In the 1850’s several hotels opened up in Salisbury area. The Proprietors possibly considered that the through traffic travelling to the Burra and Kapunda mines would generate good business. However, it was soon found that there were too many, and so some of them were onIy short lived. The “Happy Home” was one of them. It was built on part of section 3056 in the Hundred of Munno Para and situated on the Two Wells Road (Waterloo Corner Road) and on the northern bank of the Little Para River. It was first licensed in 1859 by J.F. Schmidt who had previously run the “Coach and Horses” hotel on Commercial Road but since this was only two hundred metres from the Salisbury Hotel it faced strong opposition. He probably thought that a new location on the main road looked more promising. He only lasted there a year when it was taken over by T.Gion. He didn’t last long either and within two years it closed its doors.
William Urlwin arrived in South Australia in 1850 as a young man of 24. In 1852 he married Margaretta at North Adelaide. In 1857 he came to Salisbury and purchased allotment 9 in John Street adjacent to the Governor MacDonnell Hotel. He built a shop and residence and set up business as a butcher. By 1864 he had leased the property to George Cleall and had purchased all that part of section 3056 west of the railway. He named the property “Grange Farm” and set about mixed farming.
He and Margaretta had four children, the youngest Arthur, was born in 1861. He received his education at Whinham College, North Adelaide, and after leaving school he worked on the farm.
In l886 he married EIiza Underdown of Penfield and took over the farm, his father having purchased a property on Commercial Road, Salisbury where he established another butcher shop.
The family were closely associated with the St. Johns Church of England in Salisbury. Arthur had the distinction of being the oldest member in the church choir and for 14 years he held the position of lay reader. Arthur’s eldest child, also named Arthur, was born in 1887. Arthur senior retired in the early 1920’s and Arthur junior took over the farm.
Few people in Salisbury would have identified the Urlwin property as “Grange Farm”. It tended to retain the title of Happy Home and the bridge on Waterloo Comer Road, originally known as “Strowan Bridge” became known as “Happy Home” Bridge. During the 1920’s through to the 1940’s, the Salisbury Hunt Club would usualIy terminate their hunt at Urlwin’s for their Stirrup Cup.
Early in 1950 Arthur Jnr sold 112 acres of the section 10 the South Australian Housing Trust for the commencement of the Salisbury North Subdivision. Another portion was sold to the Government for the High School and 22 acres was purchased by the Salisbury District Council for a reserve.
The Happy Home building was demolished. The marble surrounds from the fireplace were preserved and have found a happy home in our Museum.