Brophy's Hotel

Brophy's Hotel

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History
Town	Ballarat
Street	Cnr. Sturt and Doveton Streets
Closed	1892
Known dates	1869-1892
Other names	Newton's Hotel Sturt Hotel

Brophy's Hotel was a hotel in Ballarat, Victoria, <1869-1892.

Site

The hotel was on the corner of Sturt Street and Doveton Street, Ballarat. The site was occupied by the National Bank in 2016.

Background

The hotel was named for the proprietor, Daniel Brophy. In 1869, the licensee is Daniel Brophy (who eventually became a local councillor; Mayor of Ballarat; and member of the Victorian Parliament). As a businessman who benefited from Ballarat's mining boom, he invested and greatly enlarged the hotel, which he naturally called Brophy's. An early photo shows the location of the hotel and seems to suggest it was a three story hotel.

In December 1892 hotel became known as Newton's Hotel with the licensee being Michael Newton. There is a fine photo of the hotel around this time (source: Australiana Reference Collection; Ballarat Library).

Newton unsuccessfully applied to change the name of the hotel from Brophy's to Newtons in September 1896:

The application of Michael Newton to change the name of his hotel from Brophy’s to Newton’s was struck out, the applicant not appearing.

The name was officially changed in a court hearing in December 1896.

The hotel had a further name change to the Sturt, which it continued to be called until the licence was surrendered 19 December 1955.

History

In November 1870 the barman was injured while lighting the hotel's street lamp:

The barman at Mr D. Brophy’s hotel on Friday evening met with a fall from a ladder, by which both his wrists have been disabled. He was standing on the ladder lighting the lamp in front of the hotel, when a boy who was being chased by some others ran against it and knocked it down.

Advertisements in 1882 for the hotel said "This central and commodious Hotel offers every comfort and convenience to the travelling public or resident."

In December 1882 it was reported that Daniel Brophy was retiring from the hotel:

After doing a lucrative trade in his well known hotel in Sturt street for many years, Mr D. Brophy, M.L.A., will in a few days’ time hand over his business, &c., to his successor, Mr Riordan, at present, the proprietor of the American hotel, Creswick. Mr Brophy, during his connection with Brophy’s hotel, gained the goodwill of all persons with whom he had business transactions. Mr Brophy’s successor, Mr Riordan, is a popular gentleman in Creswick and district, and there is no doubt that he will show the same courteous bearing as displayed by the retiring landlord of one of the principal hotels in the City of Ballarat.

In October 1883, the new publican was advertising:

Mr John O. Atkinson, who has taken Brophy's hotel. Sturt street, advertises first-class accommodation for families. There will be a night porter. Every convenience will be afforded to visitors.

In April 1885, James Cahir was arrested for using obscene language and resisting arrest outside the hotel:

The City Bench yesterday morning inflicted a severe penalty in the case of a man named James Cahir, who made his appearance before them on charges of obscene language and resisting the police. Cahir had been arrested on the previous evening in front of Brophy's hotel, where he was making use of very bad language, and generally making himself a nuisance. Constable Maguire cautioned him against such conduct, when Cahir turned round and struck at the constable. The latter, in putting up his hand to ward off the blow, was severely cut by some sharp instru ment that the prisoner held in his hand. The bench discharged the prisoner on the charge of obscene language, but on the second charge fined him the full amount provided by the law, £20, in default three months’ imprisonment.

Community Involvement

Meetings

• Ballarat Operatic and Musical Society, meeting, December 1891

Politics

• August 1870, Mr. Claxton and Mr. Everingham, candidates for the council elections, spoke at meetings of their supporters.

Sports

• City Rowing Club, August 1882, special meeting to change the club colours.

The People

• From at least 1869 to 1882 the licensee was Daniel Brophy.
• On 8 December 1883, the publican, John Oldbury Atkinson died.
• In the 1884 the license was held by John Riordan.
• In 1890 the licence was in the name of T. Elliot.