Thomas Tully Kelly, the prominent Deepwater businessman who opened Carl Baer’s picture Theatre, was born at Curry, between Roscommon and Athlone, Ireland on April 21, 1851.
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Twenty-nine years later, he sailed on the the Carnatic for Australia.
When he landed in Townsville, he couldn't find work. Coming south, he first worked for J. H. Sommerlad in Tenterfield and then in Glen Innes at Lewis and Philips store, now the site of the Imperial Hotel.
His frugality enabled him to buy a boarding house in Grey Street, but hoping somehow to cure chronic insomnia, he sailed back to Ireland. He soon returned to northern NSW.
In Tenterfield, he bought a horse from Isaac Whereat, a harness and cart from Wah Fun On and for a while, he travelled as a hawker.
Then in 1888, Kelly opened a store for the 200 inhabitants at the silver mines at Pyes Creek which at this time boasted two pubs.
In late 1889, the main mine “The Burrow” ran out and he moved his store, now in conjunction with a post office, to the Castelrag mines.
Deepwater’s School of Arts was first opened in 1889 and it is recalled with pride by Mr Kelly who was then at Castlerag that he assisted in the establishment of this popular institution...
When those mining fields also started to fail, he headed to Deepwater and opened the store which he ran for many years.
From an interview with him printed in the Glen Innes Examiner on May 5, 1927:
“...In 1881 the town was booming as the centre of the Nine Mile, Torrington and other surrounding fields where thousands of men were employed, and money flowed freely until 1908 when the depression was felt...
“Deepwater’s School of Arts was first opened in 1889 and it is recalled with pride by Mr Kelly who was then at Castlerag that he assisted in the establishment of this popular institution [and with the subsequent building].
“In addition to his business, mining and public activities, Mr Kelly has also interested himself in the pastoral industry, and has a very fine grazing property, [he bought 1329 acres of Deepwater Station] he runs sheep there...”
He had married Mary Ann Croake in 1893 at Emmaville and they had four daughter and two sons.
He died in 1937.
His life here and in Ireland had encompassed being a forage contractor, farm worker, counterhand, wharfie, brickmaker, carter, hawker, postmaster, pastoralist, storekeeper and generous supporter of the community.
Read more Glen Innes history:
