Black Horse (2)

SE cnr Wellington & Elizabeth Streets

1838 John Barrett, Black Horse, Launceston
1839-41 John Barrett, Black Horse, Wellington Street
1842-57 John Barrett, Black Horse, Elizabeth & Wellington Streets
1857-63 Henry Wilton, Black Horse Inn, Wellington & Elizabeth Streets
1863-64 Margaret Wilton, Black Horse, Elizabeth & Wellington Streets
1864-66 Benjamin Brooks, Black Horse, Elizabeth & Wellington Streets
1866-69 Micheal McCann, Black Horse, Elizabeth & Wellington Streets
1869-74- Margaret M’Cann, Black Horse, Elizabeth & Wellington Streets
1875-77 Philip Mullane, Black Horse, Elizabeth & Wellington Streets


Cornwall Chronicle, 11 May 1839


Launceston Advertiser, 12 September 1839


Launceston Advertiser, 20 January 1842

From “Annual Licensing Meeting”:
John Barrett, ” Black Horse,” corner of Elizabeth and Wellington streets. One conviction; general conduct good; fine imposed not heavy; house in good order and clean. Granted
Launceston Examiner, 4 September 1847

From “Annual Licensing Meeting”:
Barrett, John, “Black Horse,” corner of Elizabeth and Wellington-streets ; no conviction, conduct good, premises clean and orderly.
Launceston Examiner, 2 September 1848

From “Quarterly Licensing Meeting”:
The license for the “Black Horse” was transferred from John Barrett to Henry Wilton.
Launceston Examiner, 3 November 1857

SUDDEN DEATH. – Mr. Henry Wilton, of the “Black Horse” Inn, died, somewhat suddenly at an early hour yesterday morning. We understand that, he has been suffering for some years past from disease of the heart. After retiring to rest on Tuesday night he was seized with a spasmodic affection of the chest, and died almost immediately.
Launceston Examiner, 12 March 1863

From “Quarterly Licensing Meeting”:
Mr. Browne said there was an informality in the next application. Mrs. Margaret Wilton applied for the transfer of the license granted to her deceased husband for the Black Horse Inn, Wellington and Elizabeth streets, to herself. She ought to have asked for permission to continue the license.
The Chairman said it was merely a clerical error.
The Bench gave permission to Mrs. Wilton to carry on the business.
Launceston Examiner, 5 May 1863


Black Horse Inn,
CORNER of Wellington and Elizabeth streets. This well known Public House to let, spacious yards and stables, and every accommodation for a good Town and Country Trade. Mrs Wilton wishes to part with the House through ill health only.
Apply on the premises, or to Mr. Thos. Jones,
British Hotel, George Town.
Cornwall Chronicle,14 May 1864


TO LET.— The Black Horse Inn, corner of Elizabeth and Wellington streets. Apply on the Premises.
Cornwall Chronicle, 31 December 1864

Cornwall Chronicle, 11 February 1865

From “Quarterly Licensing Day”:
The following applications were granted : . . . Mr Michael McCann, for a transfer of the license to the Black Horse, Wellington-street, from Mr B Brooks.
Cornwall Chronicle, 9 May 1866

From “Opening of the Church of Apostles”
The event attracted much attention throughout the Town, and lines of brilliant coloured flags were thrown across Elizabeth street, from the Shamrock Hotel to the premises opposite, and from the George Inn to the Black Horse Inn.
Cornwall Chronicle, 10 November 1866

From ” Annual Licensing Meeting”:
Michael M’Cann, Black Horse, Wellington street.-The Mayor said this was another house which should be burned or pulled down. He cautioned M’Cann to conduct his house better, or the license would be taken away.
Launceston Examiner, 3 December 1866

After midnight on Thursday the chimney of Mr. Michael M’Cann, of the Black Horse Hotel, was discovered to be on fire by Sergt. Peters. He aroused the inmates, and with t the assistance of two constables extinguished the flames. Wood was left in the fireplace to dry for the morning’s fire, and after the inmates had retired it ignited. The fire bell rang for a few minutes.
Launceston Examiner,6 July 1867

Michael McCann, Black Horse, Wellington and Elizabeth-streets.
The Superintendent of Police said that this house and been gradually falling into a bad state of repair.
The Mayor said it was in a similar state to “The Scottish Chief,” and landlord of public houses should be given to understand that they must put the tenants in a proper position to keep their houses in order, or licences would be refused The blame in most of these cases lay more with the landlords than the tenants
Mr McCann, in reply to a question, said he paid £102 a year rent for “The Black Horse Inn”
Mr Coulter said the house was in such a state that if it was an ordinary dwelling house it would not let for more than £30.
Mr Fawns said the rent was high ; for in some cases he received no rent, and yet had to pay the license fee
The Chairman told Mr McCann to let his landlord know that the premises must be put in substantial repair, or next year a license for the house would be refused.
Cornwall Chronicle, 2 December 1868

