Enfield Hotel (2)

169 Charles St. Google Maps.

img_2391
Now a shop.

Photo while still a hotel (1960s-1980s)
Earlier but poor quality image
1885 street scene, cnr of Charles and York Streets. Charles St runs from the bottom left corner. Enfield must be the third from the corner, next door to the low auction mart building.)

1868-85 Elijah E. Panton, Enfield Hotel, Charles Street
1885-88 Jane Elizabeth Panton, Enfield Hotel, Charles Street
1888+ Edward Henry Panton, Enfield Hotel, Charles-street.

Elijah Edward Panton, Enfield Hotel,
Charles-street.
Mr. Coulter said this was the same house as Mr. Frederick Jones had applied for a license for last year. It was that next to Messrs. Bell and Westbrook’s Auction Mart. There was no objection on that occasion to the premises or to the applicant, but a license had been refused on the ground that no other licensed house was required in that neighbourhood. Mr. Panton was leaving the Queen’s Head, in Wellington-street, and he had applied for this.
Mr Rose believed that a respectable licensed house was required in that neighbourhood, and this was a most suitable house, with extensive accommodation
Mr Hudson said there were three other licensed houses within fifty yards of it.
Mr. Rose said the magistrates bad granted a fourth license further up the street, although there were previously three, one at each of the other corners of the street, Mr. Panton was a highly respectable man, and he (Mr. Rose) could see no reason why he should not be permitted to contribute his £25 to the general revenue, and take his chance as to whether the house was required there.
The Chairman said that something was due to those who were in the trade, and the Bench was bound to consider their interests.
Mr. Rocher said that two licensed houses had been closed in that locality, one of them recently, and the premises were now used as the Working Men’s Club.
The Chairman said we did not require so many public houses now as in the gold digging days.
Mr Sherwin said he was present when the previous application for a license to this house had been heard, and it was opposed on several grounds. If they were to have free trade in public-houses there would be no necessity for that Court, as the Government might grant licenses without it. One of the grounds of opposition was that the present publicans could scarcely live, and were unable to pay their rents from the proceeds of their business ; one landlord present stated that he had not only to lose his rent, but pay the license fee. This was an entirely new license, to a house never licensed before. It was situated next door to the chief auction mart in the city, and if licensed must in such a situation become a nuisance.
Mr. Rocher said Mr Panton required a license to open these extensive premises, not as a drinking house, but as a family hotel— a species of accommodation very much wanted in town. Messrs. Bell and Westbrook–the adjoining proprietors– had no objection to the license being granted. Mr. Panton was well known to the magistrates as a most respectable man, who had held a license for the Criterion Family Hotel, and conducted it in a most creditable manner.
The Mayor regretted that it was his duty to oppose the application, for as far as his own opinion went, he could see no necessity for another licensed house in that locality.
Mr. Douglas said if the magistrates granted a license to the present applicant it must be mere matter of compliment to him, as the character of the previous applicant was admitted to be unexceptionable; and if the magistrates at one annual meeting reversed the decision at the previous one

Mr. Rocher–The application was not refused at an annual, but at a quarterly meeting.
Mr. Douglas said he was in favor of free trade in public houses, provided the premises were suitable, and the character of the applicants good.
Mr. Weedon was of the same opinion. It was a mere matter of speculation in that as much as in establishing a butcher’s or baker’s shop. Where they were nut required they would not be established.
Mr. Mason said if it had been shown that the number of public houses in that portion of the street would be increased by granting this license, he would oppose it ; but he could not see that any harm could arise from closing an old house and opening a better one, to be conducted by a man whom be knew to be of the highest respectability He was very sorry to think, that although Mr. Panton was a most respectable man, he could not say that he had also been a fortunate one.
The Chairman then put the question to the vote, and the license was granted, eleven of the justices voting in favour of, and nine against the application being granted.

Cornwall Chronicle, 2 December 1868

cornwall-chronicle
Cornwall Chronicle, 23 January 1869

HOTEL ACCOMMODATION. Our visitors are pouring in so rapidly from the continental colonies, that the Brisbane, Launceston, Criterion, Royal, London, Bull’s Head, Plough, and Sydney Hotels, are almost as busy as if the Carnival had commenced. The new Enfield Hotel, in Charles street, under the able management of Mr. and Mrs. Panton, will be a valuable acquisition in the coming trial as to what can be done to make our visitors comfortable.
[continued]
Cornwall Chronicle, 23 January 1869

OBITUARY
MR E. E. PANTON,
Death ever busy in our midst-has removed another old and respected colonist from amongst us. At 3 o’clock yesterday morning Mr. Elijah Edward Panton passed peacefully away, so painlessly that those watching could hardly fix the moment when the spirit was freed from its earthly tabernacle. The deceased, who was possessed of a kindly, genial, and liberal nature, was born in August, 1797, and was consequently in his 88th year. Few men have earned the good-will and respect of all classes like Mr. Panton, and general regret was expressed when the news of his demise became known in town. The half-closed shutters of many leading tradesmen’s places of business testify to the esteem with which he was held. Mr. Panton arrived in Hobart from the old country in 1825, taking up a grant of land at Green Ponds, but on which he never resided. In the following year the deceased took possession of a farm at Broadmarsh, in the Brighton district, where he continued to reside until 1836. Mr. Panton’s farm-house was the first place attacked and robbed by the well-known bush rangers, Cash and Kavanagh. In the year 1836 Mr. Panton returned to England, where he married, leaving for Tasmania again in the same year with his bride. Mr. Panton took up his residence again at Broadmarsh, where he remained for fourteen years. In 1850 Mr. Panton left for Hobart, and became land lord of the Golden Gate Hotel, Harrington-street. From the year 1854 until 1861 Mr. Panton resided at Ross, and it was when living at the latter place that he with ten others started the first gold crushing machine in connection with the Union Company at Mangana. In the year 1861 he came to Launceston and became the landlord of the Cornwall, Criterion, and Enfield Hotels. In 1864 Mr. Panton severed his connection with the Cornwall Hotel, and entered upon the occupancy of the Criterion. After eighteen months’ residence at the latter hotel Mr. Panton came to the Enfield Hotel, in which well-known house he resided continuously until his death. He leaves a widow, five daughters, and two sons, one of his sons, Mr. Edward Panton, being the well-known landlord of the Launceston Hotel. The funeral will leave the Enfield Hotel at 2.30 p.m. to-day, and doubtless a large number of friends will follow the remains of one who in life so often showed himself “a friend in need.”
Launceston Examiner, 21 May 1885

