John 'Applejack' Barret

John 'Applejack' Barret is a folk legend of Broken Hill. No one knows exactly when he arrived in town or where he originated from, but it seems that he came from Ballarat and took up his self-appointed role as town crier and bellringer.

Applejack was often to be seen with a flagon of the local fermented cider, which led to his nickname, Applejack. He wandered Broken Hill ringing his bell and proclaiming the news and was variously known as town drunk, grave digger, town crier, and general larrikin.

John 'Applejack' Barret found occasional work from various businesses, including a Broken Hill Auctioneer called Pell. He also cleaned boots on the street. He lived on a reserve, or spare lot on Argent Street before the Post Office and Town Hall were built. Applejack would walk along Argent Street with his bell, shouting the details of a sale or some other local bulletin, and people would gather around to hear the latest news, though it wasn’t always clear what was being said. Applejack was described as having a ‘weird and unforgettably comical voice’ that wasn’t easy to understand.

The Barrier Miner, on Thursday 18th March 1896, printed the following story about John 'Applejack' Barret:

“In 1898 Applejack had a fight with another old local character. Bismark was once a ship’s carpenter who quite often spent a few days in the local jail because he was drunk and disorderly. Applejack told Bismark there was not enough beer in Broken Hill for the two of them and trouble was ahead!”

Another extract from the Miner, Saturday 17th September 1898 describes Applejack’s makeshift home, and indicates that he was a jack-of-all-trades:

“A red flag flapped over a queer-looking place, half tent, half hessian "humpy" altogether a quaint thing of shreds and patches. In front there was a sign; it told that within dwelt the town crier and bellman.” Also it said: "Letters written. All kinds of correspondence undertaken. Secrecy preserved."

John 'Applejack' Barret was one of the more eccentric and colourful characters of historic Broken Hill, and his role in town affairs reflects the diversity and inclusiveness of the early years.

Audio transcript available.