The Restoration of Collits’ Inn

By Christine and Russell Stewart

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In many ways, the process of restoring a building such as Collits’ Inn is as interesting as the history itself. From initial research until completion, it was a huge task that occupied about four years. Listed below are some of the key aspects of that process. Preliminary research Over a year was spent researching the Inn, uncovering many different areas of interest. In all we found almost fifty areas of significance. During this research phase, we were lucky enough to find and interview people who had known the Inn in the early 1900s. The philosophy behind the restoration Because its main historical importance was as an Inn we chose to restore it as an Inn, serving meals and providing accommodation. We chose to reflect the history through framed pictures, articles, maps and letters, as well as books of history and documents and artefacts in the history room. Repairs and restoration The Heritage Office of New South Wales gave us approval to commence restoration in March 2000, but we needed many further approvals before restoration work could begin in April, 2001. However, we did make some preliminary repairs to the Barn and the Stables before then, because they were about to collapse.

The kitchen The makeshift kitchen we inherited was built in 1998. We decided to rebuild it as a commercial kitchen, in anticipation of a larger number of visitors. In the early 1900s the current kitchen was a rear dining room. This, combined with the current rear dining room, was thought to have been the early cooking, eating and drinking area. If you look at the floor of the front dining room, you can still see the outline of an early room. The furnishings Very little furniture remained at the Inn apart from an ice box in the rear dining room, a box of 78 rpm records that is now in the Games Room, and a few other small items. We found some white crockery at the Inn with a black and white checkered border, stamped Collit’s Inn (sic), which was made in England in 1939. After some research, we found a set of crockery with an almost identical pattern. We bought this to use in the restaurant. The iron beds are not original to the Inn. Instead, we found old iron beds in poor condition and had them restored by a craftsman in Mascot. They now look superb. The bed in the Governor’s Room closely resembles the original bed, which is now apparently at the Comet Inn. The Twin Room The two middle verandah rooms were probably the earliest sleeping quarters. We think the shop may have been a breezeway between the cooking and bedroom areas. The landscaping Four pine trees stood along the front fence from about 1875, when the Inn was restored as the Mount York Inn, until 2001. You can see these trees in a photograph in the rear dining room. Soon after the purchase of the Inn, these had to be removed as they were very old and dying. Expert opinion told us they were in danger of falling. When deciding what else to plant, we were guided by a garden catalogue from the local area in the 1850s. However, we did not replace the old privet hedge because privet is now a noxious plant. We used Viburnum instead.

The paint According to Donald Ellsmore’s Research into Fabrics and Finishes at Collits’ Inn, Pierce Collits originally painted the Inn white, grey and black. We have chosen to use the same colours. Indoors, we based the colours on the original Inn as well, except for the front living room. Here we chose a Heritage Red, which is warm and welcoming and reflects a remnant of red wallpaper that was found beneath the plaster. We have left a section of plaster bare to reveal this wallpaper. There were traces of red paint remaining on the roof of the Stables, so we painted it red too. We then limewashed the external brickwork in Portland Stone. As for the Inn roof, it was rust-sealed then sprayed in a galvanised iron-silver colour to preserve it. The plaster was crumbling badly, so the painters kept what they could and replaced it where necessary. Water/heating/electricity/gas/telephone/plumbing Water is a serious problem, as this is a low rainfall area with porous soil. Our three attempts to find bore water failed so the only alternative was to recycle water for the garden. It is purified through a peat bed and ultraviolet light and is supplemented by dam water. The Inn is heated by gasfired pipes throughout so it is comfortable at all times. The walls are well insulated, so it remains cool in summer. Archaeology Throughout the restoration process, we made numerous archaeological discoveries. Among the most interesting were: An early stone drain under the floor of the Stables, running from east to west. The words “J.W.Kelly Publican, licensed to sell wines and spirituous liquors” under the paint above the front door. (Confirming that it was the Mount York Inn, as he was the publican of that Inn in 1877-9) Pencilled words under the lining boards between Games Room and Small Room – names of two men with date of 1877, confirming its restoration as an Inn then. Early coins in the orchard and on the east side of eastern orchard fence from 1826. A decorated leather child’s shoe found under Room 4, the Blue Room c. 1850s. Over 30 linoleums, the best of these have been incorporated into a poster. Early newspapers dating from 1912. These were found under the linoleums and have now been put into folders in the History Room.

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