This image was scanned from the original glass negative taken by Ralph Snowball. It is part of the Norm Barney Photographic Collection, held by Special Collections.

Email from Les Evans 14/11/2022:

"I found the above photo on the University's Living Histories website and hope I have resolved who the people are.  The text alongside the photo asked for any further information.
   
John Stoker, after trying his hand at gold mining, built the Gold Miners Home hotel at Lambton.  I assume he had some success in gold mining as I do not think he would otherwise have been a wealthy man having been a labourer in Durham, England. The photo dates around 1884-1885 (as noted on your website) based on the photographer’s period of activity and when John left the hotel.
 
I am particularly interested in William Stoker as I have been researching his son, Cecil John Stoker, and his tragic experience in WW1 where he was killed in a trench when a bomb landed in it just 21 days after he arrived in France from Egypt, and perhaps only a week after he reached the front line trenches.
 
John’s family comprised:
 
John Stoker - Born approx. 1832 Age in 1885: 53
Mary Eliza Fenwick - Born approx. 1832 Age in 1885: 53
Elizabeth - Born approx. 1860 Age in 1885: Deceased
Thomas - Born approx. 1862 Age in 1885: 23
Jane Ann - Born approx. 1863 Age in 1885: 22
Hannah - Born approx. 1865 Age in 1885: Deceased
Hannah - Born approx. 1867 Age in 1885: 18
John Edward - Born approx. 1869 Age in 1885: Deceased
Edward John - Born approx. 1870 Age in 1885: 15
Mary Eliza - Born approx. 1872 Age in 1885: 13
Elizabeth - Born approx. 1874 Age in 1885: Deceased
William - Born approx. 1875 Age in 1885: 10
Ada - Born approx. 1877 Age in 1885: 8

William would be nine or ten at the time of the photo.  The photo was very clearly staged with everyone in their best clothes and carefully lined up outside the Gold Miners Home hotel.  Thomas married Mary Jane Mitchell on 29/4/1882 and they had a daughter Violet May Stoker born 1882 who died the same year.  A second daughter Beatrice Emily Stoker was born in 1883 and could be around two years old in the photo.  Jane Ann married in 1885 so may not have been married at the time of the photo.

From left to right the people in the photo are considered to be (l-r):
Jane Ann or Hannah
Hannah or Jane Ann
William
Edward John
Mary Eliza
John Stoker
Ada
Mary Stoker
Beatrice Emily Stoker (in mother's arms)
Mary Jane Stoker
Thomas
 
I hope this aids in your understanding of the photograph.
 
Regards
 
Les Evans
Norwest NSW"

If you have any information about this photograph, please contact Special Collections or add a Recollection, using these instructions.

dunedoo: Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Pubs of Australia, and we'd love to have this added to the group!

hedfram2: John Stoker was a long serving licensee of this Lambton hotel from 1865 to 1886 when William Ralph took over the reins. Lambton Park: Where abouts was it located in Lambton ,, i am Licensee of Lambton Park hotel ( exchange hotel ).

Lachlan Wetherall: The hotel was located on the north eastern corner of Grainger and Elder Streets. Ralph Snowball's photographic career commenced in 1884 , and John Stoker ceased to be the licensee of the hotel in November 1885 , so this photo is likely to be from 1884 or 1885.​