ALLEGED SUDDEN DEATH. – Mr. Michael McCann, landlord of the Black Horse Inn, Wellington-street, left town a few days ago to pay a visit to the Waterhouse gold-field, and a report was received here last night that he died suddenly Somewhere on the way. We trust the report is unfounded, but Mrs. M’Cann was informed of it last night, and that a constable had proceeded to George Town for the coroner to have an inquest.
The Mercury, 14 July 1869

Inquest

Permission to Sell.–Margaret M’Cann was granted permission to continue to sell liquor at the “Black Horse” till next Quarterly Licensing day.
Launceston Examiner, 31 July 1869

APPLICATIONS FOB PERMISSION TO CONTINUE TO SELL UNDER LICENSES
GRANTED TO PERSON SINCE DECEASED.
The Black Horse Ian, Wellington and Elizabeth-streets, Launceston, granted to
the late Mr Michael M’Cann ; application from his widow, Mrs Margaret M’Cann.
In reply. to the Chairman, Mr Coulter said that Mrs M’Cann had conducted the house very well since her husband’s de cease.
Application granted.
Cornwall Chronicle, 6 November 1869

Breach of the Licensing Act.-Margaret M’Cann, the holder of a licence for the Black Horse public-house, was charged with permitting on the 6th June, the outer door of her licensed house to be opened for the ingress of others than lodgers at midnight. The case was proved by Constable Moir, and the defendant was fined 10s. with 9s. 6d, costs.
Launceston Examiner, 7 July 1870

Black Horse Inn.— Mr Coulter said he had laid two informations against the holder of the license to this house. One for admitting persons, after hours, and the other for going to Melbourne and leaving her licensed house without proper control. On the first information there was a conviction, but not on tbe second. The case of admitting after hours was not aggravated, as it was the servant girl who admitted the person.
The Mayor said he had visited the house, and found Mrs M’Cann to be a respectable, hardworking, industrious woman, and the house was in as good order as such a house could be put in.
Mr Coulter, in reply to a question, said all the licensed houses in that neighbourhood were frequented by prostitutes. In that respect it was the lowest locality in town.
Mr Atkinson said the remarks made by Mr Coulter ought to be taken into consideration by the Bench ; if the houses were only for the accommodation of a nest of prostitutes they ought not to be licensed.
The question was put to the vote ; the license was granted, and Mr Turnbull left the Court.
Mr DeLittle said one of the magistrates had been trying to initiate a policy of refusing licenses when houses were too close to each other, and they were not required for public accommodation.
Mr Coulter said in the locality of the Black Horse there were four public houses within 100 yards of each other. The keepers of them kept good order generally, though they were frequented by disorderly characters.
Mr Mason said they could not adopt the policy indicated by Mr DeLittle as they had adopted the reverse, and had licensed four houses within 60 yards of each other. But if houses were badly conducted or became vacant, licenses could be refused without doing injustice.
The Mayor quite agreed with Mr Mason, as it would be doing injustice to deprive the present holders suddenly of licenses on the ground that there were too many in one locality.
Cornwall Chronicle, 2 December 1870

MARRIAGES
MULLANE—McCANN – On the 11th January, by the Very Rev. Dean Butler, Phillip Mullane, to Margaret M’Cann, of the Black Horse Inn, Wellington-street
Launceston Examiner, 21 January 1875</

Black Horse Inn.
Phillip Mullane applied for a renewal of his license for this house, at the corner of Elizabeth and Wellington-streets.
A memorial, signed by eleven residents of the locality—viz., William Stewart, W. Boyd, John W. Pease, H. J. Mitchell, Charlotte Betts, Charles Jowett, Charles Galvin, Anothy Hart, James Tevelein, Thomas Boyd, and J. Williams, was read by the clerk, objecting to a license being granted to the house and to the George Inn. The memorialists desired to bring under the notice of the Bęnoh the. very disreputable way in which both houses were conducted. All the worst characters of the town—male and femalèr-congregated at them at all hours of the day and night, and no children or respectable females could pass by them. Scenes of the vilest description and language of the most obscene kind were constantly to be heard and seen and the small staff of police was to check the evil. The houses were nothing more than places of disrepute, and without any accommodation for the general public.
Mr Coulter said his own observation bore out this description in many respects, and it would be to the interest of the neighborhood if one of the houses was closed. He objected more particularly t» the one under consideration. The disorders which arose in the neighborhood of the houses were a great public evil. He had not been able to lay any informations against the landlords, for though general complaints were numerous, they were never such as a legal charge could be framed upon.
Mr Dowling considered the evil must have been most pressing, otherwise such a memorial would not have been presented.
Mr Mason thought it was the practice not to refuse an application where there had never been any convictions against the applicant.
The Chairman thought such a memorial as had been presented was of more weight than a consideration of that nature, for it was a difficult matter to obtain convictions.
After some further discussion the application was refused by six votes to two, Messrs Mason and Webster voting for the renewal on the ground that there had been no convictions against the landlord.
Weekly Examiner, 8 December 1877

