George Mullens

GEDCOM Note

On 8th July 1866 at the catholic Church in Murrurundi, George Mullins married Mary Shanahan (b. 29 March 1845, Pages River, NSW). Marys parents were Denis and Mary Shanahan of Murrurundi.

George would have met Mary on Warrah Station, where he worked as a stockman, while Marys father Denis also worked there as a teamster carting wool from Warrah (the Australian Agricultural Companys property) to Murrurundi.

According to Patrick Mullens (one of Georges grandsons), George decided to change the spelling of his name from Mullins to Mullens at the time of his marriage because he did not like that other lot of Mullins at Wingen (his step family).

During their long marriage Mary gave birth to thirteen children:

Mary Ann (Minnie) - 3rd April 1867

Francis Amelia (Fanny) - 24th January 1869

Denis Joseph - 9th July 1870 - Died 15 October 1870

Bridget Anastacia (Stacia) - 10th November 1871

Thomas Gregory - 28th May 1873

Alice Agnes - 20th February 1875

Margaret Janet - 30th September 1877 - Drowned aged 10

Sarah De Sales (Sadie) - 3rd June 1879

George Raphael - 24th October 1880

Florence Veronica (Florrie) - 29th August 1882

Lillian May (Lil) &

Kathleen Clare (Clare) - 1st September 1884 - Twins

Leslie Casimir - 5th March 1886

According to Patricia Grant, George was at one time a Pony Express rider and drover. The family lived at Warrah in 1866 then in the little town of Blackville until about 1890.

The severe drought conditions in the area during the late 1870s totally devastated stock at Warrah (where the Australian Agricultural Company feared for its survival), Breeza (six lots of Breeza Station bought by Denis Shanahan in 1870) and Wallhallow.

The 1880s were also a time of severe drought. Then in the 1890s there was a severe economic depression in the colony. From 1895 onwards the horror of the drought began to hit the upper Hunter Valley (including Murrurundi and districts) forcing many pastoralists to find agistment in the New England tablelands. It was a difficult time.

There were seven girls in the family and they remained close. Whenever one of the families had a baby, a sister was sent to help with the household. According to Patricia Grant, the girls were apparently intelligent, organized, competent housekeepers and were sort after as wives.

By 1905, George and Mary were the owners of The Flag(s), a wine saloon at Tambar Springs fronting the Coolah - Gunnedah Road, 33 kms north of Coolah, inside the Coonabarabran Siding Road Junction, just past Boomera near the old Post Office and before the railway crossing. George and Mary Mullens held the Hotel licence from 1904 - 1915.

In 1903 The Flags was described as a half way house serving splendid meals and supplying excellent accommodation. The Inn catered for shearers, teamsters and travelers. It was a hotel and store combined having accommodation for twelve people. There were many race meetings at The Flags on a straight course, and cricket was played on a pitch created by the owners.

By all accounts, it was a very large establishment. There was a large bar, office, main bedroom, and a huge verandah. There was a separate stone kitchen, bake house, dormitory, governess bedroom, fourteen bedrooms, general store, big dance hall and supper room. There was also a large butchers shop, blacksmiths forge, a large stable, eight loose boxes, managers for feeding and a big loft on top of the stable where chaff, etc. was stored.

An extract from Around the black stump: history of the Coolah area by Roy Cameron p77. and an article from the Coonabarrabran Times 30/8/1984 on The Flags Wine Saloon includes the following quote.

I forgot to mention our big bathroom in which there were two big benches, six enamel basins and overhead roller towels. A long verandah ran around the front and sides of the house and the big schoolroom at the end of the verandah had bookcases, shelves, etc. A shearing shed joined the blacksmiths shop.

We had a tennis court and a racecourse where two meetings were held each year. Every weekend the employees from the surrounding stations visited the Flags and the Saturday night dance lasted until dawn

According to Patricia Grant, an exercise book belonging to Mary Mullens gives an idea of life in the hotel.

Bed, meals, horse feed was all 1 shilling. George Mullins is often away droving, going to Quirindi for supplies, collecting meat from a property. Mary Mullens stayed at the Inn and supervised the comings and goings, and wrote to her children, to America and often to Dr. Kidd. Mary also received medicines from Dr. Kidd. She mentions overnight excursions to Tamworth or Blackville or Quirindi with one of her family.

The girls and Leslie went to Medical Ball at Coolah 25 August 1905. George started for Quirindi Aug 26 05. Mr. Vardy went to Boomera 26 Aug. Wrote to Lizzie 28 Aug. Coomoo Coomoo shearers came here 16 Sep 1905.

Mary died in May 1921 and George died a few months later in August 1921. Both are buried in the Quirindi Cemetery.

A story about the Flags Inn https://www.mudgeeguardian.com.au/story/4844697/mudgee-history-inns...