The First Hundred Years

1845 29 September – Burra Mine Opened
1849 Row of cottages facing creek completed
1850 Bible Christian Chapel built
1850-52 Cottages facing Kingston Street, Paxton Terrace and Welsh Place built.
1873 Wooden shingle roofs covered with corrugated iron
1877 29 September – Burra Mine closed
1880s Water laid on.  Five taps installed in area behind cottages to serve 33 cottages.
1912 October, South Australian Mining Association auctions cottages.
1913 Hon. John Lewis purchases cottages for ?($1,000) and forms Lewis Trust to administer leasing ‘ for the use of indigent and deserving people’.
1914 Paxton Square cottages offered to Burra Corporation.  Offer rejected.
1916 Suggestion to demolish cottages and use area as a recreation reserve.
1923 March, Paxton Square incorporated by Act of Parliament into a Trust to be administered by a Board of Management.
1923 25 August.  Death of John Lewis.  Buried in Burra  cemetery.
1920s Cedar trees planted.
1930s Verandahs added.
1930-40 Cottages fully occupied.  Waiting list of applicants. Stan  Kellaway, Snr., rent-collector. Rent: 1 shilling per room for indigent families.  2 shillings per room for employed families.
c.1939 Galvanized iron lean-tos constructed at rear of cottages.  Small rain-water tanks added.
1946 Taps installed in each backyard garden to replace previous five taps for whole area.