Cremorne Hotel

Cremorne Hotel

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History
Town	Ballarat
Street	Eureka Street
Closed	31 December 1922
Known dates	1861-1922

The Cremorne Hotel was a hotel in Ballarat, Victoria, <1861-1922.

Site

The Cremorne Hotel was in Eureka Street. The site has been identified as now being 822 Eureka Street.

History

In June 1864 the publican, George Collins, advertised his intention to apply for a renewal of the the license:

TO the Bench of Magistrates, Ballarat East.-I, GEORGE COLLINS, Licensed Publican, now residing in the district of Ballarat East, do hereby give notice, that it is my intention to apply to the justices sitting at the Court of Petty Sessions to be holden at Ballarat East on 1st day of July, 1864, for a Certificate authorising the issue of a Publican's License for a house situated on the Specimen Hill road; four bedrooms, three sitting rooms; present occupier; licensed sign, Cremorne Hotel. Dated at Ballarat the 16th day of June, 1864. GEORGE COLLINS.

In April 1872 the hotel was the starting point for a search for the "wild man of the woods":

Man Hunting at Ballarat. THERE was a great hunt, yesterday, after the "wild man of the woods." At about half -past 10 in the morning a company of between thirty and forty horsemen and pedestrians assembled at the Cremorne Hotel, and placed themselves under the lead of Sergeant Larner, who had several constables with him. The party, which also included a number of dogs, then started for the ranges, and scoured the bush for miles around, taking in Slaughteryard-hill, the Butts, Yankee Flat, Gay's Lead, Navigators, and all the country lying between Buninyong and Warrenheip. The search was continued up till 5 o'clock in the evening, and the country was crossed and recrossed ; the various parties separating and diverging, and collecting again at the sound of Larner's shrill whistle, but all to no purpose. Every gully, every slope, every bush or clump of trees with a suspicious-looking aspect, which came within range of the searchers; was investigated ; but not even a wild cat was discovered, much less a wild man. A tunnel 250 feet long on the White Hills was explored from end to end, but fruitlessly, and at last the party became so sensitive to the pangs of hunger and fatigue, that it was a most fortunate thing for the wild man that he did not make his appearance, or it is more than probable he would have been "turned off," or boned and grilled, to serve as luncheon for his pursuers, is said that sergeant Larner himself was lost to the party for some time in the middle of the afternoon, and that he was eventually discovered following the tracks of a baker's cart, which he was anxiously hoping to be able to "stick up" for a loaf of bread. The last of the search party (including the sergeant) did not reach town again until 5 o'clock in the evening; and although the search was an unsuccessful one, ample evidence was discovered during the day that the existence of the wild man was not a mere invention of the brain. Several mia-mias were met with, which he must have very recently occupied ; and about 8 o'clock' yesterday morning he was seen by a boy who was cutting wood in Light's paddock, near Sawpit gully. He had a sheepskin over his shoulders, and ran after the lad, who dropped his hat and his axe, and took to his heels. The axe was afterwards pick up by a constable on the spot where it was left by the boy. It is stated that the wild man has killed several calves in the neighbourhood, and has torn up and devoured a quantity of potatoes from some of the paddocks. — Ballarat Courier, April 25.

In May 1876 the Ballarat Star reported on the unusual second blossom on apple trees at the hotel:

We may state that the apple-trees in Mr George Collins’ gardens, at the Cremorne hotel, Eureka street, have, been in splendid second blossom this season. Other instances have also occurred this season in this district.

In June 1888 the hotel was reviewed by the License Reduction Board:

Cremorne hotel —Annie Collins, licensee and owner. A brick and stone building, fairly well furnished and well conducted; three-stall stable; a mile from the nearest hotel.

