Who was Sparke?

I contacted Newcastle Region Library about the origin of 'Sparke'. They sent me a link to the Hunter place names index:
http://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/services/newcastle_library/local_studies/local_studies_e-resources/hunter_place_names_index
which states that the origin is from a 'Mr W.A. Sparke, Alderman of Waratah Council'.
From: http://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/140251/SMITH_A.pdf
are the following listings from the Newcastle Morning Herald:

So there were mentions of Capt. A.E. Sparke who died in 1927; Clara Sparke 1929; E. Sparke 1925; W. Sparke - 66 years as a legal man in Newcastle 1948 and a death the same year;  W.A. Sparke mentioned as Mayor of Wickham in 1877 and a death in 1891; and so on.

A Google search of W.A. Sparke revealed much more information: http://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/8809/civichistory_pre1920.pdf

Newcastle Civic and Cultural Precinct History ~ Cynthia Hunter ~ January 2003             page 14 

5.3 William Andrew Sparke’s property Webland, in Blane Street 

W A Sparke was one of the earliest purchasers of civic precinct land in Blane Street. 

In 1824 his father’s family came to New South Wales from England.  Menfolk were 

granted several large grazing estates in the Hunter Valley.  William’s father’s farm 

near Hexham was called Webland Park after Webland, their former estate in Devon. 

William Andrew Sparke married in 1857 and moved to live at Honeysuckle Point 

where he became proprietor of the largest butchering business in the district.  Sparke 

was a Newcastle alderman and mayor in 1870.  During his term in office the Borough 

Markets were built.  Members of his wife’s family also were notable in municipal and 

parliamentary affairs.  A brother-in-law was MLA for Northumberland and Post 

Master General in the 1860s and mayor of Newcastle in 1872. 

In 1870 W A Sparke built a brick two-storey Victorian residence named Webland for 

his large family.  Adjacent and at the rear were storerooms, a blacksmith shop and 

stables that housed racehorses.  In June 1889 these buildings and others adjoining

were threatened with destruction when John Ash’s nearby timber yard and sawmills 

caught fire.  Some cottages and businesses in the area were lost.9 

William Andrew Sparke died in 1891.  Although Elizabeth lived until 1906, the 

family appear to have moved from Webland because Dr D Robert Ferguson was in 

occupation in 1901.10  Webland was demolished to make way for the 1905 Frederick 

Ash retail building designed by Frederick Menkens.

So W.A. Sparke was William Andrew Sparke ... and there is more information on http://www.jenwilletts.com/williamsparke.htm.  According to this website, William Sparke (W.A. Sparke's father) was the son of Edward Sparke and Mary (nee Hosking) arriving in Australia on the 'Aguilar' 1824 and marrying Mary Ann Holt (granddaughter of 'General' Joseph Holt). They established an estate at Hexham called Webland Park and Barrahinebin (swamp land) was part of this estate. (I noticed that there was a Sparke Street in Hexham as well - that makes sense now!) William was the licensee of the Wheatsheaf Arms in the 1830s which became known as the Hexham Hotel around 1843. As mentioned above, their son William Andrew eventually referenced Webland for his home in Blane Street (Hunter Street).

Some of the mystery unravels ...