William Arnott, Newcastle c. 1869

After several floods, in particular the devastating 1861 flood, William and David decided to move out of West Maitland. By 1862, William put to auction his property in High Street West Maitland which was described as "a two storey brick building containing a large shop and three rooms and on the upper floor four comfortable bedrooms, a balcony at the rear, a kitchen and storeroom, baker's and servant's rooms, also on the property an excellent bakehouse with oven and large storeroom for flour, well situated for business purposes offering a good opportunity for making a profitable investment as it is rarely that such excellent town property is advertised for sale". The sale was signed, sealed and delivered on the 21st July 1862 to Richard Cracknell (an ancestor of Ruth Cracknell).

In 1862, David Arnott commenced a new business at 148 Swan Street, Morpeth, baking in what is now referred to as the Historic Arnott Bakehouse at the rear of Morpeth Sourdough bakery. Another flood occurred in 1864 and later that year both William and David had decided to move on to higher ground. During this phase, William's first wife Monica died in the April of 1865 and William's responsibility was with the full time care of his five children. William decided thereafter to move to Newcastle which was expanding rapidly and opportunities were, by far, greater than Maitland could offer.

View of High Street, West Maitland c. 1840

Newcastle's development as a port over the next ten years saw the passing of ships increase from 900 to over 1300 per year. Coal was being shipped around the world, new mines were being opened, wharves were expanded and with an abundance of jobs, the population grew fast. This growth had a direct link with William's business which had markets opening up for ship's supplies as well as for producing bread, Scotch pies, cakes and fancy biscuits for the local population.

By the end of 1865, William's rapidly growing bakery in Hunter Street (pictured below) had become a registered company and was producing ship's biscuits, for wholesale, to what was becoming the busiest port in Australia. William Arnott's decision to take this step was to become the foundation of Arnott's Biscuits, and the entrepreneur. The same year was also to include the marriage to his second wife, Margaret, at Phoenix Park in Morpeth. This marriage was to bring him 8 more children.

William Arnott & family at Hunter Street, Newcastle bakery c. 1868

In 1874, William secured the purchase of 1.5 acres in Melville Street, Newcastle (which is now Union Street, Cooks Hill). The following year he built the Steam Biscuit Factory and the adjoining Victorian residence he named Leslieville. This would remain his residence until 1888 with the completion in 1889 of his new mansion in Mayfield called Arnottholme. Following the move, William had also contracted the building of four grand homes for his children, to surround Arnottholme. One such residence called Winnara, was a fine example of Italianate architecture of the times.

Newcastle Harbour c. 1875

The growth of his biscuit business had reached a new high and William, accompanied by his wife and daughter, travelled back to Scotland and throughout Europe in 1893-94. This trip was to secure the latest technology in plant and equipment vital for the expansion of the business. On his return he went to Sydney and purchased a warehouse at 31 Parramatta Road in Glebe allowing immediate expansion into new markets in and around Sydney.

He had a Sydney residence built for him called Waratah on 37 Homebush Road, Strathfield. This became his home from 1896, whilst in search of land to develop his much larger factory site in Sydney. He found his site in Homebush, approximately 6 acres, which at the time was referred to as "Arnott's Folly" as the land was swampy and far from the centre of town. By 1899, with the accomplishment of the fourth stage of expansion, William retired and was living in his new Strathfield residence in Albert Road, again called Arnottholme. He was to die there just two years later on the 22nd July 1901, at the age of 73. Witnessed by his two sons William Jnr and John, he was buried in the Necropolis Wesleyan Cemetary on 24th July 1901.

In 1906, the new factory was completed, under the management of his five sons, as the Sydney manufacturing site of William Arnott Pty Ltd.

New shop and bakery at Hunter Street, Newcastle c. 1874

As with a large family, there are now many branches of the Arnott family tree, particularly with children from two marriages. Stephen's branch stems from James Hayden Leslie Arnott, William's first surviving son and then from James's eldest son Herbert Leslie Arnott, then Hebert's eldest surviving son Geoffrey Harold Arnott and then to Stephen's father Brian Arnott, the second son of Geoffrey, all of whom held senior management positions at Arnott's Biscuits.

For more information on William Arnott see www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A030053b.htm.

The Steam Biscuit Factory in Union Street, Cooks Hill c. 1878 with employees and their families set out from the factory for an eight-hour day parade.

The Business

Morpeth Sourdough is situated at historic Morpeth, a steamship port established in 1821 on the Hunter River. Our site comprises the historic bakehouse, shop and residence, the home and workplace of the Arnott's in the 1860s. Morpeth village, now classified by the National Trust, is rich in colonial buildings and architecture and at present is a tourist destination with a heritage experience.

A family company, Morpeth Sourdough's connection is with the early days of the Hunter Valley and the beginnings of Arnott's Biscuits. Stephen, the baker, is the grandson of Geoffrey Arnott (Chairman of Arnott's prior to the takeover by Campbells Soup) and the great great great grandson of William Arnott, the founder of Arnott's Biscuits, and one of the Hunter's early baking pioneers.

Morpeth Sourdough is traditional, authentic sourdough bread using the same recipe and techniques used by our forefathers in colonial times. The bread is made using only flour, purified water and sea salt, no baker's yeast or additives are used and every loaf is hand made. This traditional method of producing sourdough, relies on the lactobacilli and wild yeast, as the only means of making the dough ferment, or rise. Allison Arnott, Master of Applied Science (Food Microbiology), has nurtured our ecosystem of naturally occurring microorganisms to produce the unique, natural flavours and extended shelf-life of Morpeth Sourdough bread.

Now that the Arnott family is back in baking, we will make certain we remain a wholly-owned Australian company. Our family's policy is quality guaranteed and we aim to continue this tradition. If you are not satisfied with any of our products, please contact us.

2010 © Allison E Arnott