Maryborough, Queensland, Australia

Lucy's Cottage

A convict who twice escaped the hangman's noose was the first owner of this house at Lennox and Walker streets, overlooking Queens Park. In the 1820s, Edward Priddy was convicted in London of stealing, and was sentenced to be hanged.

Priddy escaped, was recaptured and again sentenced to death by hanging, but his penalty was altered to 'transportation for life'. So in 1828, after 128 days at sea on the sailing ship Countess of Harcourt, the 26-year-old found himself in Sydney without his wife and child. Priddy began `doing his time' as a farm labourer and it was fourteen years before he was issued with his `ticket of leave' in 1842, making him a free man. Five years later, Priddy, described in the records as a widower, married his second wife, former convict Mary Davis, and in 1850 the couple headed north to Maryborough to a new life.

They obviously prospered, because in the 1860s Edward built the Carpenters Arms Hotel, the first pub on the site occupied now by the Central Hotel. He was also the licensee at various times. Sadly, Mary had become a slave to the Demon Drink and in April, 1866, Edward found her on the floor of the hotel's living quarters in a pool of blood from a burst blood vessel. A fortnight after his wife's death, Priddy married 30-year-old widow Lucy Grubb. They were married for 21 years before the man who twice beat the hangman, died aged 82, leaving Lucy his property, including the hotel.

The house, built in 1874, became known locally as `Lucy Priddy's cottage', even after Lucy married a gentleman named Cheek and became Lucy Moore Cheek.
             
(Previous text taken from the 'Maryborough A Rare Old Town' book by
Danny Lynch & Greg Lunney).

The cottage, named Parkview in recent years, is one of several in Maryborough which still have wooden iron bark shingles beneath the roofing iron.

The brick cottage  at the rear was originally the Commercial Bank of Australia which only opened for business whenever the 'Cobb & Co.' coaches stopped next door to change horses.

'Parkview' has recently been restored and is operated by Craig and Claire Winter as 'Parkview The Art of Fine Coffee'. Craig is a world renowned artist and has many of his works on display (you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of him working on his next painting).

The Brolga Theatre has been established on the opposite corner.

This historic home has recently come alive with locals, tourists and business meetings following the upgrade of the Hervey Bay airport to accommodate Virgin and Jetstar - Sydney direct flights.

The entire Fraser Coast region has now blossomed as a preferred lifestyle area and holiday destination. With the recent beautification and restoration of Maryborough and it's port area it has become a unique as an example of 'Early Australia'. Hervey Bay and Fraser Island are renowned worldwide for environmental tourism and whale watching. The region is now recording some of Australia's highest growth figures. www.frasercoastholidays.info

Drop in, say hi! and try our great coffee and check out the art gallery.