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| Mural in Bridge View Inn |
Photo: Virginia Hollister
Unique Rylstone Mural Hidden for 100 Years
The heritage-listed Bridge View Inn in the main street of Rylstone first opened as a
hotel in 1872 during the gold rush at Hill End and Gulgong. Over the fireplace in
what would have been the bar parlour is a unique painted mural dating to the
earliest days of the hotel.
When the Society purchased the building in 1967 no one was aware of the existence of the mural. The handsome two-storey sandstone building, originally known as the Bridge Hotel, was built for the ex-convict publican Goodwin Spires Hall. Hall was a colourful character transported in 1836 for manslaughter. It traded as a public house from 1872 to 1894, and then was repossessed by the Australian Joint Stock Bank for unpaid mortgage. The AJS Bank converted the Bar into a banking chamber and the rest of the premises into a residence. Speculation is that the mural was covered with wallpaper and paint in order not to offend the banker’s family. It was used by a succession of banks until 1957.
The painting on the wall was rediscovered during restoration work in the 1980’s. At that stage the mural’s origin was unclear. In the 1970’s the building was used to film scenes in “The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith”. Was the mural a cinematic backdrop? Only some of the image was showing. On either side of a round framed scenic view showing a timber bridge crossing the Cudgegong River, with cattle and a fisherman on the riverbank, were two headless bare-breasted ladies, decorative leaves and below, a cheeky face peeking out of painting! What was this all about? Did the mural continue above the picture rail under the house paint?
In 2010 the Historical Society engaged art specialists from International Conservation Services to investigate. They found an aged, faded, cracked and damaged mural at risk of further deterioration or permanent loss, and recommended conservation and restoration. With funding assistance from the NSW Government, an appeal set up by the National Trust, and huge support from the local community, the Historical Society was able to employ International Conservation Services to undertake the work during 2012 and 2013.
Starting by literally gluing the cracked plaster render back onto the wall, ICS then went on to remove wall plugs, fill in cracks and holes, remove the picture rail and painstakingly scrape off five layers of house paint above the rail. The imagery revealed that the bare-breasted ladies had complete heads, sported wings and each held an arrow in a raised fist, and above all hovered a winged Cherub. Once the surface was sealed, ICS carefully inpainted the blemishes to repair losses in the mural, though sadly some details are lost forever.
Research shows that the allegorical figures in the mural are all associated with drinking and with love - racy but appropriate imagery to decorate the walls of a Victorian hotel in an era of booming gold fields.
It is strongly believed that the artist is Augustus Baker Peirce, an itinerant American theatrical entrepreneur, riverboat captain and painter, who was living in nearby Hill End in 1872-73. Peirce is known to have painted the interiors of at least four hotels. Fortunately he wrote a wonderful memoir “Knocking About: being some adventures of Augustus Baker Peirce in Australia 1859-1892”. Similarities in style with other
When the Society purchased the building in 1967 no one was aware of the existence of the mural. The handsome two-storey sandstone building, originally known as the Bridge Hotel, was built for the ex-convict publican Goodwin Spires Hall. Hall was a colourful character transported in 1836 for manslaughter. It traded as a public house from 1872 to 1894, and then was repossessed by the Australian Joint Stock Bank for unpaid mortgage. The AJS Bank converted the Bar into a banking chamber and the rest of the premises into a residence. Speculation is that the mural was covered with wallpaper and paint in order not to offend the banker’s family. It was used by a succession of banks until 1957.
The painting on the wall was rediscovered during restoration work in the 1980’s. At that stage the mural’s origin was unclear. In the 1970’s the building was used to film scenes in “The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith”. Was the mural a cinematic backdrop? Only some of the image was showing. On either side of a round framed scenic view showing a timber bridge crossing the Cudgegong River, with cattle and a fisherman on the riverbank, were two headless bare-breasted ladies, decorative leaves and below, a cheeky face peeking out of painting! What was this all about? Did the mural continue above the picture rail under the house paint?
In 2010 the Historical Society engaged art specialists from International Conservation Services to investigate. They found an aged, faded, cracked and damaged mural at risk of further deterioration or permanent loss, and recommended conservation and restoration. With funding assistance from the NSW Government, an appeal set up by the National Trust, and huge support from the local community, the Historical Society was able to employ International Conservation Services to undertake the work during 2012 and 2013.
Starting by literally gluing the cracked plaster render back onto the wall, ICS then went on to remove wall plugs, fill in cracks and holes, remove the picture rail and painstakingly scrape off five layers of house paint above the rail. The imagery revealed that the bare-breasted ladies had complete heads, sported wings and each held an arrow in a raised fist, and above all hovered a winged Cherub. Once the surface was sealed, ICS carefully inpainted the blemishes to repair losses in the mural, though sadly some details are lost forever.
Research shows that the allegorical figures in the mural are all associated with drinking and with love - racy but appropriate imagery to decorate the walls of a Victorian hotel in an era of booming gold fields.
It is strongly believed that the artist is Augustus Baker Peirce, an itinerant American theatrical entrepreneur, riverboat captain and painter, who was living in nearby Hill End in 1872-73. Peirce is known to have painted the interiors of at least four hotels. Fortunately he wrote a wonderful memoir “Knocking About: being some adventures of Augustus Baker Peirce in Australia 1859-1892”. Similarities in style with other
extant paintings in Australia and with illustrations in his book all point to him as the
creator of the mural.
There are only a handful of 19th century painted murals still in existence in public buildings throughout Australia, making the Rylstone mural rare and significant. This amazing piece of history, depicting the local landscape in the 1870’s and framed by mythological gods associated with wine, is an important and most entertaining glimpse into Rylstone’s past.
Rylstone and District Historical Society December 2014
Virginia Hollister
Mural Conservation Volunteer Project Manager
There are only a handful of 19th century painted murals still in existence in public buildings throughout Australia, making the Rylstone mural rare and significant. This amazing piece of history, depicting the local landscape in the 1870’s and framed by mythological gods associated with wine, is an important and most entertaining glimpse into Rylstone’s past.
Rylstone and District Historical Society December 2014
Virginia Hollister
Mural Conservation Volunteer Project Manager