Mr Smith read the following memorial addressed to the chairman and justices of the Launceston Licensing Bench : —
“Gentlemen, — We, the undersigned inhabitants of Wellington and Elizabeth streets, respectfully beg to bring under your notice and consideration the very disreputable way in which the licensed houses at the corner of Elizabeth and Wellington streets, known by the signs of the Black Horse and George Inn, are conducted.
“The congregation at those houses of all the worst characters of the town, male and female, at all hours of the day and night, tend to nearly destroy all trade around their neighborhoods, besides which from a moral point of view, these houses should. not be licensed.
“No children or respectable females can pass by the corners where these house are situated.
“Scenes of the vilest description, language of the most obscene kind, are constantly to be seen and heard as you pass by these places, and although they may be at times watched by the police and kept in cheek, yet it is utterly impossible for the small staff of police in this town to be constantly watching these particular localities.
“We therefore respectfully submit to your Worships that these houses, from their being nothing more than places of disrepute, and without any accommodation for the general public, may not be again licensed (Signed) — Wm. Stewart, Wm. Boyd, John Wm. Pease, H. J. Mitchell. Charlotte Betts, Charles Jowett, Chas. Galvin, Anthony Hart, James Tevelein, Thos. Boyd, J. Williams.”
M r Coulter said that the houses were objectionable, as the frequenters of them loitered about on the pathways and entrapped many persons coming in from the country. It would be a benefit to the neighborhood to have the licenses refused.
The Chairman said there must be a low class of houses for persons of a low class.
Mr Coulter said these houses were rallying points for a very low class, and the evil was more felt now that those having property near them were endeavoring to improve the neighborhood by building a better class of house than any previously in Elizabeth street.
Mr Webster inquired whether there had been any convictions against the holders of these licenses.
Mr Coulter said there had not, there were only general complaints of the houses having been badly conducted. The police on duty passed that way, but as soon as they had passed the disreputable characters re-appeared.
Mr Dowling said it appeared the evil was not so much the bad conduct in the houses as that of the disreputable characters congregating on the footpaths beside those houses.
Mr Hawkes said on coming into town he always noticed a number of disreputable characters congregated there.
The Chairman said that with so small a staff of police, it was difficult to remedy the evil, and impossible to detect and punish all cases of disorderly conduct.
Mr Webster said the difficulty was that there were two of those houses near each other, and both were complained of. It was difficult to do away with one without dealing with the other.
Mr Mason said he would vote in favor of the application, as he did not consider it fair to refuse the license without giving the present holder notice.
Mr Webster said he would vote in the same way and for the same reason.
The question was then put to the vote and the application was refused by 6- votes-to 2.
The Tasmanian, 8 December 1877

THE PETITION AGAINST THE LICENSE TO BLACK HORSE INN.— A petition was presented and laid before the Licensing Bench on Saturday, praying that licenses should not be renewed to the Black Horse and George Inns, Wellington street, on the ground that these houses were badly con ducted and a public nuisance. The petition purported to have been signed by eleven ratepayers, with Mr William Stewart, baker, at the- head of the list. Mr Wm. Stewart has requested us to state most distinctly that he never signed such a. petition, nor authorised anyone to sign it for him, and in fact was never requested to sign it. He adds that about seven years ago he was requested to sign a similar petition, and refused on the ground that he would not do anything to injure a neighbor.
The Tasmanian, 8 December 1877

The appeal by Philip Murlane against a previous refusal of a license to the
Black Horse Inn, was after a long discussion—in which the conduct of the
house was criticised in very strong terms—disallowed.
Tasmanian Evening Herald, 8 January 1878


Pro Bono Publico!
PRELIMINARY NOTICE.
The Undersigned, in returning thanks to his numerous friends and customers m Launceston and its surroundings for the very liberal patronage received during the last fourteen years he has been in business, begs to inform them that he has taken those more convenient and commodious premises known as the Black Horse Inn, where he will have additional facilities. For carrying on his increasing trade, in all its branches, iu his usual style. He trusts that the same generous support which he has been the recipient of in the past may be his portion in the future – a continuance of which no effort of his will be spared to merit.
JOSEPH KENNEDY.
Tasmanian Punch, 16 April 1878

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