickville Council.-History:...
area. Some of the stone buildings still standing in these areas may have been constructed by John, but rarely is the name of a builder retained for a building.
The cream sandstone house, "Arden Lea", which John Aspinall built for his son, still stands. The house is nestled at the foot of a cliff on what was a large property at 8 View Street, Woolwich
Woolwich, New South Wales
Woolwich is a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Woolwich is located 11 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Hunter's Hill....
. When his daughter-in-law died the property was sold and sub-divided. Aspinall Place, off View Street, was named after the family. Access to the house was lost until stairs were constructed from Werambie Street whence the address was altered to 1a Werambie Street, Woolwich.