There’s 130 completed posts on this blog, which means there are 130 hotels that I’ve tracked.
But there’s another 88 in drafts (started but not finished) and probably half that again that I have yet to do anything on, and realistically, I might not get to them as I’m busy with other projects. New projects are shiny and want attention. But… I still like to work on these when I have a reason. So, if you have an interest in an old hotel (your great-grandmother ran it, you’ve driven past it, you’ve heard the name and wondered where it was), drop me a comment below and come back in a few days weeks. (And yes, I’m do sometimes wander out to the nearby towns, although I can’t guarantee I have current photos for all those.)
1884-85 Gottlieb Sulzberger, Railway Hotel, Upper Piper
1885-86 John Crisp, Railway Hotel, Upper Piper
1886-87 George Cunningham, Railway Hotel, Upper Piper (new building)
1887-88 William Henry West, Railway Hotel, Upper Piper
1889-90 William H. West, Railway Hotel, Lilydale
1890-91 Gottlieb Sulzberger, Railway Hotel, Lilydale
1891 Frank J. Somerville, Railway Hotel, Lilydale
1891-92 John William Stevenson, Railway Hotel, Lilydale
1892 Edward Williams, Railway Hotel, Lilydale
1893 Gottlieb Sulzberger, Railway Hotel, Lilydale
1893 David Hamilton Johnston, Railway Hotel, Lilydale
Gottlieb Sulzberger, the enterprising son of German settlers, opened the first licensed hotel in 1884 on his property near the intersection of Lalla and Main Roads . . . The ten-roomed timber Railway Hotel adjoined Sulzberger’s house and post office/ store; however, after the first year it was leased to a licensee. The hotel’s name was possibly chosen because the building was situated within about 150 metres of the railway line under construction through his property, and possibly also suggesting that Sulzberger anticipated trade associated with the railway. No doubt there was considerable custom from railway workers during the construction phase, both for accommodation and for refreshments. After the line opened in 1889, the hotel would not have been especially well located for associated trade as the station was some distance away on the north-western outskirts of the settlement (more than a kilometre via Main and Station Roads, although there may have been a more direct track at the time). At some stage Sulzberg ererected a new Railway Hotel, still on his farm block but near its northern boundary and fronting onto the Main Road. This remained open as licensed premises until 1893. Part of this building is said to survive in the present house, much altered in the 1960’s; split timber boards can be seen on its northern wall.
“Rural Launceston Heritage Study”, Margaret Tassell, 2000, p. 179 (available here)
From “Annual Licensing Meeting”: Gottlieb Sulzberger, Railway Hotel, Upper Piper. Mr Collins presented a petition with 85 signatures in favor of the house, and numerous letters of recommendation. Mr Armstrong stated that the house was necessary, all the requisite accommodation was provided. If the house was refused it would result in a lot of sly grog-Belling. Mr Miller objected on behalf of some of the inhabitants of the district, but the objection was not allowed, and the license was granted. Daily Telegraph, 2 December 1884
Advance Tasmania. — In anticipation of the influx of passengers by the railway to Scottsdale, which is not yet commenced, local enterprise has already provided at the Upper Piper a Railway Hotel ; at Turner’s Marsh, in all haste, another house of accommodation, bearing the same name, is being built, and is to be immediately followed by a second new hotel, for fear the first-named should not be equal to the occasion. Who can now dare call us “Sleepy Hollow.” Daily Telegraph, 14 July 1885
BREACH OF LICENSING ACT.
John Crisp pleaded guilty to having on the 23rd ultimo, allowed persons to enter his licensed house, the Railway Hotel, Upper Piper, after 10 p.m., and was fined 10s and costs. Daily Telegraph, 7 June 1886
COUNTRY TRANSFER.
George Cunningham applied for a transfer of the house held by J. Crisp at the Railway Hotel, Piper River, and for the license to be transferred to a new house he had erected. Mr. Supt. Armstrong said these was no police objection. Mr. G. T. Collins, in supporting the application, explained that the transfer was a double one, and in addition to the transfer from Crisp to Cunningham, the latter wished to remove to a new house he had erected, which would be more commodious and convenient for the travelling public. The application was granted. Tasmanian, 7 August 1886
1858-1875 Thos. Hardman, Farmers’ Arms, White Hill
In published licensing lists 1860-1873, but there are mentions from earlier and later in news stories.
