Hawkesbury People & Places
Hatte
Ship
The ‘Hatte’ was the name of a Hawkesbury River trading boat owned and operated by Charles Hatte around the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The steamer was based at Wisemans Ferry, New South Wales and plied the waters from Windsor to Colo and Gosford.
Businessman Charles George Hatte arrived in Australia with his wife from Clonmel, County Tipperary, Ireland in about 1885. According to research by the late Jean Purtell published in the Hawkesbury Gazette on the 15 July 2015, his family name was Hatt to which he later added the final letter ’e’. Hatte was known for his flamboyant personality using outragious sales pitches to attact customers to his premises. He certainly made full use of the power of advertising and a catchy headline.
Hatte established a large grocery store in the Sydney suburb of Newtown in 1892 located on part of the Beehag Estate. Branches to follow included the locations: Leichhardt, Newcastle and Wyong. In 1899 he opened a drapery shop in Windsor. He seized the opportunity to expand his interests by investing in the trading boats which plied the waterways of the Hawkesbury from Windsor to Gosford. Hatte also became the owner of the general store at Wisemans Ferry in May 1896. In August 1900, Hatte returned to Newtown leaving his son Alfred in charge of his river interests based at Wisemans.
According to the notice published in the Sydney Morning Herald on the 25 May 1915, Charles Hatte passed away at his home, ‘Noumea’ in Jersey Street, Marrickville on Saturday 22 May 1915 aged 59 years. He was survived by his wife, three sons, James Charles and Alfred and one daughter, Mrs R Collins. The notice also mentions that the [water] fountain on Newtown Railway Bridge was presented by Mr Hatte as a gift to the people of the municipality. Mrs Sarah Hatte died in September 1924 and was butied beside her husband in the Church of England Section of Rookwood Cemetery.
Reference: 10 August 1901, p 12.
Owing to an accident to the boiler of the trading launch “Hatte” whilst doing the fortnightly trip on the Colo last week, the boat was unable to proceed up the river, and had to put back to the Ferry for repairs, many customers being inconvenienced thereby.
Categories for Hatte
Related Locations of Hatte
You are welcome to add a comment, provide further information or suggest a correction, relevant to the history of this name.
Please make your comment below. PLEASE NOTE that comments are moderated and only relevant comments will be published
Property Research Service
Have you ever wondered when your house was built or who has owned your property over the years?