Edgar William Boyle,
also known as Ted, was born in London on 13th December 1868 at 14
Cardigan Road, Bow in Middlesex, England[1].
He was the second son of Elizabeth Thomas and Alfred John Boyle who carried on
business as a chemist in London[2].
Edgar’s father died when he was a young boy. Fortunately he received an
education at St Saviors Middle Class School in Sussex, England[3]
but as soon as he was able he followed his older brother as a ship’s steward.
Being born and raised near the docklands district of London it is no surprise
that the boys drifted towards a maritime career. Edgar travelled for nine years[4]
to various parts of the world in sailing and steam ships, finally arriving in
Sydney on 1st May 1890 in the sailing ship Routenburn[5].
After arriving in Sydney he wasted no time in gaining employment in
the Police Force which he joined on 14th May 1890[6].
He held this position for two years[7]
and then worked for George Adams' hotel in the city, home of the Tattersall's
Club, for about nine years, during which time he learned the hostelry business[8].
During this time he married Hannah Josephine GALVIN in Sydney on 4th
February 1891[9].
The couple had four children, Leslie, Alfred, Leo and Doris. Leslie did not
survive infancy and Alfred died as a young man. Hannah, or Annie as she was
known, was a property owner in Sutherland before her marriage and acquired a
modest portfolio during her lifetime[10].
She died on 15th December 1923 and was buried in the RC Section of
Waverley cemetery[11].
Ted Boyle’s name is well known throughout the district because of
his long association with Boyle’s Hotel. The first hotel in Sutherland, the
Railway Hotel, was established by William Bramley on the corner of the Princes
Highway and Station St (as Boyle St was then known) to cater for the influx of
Government sponsored relief workers who were camped between Sutherland and the
National Park[12].
In 1897 Mrs Catherine Kitt bought the Railway Hotel from Bramley who was heavily
in debt at the time. In the early 1900s the Kitts moved to Stanmore. Mrs Kitt
leased the Railway Hotel to Ted Boyle in 1901 and sold it to Tooth and Company
in 1910[13].
About 1936 the hotel was demolished in order to erect a more modern building
named Boyle's Hotel which opened in 1937 and is still in operation[14].
Up to the time of his death he had held a hotel
licence
continuously for 41 years, the oldest in the State at that time[15].
Ted Boyle was described as “a large and jovial type of man – the typical Mine
Host”.
With the arrival of Ted Boyle and others, the hotels at Sutherland
took on new roles as venues for sport and entertainment. Hotels in many areas
commonly supported such activities, but in this church-oriented district sports
teams and social events had usually been sponsored by the churches[16].
In 1904 he built Boyle's National Hall in Station Street (now named Boyle
Street) opposite the hotel, where most of the local entertainments used to take
place[17].
It had a weatherboard front and galvanized iron roof and sides[18].
For many years it served as the only picture show in Sutherland[19],
was used as auction rooms and for school concerts, ballroom dancing, roller
skating and speed skating championships, bazaars and singing concerts[20].
Ted Boyle's reputation as a hotelkeeper was built on a passion for
sport. At Sutherland, Boyle's handlebar moustache was evident at every local
sporting event. At one time no mean cyclist himself, he boosted his hotel's
popularity by sponsoring competitions for cycling, athletics, woodchopping,
boxing and rowing. Several well known boxers, including Bob Fitzsimmons and
black American fighter Sam Langford, the 'Boston Tar-Baby', trained at Boyle's
National Hall[21].
In 1903 Ted Boyle organized the first walking race from his hotel to
National Park railway station and return – a distance of nearly five miles[22].
Many cycling races started and finished at the hotel. The first “City to Surf”
race was run from Boyle’s Hotel to Cronulla Beach in 1927, and was also held the
following year[23].
Ted
Boyle was also heavily involved in other community activities. He served several
terms as a councillor for the Sutherland Shire and served one term as Deputy
President. So keen was his interest in public affairs that during the latter
part of his last term in 1936, after it had been found necessary to amputate one
of his legs, he used to attend Council in a wheel-chair[24].
On his retirement, in recognition of his services, Boyle was presented with a
gold and ruby medal and Boyle Street was named in his
honour.
He had been previously honoured by Prince Edward Park originally being called
Boyle Park until it was renamed in 1920[25].
He took a keen interest in any charitable work and was connected
with many local
organisations. When
the present St. George District Hospital was known as Kogarah Cottage Hospital,
he used to promote an annual ball, the proceeds of which went to benefit that
institution. He was for many years patron of a committee to raise funds to
finance the St. George-Sutherland Shire Ambulance Service, which commenced in
1928[26].
He
was associated with Mr. W. G. Judd, then President of Sutherland Shire, in
conjunction with others, in the agitation for the construction of a tramway from
Sutherland to Cronulla. He was honorary treasurer of the Tramway League, and
their efforts were eventually rewarded with success when the old steam tram
(Puffing Billy) commenced running. Mr. Boyle secured the first tram ticket
issued and when the tram ceased running in 1931 he purchased the last ticket
issued. It was a pleasure to him to possess both the first and last tickets
issued on a tramway system that he helped to bring into existence. These are now
family heirlooms. When the electric railway from Sutherland to Cronulla
superseded the old steam tram in December, 1939 Mr. Boyle was again to the fore,
and purchased the first rail way ticket issued from each station from Sutherland
to Cronulla[27].
After a brief illness Ted Boyle died in the early hours of Saturday
morning, 11th July 1942[28].
He was survived by a son and daughter - Mr. Leo Boyle and Mrs Doris Stapleton.
Though for several years Ted had not enjoyed the best of health, the end was
somewhat sudden and came as a shock to his relatives and friends.
The interment took place the next day in the Catholic portion of
Waverley Cemetery. The large funeral assemblage included Parliamentarians,
councillors,
ex-councillors, and members of the staff of Sutherland Shire Council, members
and ex-members of the police force, including many retired officers of high
rank, members of Returned Soldiers' Leagues, and old residents of the shire.
Among the many wreaths was one from the Police Force[29].
Boyle’s Hotel has the unique distinction of having been controlled
by the one family from 1901 until recent years. Upon Ted’s death it passed to
his popular daughter, Mrs. Doris Edna Stapleton and, after her death in 1948,
through her estate to her son Eddie Stapleton who was a well-known international
sportsman and continued the family tradition of support for local sporting
bodies.
Fred Scott
First published inSutherland Shire, Some Early Residents, 2006, by Botany Bay Family
History Society. Compiled by Maree McKinley and Sue Hewitt.
Click
on the name Edgar William BOYLE (1868—1942)
in the heading of this story. You will be taken to the database entry for
him and his family.
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