A bald faced something or other

My ex-father-in-law (long since departed), used to tell the story of his favourite axe, you know the one, with the seven different handles, and three different heads. This pub, today, reminds me of Johnny's old axe.

It stands, rather flagrantly, out along Parramatta Road, somewhere between Leichhardt and Annandale. It is called the Bald Faced Stag, and it claims to be 'Hearn's' with a date of '1830'. Where to start to unravel this? Official licences for hotels in New South Wales were only required from 1830 onwards with the passage of the 'New Licensing Act'. Until then, pubs were unofficially licenced, if that is possible.

On 22nd June 1830, Licence # 1 was issued to George Morris for the 'Crown & Anchor Tavern' in George Street. Later that month, Licence # 160 was issued to Michael Napthali for the Bald Faced Stag, also in George Street. Napthali also claimed Licence # 164 for his Bunch of Grapes on Pitt Street on 5th July. Napthali had a series of pubs, some of which overlapped, causing his eventual bankruptcy. In June 1846, the licence for the BFS was transferred to John Aspinall, and then, in June 1847, to Abraham Hearn, as Licence # 480, situated on Parramatta Road. However, that building pre-dated the one I show you today. It was just a rough-caste square humpty that stood near the entrance to the local race-course.

So, if you are following the axe heads and the axe handles, voila! I give you Hearn's Bald Faced Stag of 1830.