Maitland City Hall of Fame welcomes six new inductees

The inductees are the latest to join the proud list of hall of famers in the fields of sport, public service, science and innovation, and military service.

On Tuesday, May 28, the ceremony was held alongside the unveiling of the brand new physical hall of fame at the Maitland Park rotunda.

The rotunda floor now features the names of all Maitland hall of fame inductees.

Tuesday's ceremony saw the 2021 and 2023 inductees awarded for their achievements, due to the 2021 ceremony being postponed.

The 2021 hall of fame inductees are Jane Taylor for sport and Lance Murray for public service.

The 2023 hall of fame inductees are Henry Chamberlain Russell for science and innovation, Robert Fletcher Watson for sport, colonel Alexander Wilkinson VD for military service and lieutenant colonel Robert Scobie DV MID for military service.

Maitland mayor Philip Penfold said the hall of fame recognises people from all spheres in the community who have made contributions in their fields that are both significant and enduring.

"By recognising these people who have made this difference, the hall of fame encourages pride in local achievement, inspiring the local community values and standards," he said.

Ms Taylor had a remarkable tennis career that spanned over 20 years. She represented Maitland at regional, state and national levels and at 13-years-old she won her first international tennis title.

She was the youngest person to win Maitland Sportsperson of the Year in 1984 at 11-years-old, and at 15-years-old became the Australian Singles Champion in both the under 16 and under 18 categories.

Ms Taylor, who now lives on the Gold Coast, said coming back to Maitland to receive this award feels like two sides of her life coming together, as she kept her tennis life separate when she moved away.

"I feel like I'm actually happy to be Jane now," she said.

"It's probably one of the first awards I've actually been present to receive because I was travelling a lot when I was a kid and receiving the awards, so it's actually really lovely to be present and receive it in person.

"I stayed at Raworth last night which is where I grew up, I love being out there."

The late Mr Murray's award was accepted by his daughter Carolyn. Mr Murray was highly respected for his advocacy in safeguarding significant local Aboriginal sites and artefacts.

He made history as the first Aboriginal person elected to Maitland Council in 1988 and was named Maitland Citizen of the Year in 2014.

Mr Murray's daughter Carolyn Murray said her father would have loved receiving the award.

"I'm very proud of my father for all the work he did in the local community, he really loved this community," she said.

"He was an alderman in the council early on, and he felt that some things in Maitland should stay the same and be respected and looked after, so he tried to look after the local area.

"He's an Aboriginal man by background and so he felt also the Indigenous heritage should be protected and looked after as well in Maitland."

Mr Chamberlain Russell, born in West Maitland in 1836, was a prominent 19th century Australian scientist, serving as government astronomer at the Sydney Observatory from 1870 to 1905.

He made significant contributions to astronomy, meteorology and earth sciences, earning national and international recognition. He established a network of weather stations in NSW, set data collection standards and was involved in major scientific ventures.

Mr Russell advocated for a national approach to meteorology and pioneered the idea of climate cycles and integrated hemispheric observations.

Mr Watson, originally from Donegal, Ireland, immigrated to Australia in 1855. He settled in Maitland with his wife Margaret Cuthbertson, raising nine children.

Mr Watson gained fame as a remarkable athlete, winning numerous foot races, including the Sydney Cup in 1873. His race times along Belmore Road and Belmore Track in 1874 and 1878 still stand as world records today.

Colonel Wilkinson arrived in Maitland in 1832 at age six. He joined the Northumberland Volunteer Rifle Company as a Private in 1860 and rose to lieutenant colonel of the Fourth Infantry Regiment. In 1885, he commanded the northern district reserves and retired as a colonel in 1893.

Colonel Wilkinson served as an Alderman of West Maitland for 21 years and was mayor multiple times between 1883 and 1904, passing away while in office. He married in 1852 and had six children.

Lieutenant colonel Scobie was born on 31 March 1871, at 'The Gardens' Oakhampton. He attended local schools and was among the first students at Maitland Boys High School in 1884, where he joined the School Cadet Corps and the local militia unit.

He lived in 'Stirling' West Maitland until his death at Lone Pine in 1915. Lieutenant colonel Scobie served in the military for 31 years, including the militia, Boer War and WWI. Respected by his men and community, his legacy is commemorated by the naming of the Rutherford Army Depot 'Scobie Depot' and a 'Last Post Ceremony' at the Australian War Memorial.