Skeens Inn

Monday 20 July 1835

ACCOMMODATIONS ON THE MOUNTAIN ROAD.-Since the last License Meeting; a regular line of Inns at short stages has been established on the Mountain Road from the Nepean River to Bathurst, which renders travelling infinitely less irksome than it has been during previous years. For the guidance of travellers, we subjoin a list of the houses licensed for public accommodation, their positions, and relative distances :- Pilgrim, top of Lapstone-hill, 40 miles from Sydney ; Woolpack, Fitzgerald's Valley, 45 ditto ; Pembroke's, Twenty-mile hollow, 55 ditto ; Weatherboard Inn, Jamison's Valley, 63 ditto; Scotch Thistle, Pulpit-hill, 70 ditto; Gardner's, Blackheath, 77 ditto; Skeene's, Mount Victoria, 83 ditto ; Traveller's Inn, Hassan's Walls, 91 ditto ; Mail Coach, Solitary Creek, 99 ditto ; Trafalgar Inn, Honeysuckle Flat, 108 ditto ; Green Man, Green Swamp, 120 ditto. On arrival at Bathurst, there are seven houses of enter tainmont on the Roxburgh or Old Settler's side of the Macquarie, and three on the New Township or Government side, the whole affording comfortable accommodation to every class of wayfarers respectively, from the luxurious traveller in his phaeton and pair, to the humble pedestrian, who forgets his fatigue over bread and cheese and beer.

Skeens Inn
	John Skeen was employed as and overseer of one of the workgangs. Overseer. John Skeen had married Amelia Collits and he was disliked by Mitchell. On Skeene’s resignation, Surveyor General Mitchell, who had a very low opinion of him, wrote to the Colonial Secretary: The conduct of the Road party No.9 stationed near Mt Victoria and, until lately under Overseer Skeene, has been much complained of; drays have been robbed, and cattle slaughtered in the neighbourhood of this gang ... there is every reason to believe that prisoners in that gang have been concerned in these depredations.
	[The behaviour] ...of the gang is mainly attributable to this overseer who holds a ticket of leave, but which I consider it would be justice to deprive him of, although he has left the department, considering all circumstances connected with the conduct of the gang lately under his charge, for he has built a house on the road side, and, so situated, it can scarcely be doubted that he will encourage drinking and disorder amongst the men employed in that neighbourhood.
	Amelia Collets married John Skeen on 29 Jun 1832 in Holy Trinity Anglican Church Kelso, near Bathurst, age 21, however their first daughter Sarah was born 3 months later on September 1832 down at Castlereagh. Birth*14 September 1832 Collits Inn, Mount York, NSW, Australia¹ Baptism 2 0 December 1832 Castlereagh, NSW, Australia, daughter of John & Amelia Skeen, Servant, Collits Inn¹ daughter of John & Amelia Skeen, Mount York, Farmer Amelia Skene obtained a license for an Inn in 1835 under the sign of The Rising Sun. This was likely to have been an Inn erected on lot 31 by Pierce Collits. The next inn built by Pierce down at Rivulet was not constructed till 1838. The Golden Fleece at Mt York was not operating, as it was stated that the owner Pierce had lately retired. Between 1835 and 1846 when Joseph Collits took up the license as Rose Inn, others were running the venue, but it is unknown.
	Monday 20 July 1835 ACCOMMODATIONS ON THE MOUNTAIN ROAD.-Since the last License Meeting; a regular line of Inns at short stages has been established on the Mountain Road from the Nepean River to Bathurst, which renders travelling infinitely less irksome than it has been during previous years. For the guidance of travellers, we subjoin a list of the houses licensed for public accommodation, their positions, and relative distances :- Pilgrim, top of Lapstone-hill, 40 miles from Sydney ; Woolpack, Fitzgerald's Valley, 45 ditto ; Pembroke's, Twenty-mile hollow, 55 ditto ; Weatherboard Inn, Jamison's Valley, 63 ditto; Scotch Thistle, Pulpit-hill, 70 ditto; Gardner's, Blackheath, 77 ditto; Skeene's, Mount Victoria, 83 ditto ; Traveller's Inn, Hassan's Walls, 91 ditto ; Mail Coach, Solitary Creek, 99 ditto ; Trafalgar Inn, Honeysuckle Flat, 108 ditto ; Green Man, Green Swamp, 120 ditto. On arrival at Bathurst, there are seven houses of enter tainmont on the Roxburgh or Old Settler's side of the Macquarie, and three on the New Township or Government side, the whole affording comfortable accommodation to every class of wayfarers respectively, from the luxurious traveller in his phaeton and pair, to the humble pedestrian, who forgets his fatigue over bread and cheese and beer.