05/01/2026
The Opening of Penrith Courthouse by Lyn Forde, President/Research Officer of St Marys & District Historical Society Inc (History Page 19/7/22)
In June 1882 a new Courthouse was built, but before it there was two others. The first one was around 1817 but it burnt down. The second was plagued with flooding causing the roof to leak and the floorboards to rot and by 1880 the court was in a room rented by the Government and attached to the Rose Inn. James Barnett was the Colonial Architect; the contractor was William Aspinall, built to the tune of around £3000. Constructed of bricks and cement with a slate roof, the entrance portico supported by four pillars of cemented bricks that led to the main room. A railing placed across the room separated the public from the business of the Court. The right-hand side was the jury room and court officers' rooms, on the left was the Judge's retiring room and the Clerk of Court's room. Inside the room for the business of the court, the jury box was on the right-hand side, the prisoners dock in the centre protected by iron palisading, the left side was the waiting juror's box and the reporters' box placed far away from the bench where any evidence given was hardly heard, especially as the witnesses in the box had their backs to the reporters. For the convenience of the professional gentlemen a large table occupied the centre of the room and at the top end of this table was the Clerk of Courts desk. The witness box was on the left side of the room and to the right of the Clerk who sat at his desk. The bench that extended along the whole breadth of the room was furnished with polished cedar and occupied the north end with the coat of arms placed near the centre. AT THE OPENING –Mr J J Riley Chairman of the Magistrates took his seat on the Bench accompanied by Sir Alfred Stephen, (K C M G., M L C), the Hon. John Sutherland (M L C). Mr T R Smith (M L A), Messrs J D Single, J K Lethbridge, C R Evans, E J Wilshire, J Shand, J Thomas, W Henderson, J K Cleeve, Dr’s Bond and Duncan. The Mayor and Alderman occupied positions in the body of the court. Mr J J Riley J P., in opening the new Courthouse said “he wished to call the attention of the gentlemen present to the fact that they had been summoned that day to publicly open this nice building. He used that term because it was somewhat nicer than the "dog kennel" in which they had so long been compelled to sit. In the name of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, they would now take possession as this courthouse had finally been completed. He, as chairman, having had that honour for the last 20 years would take the opportunity of remarking that on many occasions he had to be thankful for the attention, kindness and good feeling that had always characterised the conduct of his brother magistrates towards him. He was sorry that no members of the legal profession were there at the opening ceremony and he was much gratified to see Sir Alfred Stephen the Lieutenant Governor of the colony and the Hon. John Sutherland present and he declared the courthouse opened”. Sir Alfred Stephen said “He had much pleasure in accepting Mr T R Smith's invitation to be present and he must congratulate the people of Penrith in so handsome, commodious, and elegant an acquisition to their town as the building he was presently in. Remembering the olden days 40 years ago when in the capacity of a Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court, he used to visit Penrith on his way to the Bathurst Circuit Court and he could see a great contrast between the buildings of those days and those of the present time, but he must say that many of the old structures were still standing and were anything but a credit to the town. In the olden days it would take three or four days to travel from Sydney to Bathurst and Penrith was the first resting place. The Australian colonies were improving greatly and were making their mark in the world. There was nothing more gratifying than the advancement of mechanic's schools and many people old and young in Sydney were now learning the elements of science that shows the advance of civilization. He then again expressed the pleasure he felt in being honoured with an invitation to the opening”. Mr T R Smith then said “that it afforded him great pleasure to be present at the opening of this magnificent Courthouse. He did not think there was another town in the colony of the same size as Penrith that could boast of one similar to it. He was pleased to see his honourable friends Sir Alfred Stephen and Mr Sutherland present. The latter gentleman was Minister for Works at the time the money was placed on the estimates for the building. He himself had taken great trouble to endeavour to induce the Government to vote the money. At first £700 had been voted for repairs to the old building but he thought that it would be an error to spend the money in such a way as the condition of the building would not justify it. He induced some gentleman to come up with him and inspect the old courthouse and they arrived at the conclusion that it would be impossible to thoroughly repair it. He therefore asked the Government to have sufficient money placed on the estimates for the er****on of a new building. He again endeavoured and succeeded in having the money voted. They therefore had to thank the Government and the Colonial Architect Mr Barnett for providing them with such a splendid building. He also stated that the improvements outside the court would compare favourably with those inside, that a wall with a handsome railing would be built in front and that tenders had been accepted for the stables at the rear. Then about 40 to 50 guests moved to the Temperance Hall where a banquet had been prepared. In May 1978 the courthouse was to be demolished and protestors called on the State Government to take another look at Penrith’s town centre plan that was causing the demolition. There was an eleventh-hour reprieve when Premier Neville Wran intervened to stop the demolition pending further investigation but Minister of Justice Ron Mulock told the protestors that he would not allow the courthouse to interfere with the town centre plan, and in July after 96 years of service to the Penrith community and with the approval of Penrith Council the demolition work started on the destruction of this historic and rare old courthouse along with the police station to make way for the current courthouse and Police Station. Sources: Evening News, Nepean Times, Trove.
Photo of Courthouse destruction 1978 courtesy of Penrith District Star.
