St John Street, eastern side between William Street and Cimitiere St (see bottom)
Previously in George Town
1835 John Gardiner Thomas, George Inn, Launceston
1836-39 John Gardiner Thomas, George Inn, St John Street
1840 John Gardiner Thomas, George & the Dragon, Launceston
Moved to Wellington Street but I’m not sure when it moved. At the annual licensing meeting in
1839 it is in St John Street. On 6 February 1841 (see first advertisement below) it is in Wellington St.
Became Temperance Coffee House
(So far this is the earliest mention of St John Street as the location)
Part of much longer advertisement for “Land Premises Situate in St. John-street, between Messrs. Hewitt, Gore & Co., and Messrs. Smith, Raven, & Co’s. Stores, the whole being divided into four lots, as now let to the respective tenants.
Cornwall Chronicle, 13 October 1838
AN IMPROVEMENT. – A public-house near the wharf, known as the George and Dragon, has been converted into a Temperance Coffee-house, and is, we understand, conducted in a very respectable manner by Mr. Stoneham. This will be a very gratifying token of improvement to all advocates of temperance.
Launceston Advertiser, 21 January 1841
Location notes
This is from Smythe’s map of 1835. The street marked with a dotted line is St John Street, near the wharf. The two buildings on the corner of William Street were, at the time, Ship Inn and Sailor’s Return. (The 1838 advertisement above details adjoining buildings & an 1852 advertisement put Connolly & Co (formerly Hewitt, Gore & Co) on the corner of Cimitiere Street.) The most likely position is in the group of buildings between Cimitiere & William Streets,
On George Fuller’s map, he places it part way along this block, with the note “Captain John Gardiner Thomas in the thirties, this was before the kept the “George Inn”-it was situated north end of row two story weather board buildings, Mr Ritchies mill is on part same site.”. The Ritchies Mill building is here (brick building with cream trim).