CORONER’S INQUEST.-On Thursday Wm. Gunn, Esq., held an inquest at Mr. Thomas Hardman’s, the Farmer’s Arms, White Hills, respecting the death of Ann Steel. The Courier, 14 June 1858
BREADALBANE ROAD DISTRICT WE the undersigned landholders and Householders in the Road District of Breadalbane, do hereby convene a meet- ing of the landholders and householders of the above Road District, to be held at Mr. Thomas Hardman’s Inn, White Hills, on Tuesday, the thirty-first day of August,, 1858, at the hour of eleven in the forenoon, for the purpose of electing Trustees, for the purposes of superintending, providing for, and effectuating the construction, repair, and maintenance of the roads in such District, and for carrying out within such District the provisions of the Cross and Bye Roads Act, 1853, tor the ensuing year. Cornwall Chronicle, 11 August 1858
WHITE HILLS . PLOUGHING MATCH.–A, meeting, will take place at Hardman’s Farmers’ Arms Inn, on Thursday, 1st of September, at 6, o’clock in the evening. All, persons interested will please attend. Launceston Examiner, 1 September 1870
From “Supreme Court, Launceston”: The ATTORNEY-GENERAL opened the case for the Crown, and called the following witnesses : James Hand, labourer, residing at Breadalbane, deposed : Was at Hardman’s public-house on the evening of 29th November last [1875], and saw Walters there between 12 and 1 o’clock. Prisoner called witness an ” Irish Papist Fenian,” and witness then struck him. Prisoner then pulled a knife out of his pocket as witness went out. . . . Thos. Hardman, licensed victualler, White Hills, deposed : Knew both prisoners, and was at home when they were at his house on the 29th November. He saw -lined with a stick in his hand and bleeding. He took the stick from Hand and went to Walters and found the knife produced in his possession. Hand said Walters had stabbed him. The blade of the knife had no blood upon it.’ He dressed the wounds of Batted and had him sent to the hospital. The Mercury, 8 January 1876
The following persons have received Public-house licenses at Launceston, in addition to those already published in our Paper : Mr. Edward Dryden, Plough; Mr. William Fraser, Lamb; and Robert Taylor, Wheatsheaf. Colonial Times, 27 October 1825
From “Brady and his Associates”, serialised in the Tasmanian, 4 February 1888: On Saturday night, the 6th April, five men being starved out approached Roger Taylor’s Wheat-sheaf Inn, at the Springs, near the Cocked Hat. Those men were immediately arrested, there being a dozen muskets levelled at them ; they were Brown, Code, M’Andrew, Logan, and Watson. On the following Sunday night two more were arrested at Mary Townsend’s Bird-in-Hand Inn, Long Meadow, (now King’s Meadows). Their names were Sullivan and Fagan. The three men who were seen travelling to the right made their appearance at what is now called Breadalbane, knocking at the old public, house called the Opossum. They demanded food and drink here, but imbibed a little too freely, and on Sunday morning staggering to what was known at that period as the Cherry Tree Avenue, they laid down and fell asleep.
1832-35- William Russell, Opossum, White Hills
1844-45 Henry Yeend, Farmer’s Arms, Patterson’s Plains
1845-1846 Matthew Mason, Farmer’s Arms, Patterson’s Plains
–> moved to Sandhill
The Opossum Inn stood on a 15 or 16 acre block by the old main road to Hobart on the western side of the Rose Rivulet valley, near that road’s junction with a local road crossing Rose Rivulet to give access to the White Hills district. There are no surface remains of the building, but in past years cultivation of the site has revealed brick fragments and bottles. The old road formation still runs south from this, past the Corra Linn (Relbia) homestead site and on towards the modern Lower White Hills Road.
