Allendale Hotel
 Picture needed | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Town | Allendale |
| Closed |
1886 1952 |
| Known dates |
<1886 c.1928-1952 |
| Demolished |
1886 1948 |
The Allendale Hotel was a hotel at Allendale, Victoria, <1886, 1928-1952
Background[edit | edit source]
There have been at least three hotels on the site. The first was destroyed by fire in 1886:
FIRE AT ALLENDALE. The Allendale Hotel, at Allendale, was destroyed by fire at an early hour this morning. The cause of the fire is unknown.[1]
The second hotel was built c.1928 and destroyed by fire in 1948.[2] The hotel was reopened in temporary premises.[3] The hotel finally closed on 31 December 1952.[4]
Site[edit | edit source]
History[edit | edit source]
The first hotel was destroyed by fire in July 1886:
About half-past 4 o'clock this morning, an hotel belonging to Mr Mallin was, burnt down. It was at the time in the possession of Mr Macarthur, who was about taking it, to open business. The previous tenant, Mr Lillis, had just left the place on Saturday. Mr Macarthur had a narrow escape from being burnt, as the fire had reached his bedroom before he became aware of what had occurred, and he had just time to escape through his bedroom window without being able to save any thing. The origin of the fire is a mystery. The only way that Mr Macarthur can account for it is by imagining that a dog kept by him must have disturbed the fire, and so ignited the place. The hotel was insured.[5]
Another hotel was built on the site, c.1928. The publican was in court in July 1932:
Victor McCormick, Allendale Hotel, was fined £5 for having had the door leading to the bar open, and £10 for disposal of liquor in prohibited hours.[6]
Mrs. McCormick is listed as the licensee when they were again fined for selling liquor during prohibited hours in April 1935.[7]
The new hotel was also destroyed by fire in May 1948:
Narrow Escape in Hotel Fire. BALLARAT, Sunday. — Four occupants escaped in their night attire when the Allendale Hotel, Allendale, was destroyed by fire at 6.30 a.m. to-day. They were Mr. and Mrs. James Kemp, who have been conducting the hotel for the past 12 months, and Mr. and Mrs. H. J. H. Lowe, of Hawthorn, who were to have taken over the business on Monday. All their personal possessions and clothing were lost. Mr. Lowe's loss, totalling about £400, included a wallet of notes, a fountain pen, bag and other gifts presented to him following his recent retirement from the Hawthorn tramways depot. The 10-roomed hotel, valued at about v £2500, was of wood and fibro-cement, and was owned by Mrs. McCormick, Filbey-street, South Caulfield. The fire was first noticed by a neighbor, Mr. E. Robinson. The flames then had a strong hold, and when Mr. Robinson wakened the four occupants they had no time to save any of their belongings. Neighbors provided them with clothes and accommodation. The hotel was erected about 20 years ago on the site of the original hotel, which was also burnt down.[2]
The hotel continued to operate from temporary premises which were robbed in 1951:
Liquor worth £250 stolen Ballarat, Sunday. Thieves who broke into the temporary premises of the Allendale Hotel took beer. wine, whisky, gin, tobacco, and cigarettes valued at £250.[3]
On 31 December 1952, the tiny hotel, and the last one in Allendale, finally closed:
"Tiniest pub in the world" closes down. AUSTRALIA'S smallest hotel, at Allendale, near Ballarat, has closed its doors. It was the last of the township's 15 hotels which opened in the gold days 80 years ago. The building -it measures 8 yards by 8 yards- was known as the Allendale Hotel. Local drinkers claimed it was the "tiniest pub in the world." They're sorry to see it go and angry because they've been left in a "dry" area. Mr. T. Jones, local storekeeper, said yesterday: "The nearest hotel is four miles away. Your thirst won't be quenched by 6 o'clock If you have to walk that distance for a drink." The hotel served its last customer on December 31, when every drinker in the town's 200 population turned up to give It a farewell party. Mr. E. F. Goldsmith, the owner, said he refused to spend £10,500 on hotel renovations, so the Licensing Court cancelled the licence. "It was worth £2,500 a few weeks ago, but today I can sell it for only £100," he said. So now passing motorists won't ask the meaning of the signboard outside the one bar, one-bedroomed hotel, which says: "S for Superior, A for Accommodation." And the publican won't have to answer: "Dashed if I know why?"[4]
Details of compensation were published in July 1953:
THE LICENSING ACT. Whereas The Victualler's licence for the licensed premises known as The Allendale Hotel, situate at Allendale, in the Licensing District of Allendale, has been surrendered as from 31st December, 1952, notice is hereby given that the amount of COMPENSATION PAYABLE to the owner and occupier of such premises pursuant to the provisions of the Licensing Act 1928 is as under: Owner £1800, Occupier £500.[8]
Community Involvement[edit | edit source]
The People[edit | edit source]
- William Mallen (sometimes spelled Mallin) was the owner and former publican.
- In July 1886 the hotel license was transferred from Mr. Lillas to Mr. Macarthur, a week before it was burnt down.[5]
- In July 1932 the publican was Victor McCormick.[6]
- In May 1948 the licensee was James Kemp.[2]
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1886 'FIRE AT ALLENDALE.', The Colac Herald (Vic. : 1875 - 1918), 13 July, p. 3, viewed 19 February, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article90321729
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 1948 'Narrow Escape in Hotel Fire', The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), 17 May, p. 3. , viewed 14 Dec 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article206899754
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 1951 'Liquor worth £250 stolen', The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), 24 December, p. 5. , viewed 15 Dec 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23099651
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 1953 '"Tiniest pub in the world" closes down', The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), 5 January, p. 14. , viewed 15 Dec 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23220473
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 1886 'ALLENDALE.', The Ballarat Star (Vic. : 1865 - 1924), 13 July, p. 4, viewed 13 December, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204434462
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 1932 'News from Cities and Towns', The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), 16 July, p. 10. , viewed 15 Dec 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4463269
- ↑ 1935 'OTHER DISTRICTS', The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), 10 May, p. 3. , viewed 15 Dec 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12237289
- ↑ 1953 'Advertising', The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), 23 July, p. 16. , viewed 15 Dec 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23257455