LAUNCESTON.
[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]
Wednesday.
At an early hour this morning, after an active career extending considerably over the period allotted by the Psalmist, a good life terminated in a quiet peaceful death. It may be truly said of Mr. Elijah E. Panton, the late landlord of the Enfield Hotel, in Charles-Street, that he had very many friends, and not a single enemy, and that he scarcely ever missed any opportunity, even when he could ill afford it, of assisting a brother in distress. Mr. Panton was born at Grantham, in Lincolnshire, on the 8th of August, 1798, and was consequently 87 years of age. He came to Hobart in 1825, and took up a grant of land at Broad Marsh, which he cultivated for some years. During these years the blacks had been very troublesome to the settlers, and in a scrimmage that took place between them at Black Brush Mr. Panton received a spear wound in his shoulder, the effects of which he frequently felt ever afterwards. In 1836 he took a trip to England, and while there married, returning with Mrs Panton to Broad Marsh, where the couple remained till 1850. In 1850 Mr. Panton went into business as a licensed victualler, taking the old Golden Gate Hotel, in Collins street, Hobart, now known as the Turkish Bath Hotel. Here he remained till 1854, when he took the Ross Hotel, at Ross. Leaving Ross in 1860, he opened the Cornwall Hotel at Launceston, and subsequently held the Criterion, and the house he died in, the Enfield Hotel. During all these years Mr. Panton made many friends by whom he was very highly respected. Mrs. Panton and seven children survive the deceased, one son and one daughter having died. Tho oldest son is Captain Panton, of the English ship Howra, and the second son, Mr. E. H Panton, is the proprietor of the Launceston Hotel.

The Mercury, 21 May 1885
launceston-examiner-4-august-1885
Launceston Examiner, 4 August 1885

launceston-examiner-28-may-1888
Launceston Examiner, 29 May 1888

Permission was yesterday granted by the sitting magistrates, Messrs. H. T. A. Murray, P.M., and A. W. Birchall, J.P., to E. H. Panton, to sell liquors at the Enfield Hotel, Charles-street, under the license held by the late Mrs. Elizabeth Panton, until next licensing day.
Launceston Examiner, 30 May 1888

daily-telegraph-25-december-1888
Daily Telegraph, 25 December 1888

From “Licensing Bench–Annual Meeting”:
Edward Henry Panton, Enfield Hotel, Charles-street. The chairman remarked that this was one of the best conducted hotels in the city, but the premises were very bad. and he thought unless something was done to them the license should not be granted again. After a slight discussion the license was granted, there being no police objection.
Daily Telegraph, 2 December 1890

4 thoughts on “Enfield Hotel (2)”

  1. Interesting to read about the Enfield Hotel and its opening by my great great grand father Elijah Edward Panton. EE Panton came to Van Diemens Land as a convict in 1819 on the ship Dromedary. He became free by servitude in 1826 and operated a farm at Broadmarsh (then called the Broad Marsh) for several years. As you mention in your notes he returned to England in 1836 and married Jane Elizabeth Henningham and returned to Hobart in 1837. After several more years at Broadmarsh he became the Pound Keeper at Brighton and then had the Golden Gate Hotel in Collins Street, Hobart from about 1850 to 1855. In 1855 the family moved to the Ross Hotel where they stayed until 1860. After being bankrupted at Ross, EE Panton moved to Launceston and took over the Cornwall Hotel. By this time the family consisted of 6 daughters and 3 sons. I believe the sons stayed in Hobart at school while the daughters moved with their parents. My great grand father is Bladen George Panton – born at Broadmarsh in 1843. He became a sailor at the age of 16 and later became a Master Mariner in 1872. He married Margaret Mercer of Morningside, Campbell Town and they settled at Ulverstone after he retired. The second son is Edward Henry Panton (Uncle Teddy to our family) – he operated the Enfield, Launceston and Brisbane Hotels after his father’s death. He served as an alderman on the Launceston City Council and was Mayor in 1899.

    Reply
  2. I also find this interesting! As I new only a little of this family.
    My grand uncle Edwin Norman Bartley ( son off my gggrandparents Theordore Bryant Bartley & Hannah nee Pickering) married Elizabeth Charlotte Panton( dau. of Elijah Edward & Jane) at Holy Trinity Launceston 14 Jun 1874. She died a widow in 1885.
    Another dau. Caroline Jane Panton married William Hogg in 20 Oct 1857 at Ross. She died at Longford in 1877. The Hoggs married into the Huxtables of Evandale also my direct ancestors.

    Reply

Leave a Comment