“Rural Launceston Heritage Study”, Margaret Tassell, 2000 (available here)
A very warm contest next ensued, relative to the propriety of granting a license to Robert Yeend, formerly attached to the Launceston Police, for a house originally known as the “Opossum,” situate on the road to Patterson’s Plains. Almost every magistrate present concurred in giving the applicant a most undeniable character, but on the other hand several members opposed the application on the grounds of its holding out an inducement to assigned servants and others, to forget their masters business in the allurements of drinking. Mr. Mulgrave supported the petition, he considered that a well conducted house in the locality referred to, as affording the very best method of putting down the numerous sly-grog shops, with which the neighbourhood was known to swarm ; and he was quite sure that as respected runaways and other loose and dissolute charac ters, Mr. Yeend would at all times be found amongst the foremost to aid in their detection and capture. The Police Magistrate expressed an equally favorable opinion, and a show of hands being called for, it finally appeared that there were ten for and nine against the application. The house thus licensed will in future be designated the ‘ Farmer’s Arms,’ and we entertain but little doubt of its being conducted in a manner alike creditable to the landlord and beneficial to the public. Cornwall Chronicle, 4 September 1844
TO THE EDITOR OF THE LAUNCESTON EXAMINER. PATTERSON’S PLAINS. SIR,-As I was much interested, in common ‘with my neighbours in the proposed licensing of the house, formerly known as the “The Opossum,” in this neighbourhood, I heartily joined in the request made, that the house should not be licensed; and I assure you, sir, the giving a license to such a house, is felt to be a serious injury to the neighbourhood. I was much surprised, sir, to find that a magistrate should * * * * * express his conviction that the license was necessary, as he believed a great number of sly grog-shops existed in the neighbourhood ! You will, perhaps, allow me to state some facts in opposition to the assumption of the magistrate in question. In the first place, the police magistrate and other magistrates of the district were opposed to the license. In the next place, I have been resident here many years. When “The Opossum” existed, the drunkenness of my servants was intolerable. Since the house remained unlicensed, the same servants have become sober men, (so long as they remain out of town where temptation overcomes them) and so continue to the present moment–which I cannot believe they would do, if the inducements and temptations connected with sly grog-shops, existed hereabouts. At any rate, perhaps Mr. Mulgrave will explain how it is, that when we had a licensed house at hand, drunkenness prevailed; and that, with no public house, but with sly grog-shops, (Mr. Mulgrave says) temperance rules? I do not like public-houses or sly grog-shops; but, if temperance amongst my servants and sly grog-shops go together-and intemperance and licensed houses together, let me be far enough from licensed houses say I. I do not understand the law about the limiting the number of public houses, but it is clear by your remarks, that the justices can refuse a license to premises not fit for public accommodation. And I can only tell you this, sir, that the house licensed here is not only not required by travellers, but that it is altogether in an unfit state of repair, excepting for use as a mere low road-side pot-house. * * * * * The license was given by a majority of one!–and there can be no doubt how the casting vote of the respected chairman would have been, when he saw amongst the noes, the whole magistracy of the district, and the yeas composed of town, and remote country magistrates, who knew nothing more about the house, nor the district, than that an ex-constable, recommended by the Launceston police magistrate, wished to have a license in it. I hope you will put these few lines in your paper, and you will oblige A PATTERSON’S PLAINS FARMER. [As the writer has given his name, we publish his letter, striking out some objectionable passages, and an allusion, which if true, should be made the ubject of legal proceediugs.-E. L. E.] Launceston Examiner, 11 September 1844
Transfers.–At a quarterly transfer meeting on Monday, the following were approved:-The “Ferry House,” Tamar-street, from Capt. Tulloch to Mr. J. Cordell, jun The “Farmers’ Arms,” Patterson’s Plains, from Mr. Yeend, to Mr. Mason. The ” Green Gate,” Wellington-street, from Mr. M. Mason to Mr. I. Shaw. Permission was obtained by Mrs. Sprunt to carry on the “Hadspen Inn,” recently conducted by the the late Mr. Sprunt. Launceston Examiner, 9 August 1845
Matthew Mason, Farmer’s Arms, Patterson’s Plains.–No conviction-premises the most miserable and wretched -liquors not ” good and wholesome.”
Mr. Bartley thought the house was not required.
Mr. Atkinson had opposed the license formerly, but as it was carried, he should not now object. It would be unjust to cancel the license without some reason, but the only objection now raised, that against the premises, existed when the licence was granted.
Mr. Sinclair thought a licensed house there, prevented the establishment of sly grog shops.
Lieutenant Friend said, the police had con trout over licensed houses, but sly grog shops were dangerous, and most difficult to suppress.
Mr. Dumaresqu differed; he though there was more control over a sly grog shop than a licensed house; the latter having by their license a sanction or excuse, for all kinds of improprieties.
Major Wellman said something in favour of the license.
Mr. Bartley rose, and protested against his voting or interfering, as he was interested in the matter, having a mortgage on the property.
Major Wellman admitted the fact, but declined to receive Mr. Bartley’s advice.
Mr. Bartley said he wished to save him from the penalty of £100, for voting in a case in which lie was interested.
Mr. Sams said, it would be a great hardship to deprive the applicant of his license, for he had purchased the lease.
Mr. Bartley argued, the lease of a public house was not a vested right, and they ought not to take a man’s speculations into consideration at all. He begged to ask Mr. Sams one question; was he not executor to the owner of the property?
Mr. Sams–I am.
Mr. Bartley sat down and said no more.
Mr. Cameron thought a house necessary in that locality.
Mr. Breton and Mr. Collett suggested, that the applicant should be cautioned, to improve the premises before next licensing day. The question was put, and a majority voted for granting the application.
