Farmer's Arms
There were two buildings called the Farmer' s Arms in Cabarlah. The first Farmer's Arms was near the current Cuckoo Clock building, sometimes called Wilke’s (or Wilks). The Wilkes owned the Farmers Arms quite early (It was his own house)[1]. According to family, William Wilkes came to the hill on 1 March 1866 and purchased portion 317. William Wilks was on the Toowoomba and District electoral roll in 1864-5. There is evidence that Wilkes lived at Five Mile Camp in 1869, as there was a meeting at his residence for the establishment of a school (DDGazette 28 April 1869). Other meetings were also held there early in the 1860s and 1870s.The Qld Licence Index of 1843 to 1900 states that Wilkes was a licensee from 1876 to 1893, but nothing before.
(Photo on right with horses, from "From Tall Timbers" p 57)
There is also evidence that a shop owned by a Mr Bloom (see Businesses) may have also been a hotel. See article in the DD Gazette 27 March 1878. Note it is stated he sold the place to the Government who is turning it into a police station. (or did Wilkes buy the place from Bloom as Wilkes then applied for a licence in 1876)
Photo Current Farmers Arms : https://darrenwrightphotography.com/
First Farmer's Arms (Wilk's) on the top of the hill (circa 1876 to 1902)
Notice the Castlemaine XXX sign
July 1883 Describing a new hotel owned by Archey Barkley at the bottom of the hill
1878 Describing Bloom's store at the top of the hill
1902: Describing the Fire that destroyed the original Farmers Arma
DD Gazette Tues 14 Jan 1902, describes a fire that destroyed both the Hotel and the Divisional Board Office.
After the fire in 1902, I am unable to trace the licence. It maybe that the “longest” licence in question is the Welcome Home.
“The Cobb and Co horse stables remained at the site for many years. Still in existence at the hotel is the Cabarlah lock-up. It had been the lockup at the Cabarlah police station until it closed in 1913 when it was moved to the Meringandan police station”[4]. Not sure this is true as the lock up from Meringandan is now at the Pioneer Village in Highfields (and even that is disputed) and the lock up currently at the Farmer's Arms comes from Oakey.
I have broken the licensees/owners into two parts, before 1902 when the old hotel (at the top of the hill) burned down, and the new one built in the present position (Por 315). It is not a complete list.
William Wilkes and wife Caroline settled at Five Mile Camp, at the property in 1866 (on electoral roll in 1866) but no evidence of licence.
Terence McCaul may have been owner/part owner and operated a store on portion 317 until the hotel opened in 1876
In 1978, when Ron Letheran owned the pub, he claimed to have found evidence that Heinrich Schmidt was granted title to 4 ha of land at Cabarlah including the present hotel site. It began as a general produce store, with Cobb and Co stables (which were still out the back) but was granted a licence from a travelling circuit court judge. (for 1 year and cost one shilling and sixpence) He also said he got the limestone mortar dated (by UQ experts at 1858-59. (no evidence of this jet exists)
Farmer's Arms 1 (por 317)
1876 William Wilks (applied for a Publican’s country licence for Farmers Arms) and Terence McCaul ran the hotel
1877 William Wilks (applied for Publican’s General Licence for Farmers Arms Hotel)
1878 renewal of licence
1878 sale of Blooms store (owned by H Spiro who also owned portion 322)
1883-85 Patrick and Catherine Hayden worked in the hotel
1886 Mrs Wilks
1890 William Wilkes
1892 for sale from William Wilkes to Patrick Barry
1893 Licence to Patrick Barry
1899 sale from Patrick Barry
1900 Chas Charlesworth
1901 John Gemmell (Hotel Keeper – owned land por 317, 331 & 333)
1902 John Gemmell (Post Office records and electoral roll)
Jan 1902 burned down
Liquor Licence is cancelled[5]
Farmer's Arms 2 (por 315)
1904 Emanuel Sharp applies for a Licenced Victualler’s licence for the Farmers Arms Cabarlah (current position in Portion 315) and owns the land. He asks for this a month or two after the Railway Hotel burns down (on cnr of Costello Rd and highway).
1907 transfer of licence to Rebecca Sharp
1910 NG Hughes
1912 Mrs McNamara
1913 Mrs M Mazzar
1915-1918 Annie Desmond
1918 Thomas White
1919 (?) Mrs McNamara
1920 Mr Thomas White
1920 James Telford
1922 Millicent Eva Croft (?)
192? Ernest Gibbons
1925 James Telford
1926 Mr Anders Anderson
1927 James Wilson
To 1936 Earnest Arthur Gibbons
1936 Sydney Robert Bird
1936 Sarah McCoy
1940 William Appleford
1940 William and EJ Appleford (leave of absence)
1946 Jack Harris (wanted to do alterations at the dance hall)
1954 George Thomas Fraser
1954 Jacob Edwward Schill
1976-1979 Ron and Ruth Howson (held licence and ownership a syndicate of Toowoomba business people inc Levonis).
1979 Ron & Margaret Letheran
1980 Douglas Stewart and Maurice Duncan
2013 Wayne and Linda Franklin (150 year celebration)
2013-2000 Jackie Sutton (licensee)
July 1976 Cliff and June Knight turned the pub into a place for jazz and cabaret entertainment. "Tapestry" and the Toowoomba Jazz society were to be regular visitors. (TC 10/09/1976)
The pews in the lounge are from the original chapel in Downlands College.
In 2000 Jackie Sutton introduced Keno, pool tables and a catering service for weddings.
[1] http://highfieldsvillage.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/HighCountryNews131112.pdf
[2] https://www.questia.com/newspaper/1G1-265719219/cabarlah-a-popular-lifestyle-choice-by-marina-jetnikoff
[3] Wilkes was born in 1819 and died 19 Nov 1904 (he was RC)
[4] https://www.australianexplorer.com/cabarlah.htm but cant find original statement in the newspapers
[5] (Feb 1902 licence for Farmers Arms “and situate at Meringandan” from William Gilbert Vines to Arthur Charles Johnson. There was a Farmers Arms at Meringindan as early as 1894, perhaps even 1886 as a William Lovejoy applied for renewal in 1886 of a Farmer’s Arms)