Major Wellman.-You see Mr. Bartley, I didn’t vote that time to accommodate you. Launceston Examiner, 5 September 1846
1834 John Biles, Currency Lad, Brisbane Street
1835 John Biles, Currency Lad, Bathurst & Frederick Streets ( Gardener’s Lodge)
1835 Edward Symonds, Bathurst St
The Information and Complaint of John Peers who being sworn saith–I reside in Launceston and carry on business as a Builder in Partnership with Thomas Twinning–About three months ago Thomas Twinning and myself purchased of George Hamilton certain premises in Brisbane Street which were Known as the Currency Lad Public House We shortly afterwards pulled down the House and other premises attached to it, for the Purpose of improvement, and during the Progress of pulling it down, a quantity of Timber, consisting of flooring boards was feloniously stolen.
1 January 1836
(QVMAG MS154 B 18)
Horse Shoeing and Farrier
MR. PETTIT, next door to the Fox and Hounds, in Paterson Street, begs leave respectully to acquaint the Inhabitants of Launceston, and the Settlers generally that he has commenced business in the above line, having recently arrived from Hobart Town, where he has carried on business with much satisfaction to his employers for a considerable time. All orders with which he might be favored will be carefully attended to.
N. B. — His charges will be very moderate. Cornwall Chronicle, 21 February 1835
1861-68 Ann Richards, Macquarie Hotel, Evandale
1871-73 Philip Mullane, Macquarie Hotel, Evandale.
1875-6* Richard Chugg, Macquarie Hotel, Evandale
*From assessment rolls
IMPROVEMENTS AT EVANDALE.—Mr. Richards is erecting at Evandale a building for an hotel, at the corner of Cambock and Macquarie-streets, which will not only be an ornament to the township, but also a great acquisition to travellers passing to and from the White Hills; and should a license be granted it will be the means of the township improving and extending in that locality. The proprietor has spared no expense in order to meet the requirements of the inhabitants, having attached a very large room for holding meetings, &c. Launceston Examiner, 25 October 1860
EVANDALE LICENSING MEETING — At the licening meeting at Evandale a few days since, all the old licenses were renewed, and a new license was granted to Mrs. Richards for a house to be called the “Macquarie Hotel.” Launceston Examiner, 17 December 1861
1859 Edward Davies, Young Town Inn, Young Town
1860 William Lloyd Jones, Young Town Inn, Young Town transfer
1862 John Drake, Young Town Inn, Young Town transfer
1863-1867 John Baker, Young Town Inn, Young Town transfer
1868 Joseph Stanley, Young Town Inn, Young Town
1869 Isaac Coote, Young Town Inn, Young Town
1870-77 John Baker, Young Town Inn, Young Town
At the top of Young Town hill still stands the Young Town Inn, which was licensed to John Baker in 1874, and seems to have enjoyed an unsavoury reputation. Baker was keeper at the Sandhi11 toll-gate for a time.
“Highway in Van Diemen’s Land,” George Hawley Stancombe, 1968, p.219
Edward Davies, Young Town Inn, Young Town. This license was granted on the ground that it was erected at the turn off on the direct road to the White Hills, and would do away with the necessity for travellers to and from the White Hills going about three quarters of a mile out of their way to Franklin Village to obtain refreshment. Cornwall Chronicle, 3 December 1859
YOUNG TOWN INN.
WL. JONES having obtained the transfer of the licence of the Young Town Inn, begs to remind his customers and friends that they will receive every accommodation with civility, that can be rendered.
August 11 Cornwall Chronicle, 15 September 1860.
1859 Alfred Fowler, Margaret and Brisbane Streets
1859-1860 Robert Cotton, The Ark, Margaret and Brisbane Streets transfer
1860 Alfred Fowler, Ark, Margaret and Brisbane Streets transfer
1860 Patrick Torley, The Ark, Margaret and Brisbane-streets
From assessment rolls, southern side of Brisbane Street, possible eastern corner.
LICENSING MEETING Alfred Fowler, premises in Brisbane and Margaret-streets. The Police Magistrate said the house was not in a fit state to be occupied, much more to hold a license, and was not wanted in the neighborhood ; there was the Hibernia Inn and the Elephant and Castle near. Refused as not necessary. Launceston Examiner, 2 December 1858
Alfred Fowler appealed against the decision of the licensing meeting, refusing to grant a license to new premises at the corner of Margaret and Brisbane-streets, on the grounds that it was not necessary and that it was not in a fit state to be occupied. After a little discussion, a license was granted. Launceston Examiner, 4 January 1859
BREACHES OF THE LICENSING ACT. — Robert Cotton was charged on information by Mr. Superintendent O’Connor with abandoning the “Noah’s Ark” Inn, the license of which he held, and Robert Fowler was charged with selling liquors on the said premises without a license. Launceston Examiner, 28 February 1860