In April 1897 the publican, Henry Beckman, was fined for selling "fake" rum:

Henry Beckman, of the Cremorne Hotel, Eureka-street pleaded not guilty to a similar charge. Mr. C. R. Blackett, Government analyst, deposed that the liquor seized at Mr. Beckman's hotel was not Jamaica rum. It was an artificial spirit, flavored with essence of rum. Jamaica rum was made from cane juice and had a character of its own. Mr. H. S. Barrett, for the defence, read an extract from the "Encyclopedia Britannica," containing the words, "the finest (rum) being known as Jamaica rum, whether it is produced in that island or not." The Government analyst, in reply, said he considered the "Encyclopedia Britannica " was mistaken in what it said about Jamaica rum. These books were often loosely written. Jamaica rum, received through a reputable merchant, would be the product of Jamaica. Defendant deposed he had purchased the liquor in question from a leading Ballarat firm of merchants. The defendant was fined £1, with costs. The latter will be heavy, as the expenses of several expert witnesses will be included.

Beckman was back in court in November 1898, this time on a charge of selling "fake" whisky:

At the Ballarat East court to-day Henry Beckman, of the Cremorne Hotel, Eureka-street, pleaded guilty to falsely applying the trade mark of Mitchell's to whisky not of the quality demanded, and a fine of £2, with £2 17s. 6d. costs, was imposed, and an order was made for the confiscation of the liquor.

In August 1913 the publican was fined:

At Ballarat East court on Wednesday Mary Ann Cremin, licensee of the Seven Stars Hotel, and Edgar Peters, licensee of the Cremorne Hotel, were each fined £5 for having had their bar doors open on Sunday, 27th July. Three young men who had been found on the premises with out lawful excuse were each fined 10/, and a woman who had been seen leaving the hotel with beer was let off with a fine of 3/-.

In August 1914, Edgar Peters was again charged with Sunday trading:

When Edgar Peters, licensee of the Cremorne Hotel was on Wednesday charged with having sold liquor on a Sunday and also with having delayed admission to the police. Mr Pearson objected to the course taken in having previously charged two men with having been on the premises during prohibited hours without lawful excuse. The men were fined, and Mr Pearson contended that in circumstances of this kind it was difficult for members of the Bench not to be influenced by what had taken place. Men might plead guilty to avoid further trouble, or might neglect to appear to defend themselves and be utterly regardless of what the consequences might be to a licensee who was subsequently to be proceeded against. Licensing Inspector Sampson replied that the police had nothing to do with fixing the order in which cases were heard and Mr S. J. Goldsmith PM remarked that the charges against the licensee would be dealt with only on evidence relating to them. Evidence was given by Plainclothes Constable Morgan and Constable Geddes that about 16 minutes elapsed from when they knocked at the hotel door until it was opened. The men were in concealment in different rooms, and there were wet glasses in the bar. Defendant said that he did not answer the first knocking because he thought it was somebody who wanted to get a drink, and as soon as he heard the word police he opened to them. The glasses had been left since the Saturday night, and the men were there for meals. He was fined £5 for having delayed the police. The other charges were dismissed.

In March 1920 the hotel was one of 31 hotels in the district threatened with de-licensing by the Licenses Reduction Board. A hearing was held at the Ballarat Supreme Court in March 1920:

The last hotel on the list for the day was the Cremorne Hotel. Eureka street on the boundary of Ballarat East and Warrenheip. Plainclothes Constable Morgan gave evidence with regard to the hotel, of which John M'lnerney is the licensee. It was an isolated hotel, with very little population in its locality. In his opinion the hotel, which carried on a small “catch” trade, was not required. Constable Clark, stationed at Warrenheip, and Constable Geddes, stationed at Mount Pleasant, corroborated the evidence of the former witness. Mary M'lnerney, daughter of the licensee of the Cremorne Hotel, said she managed the place, and they supplied 10 beds and 40 meals a month to the public.

The hotel was closed in 1922 by the Licence Reduction Board. The owner received £750 compensation, and the publican £150.

The People

• In June 1861 the license was granted to Thomas Carling.
• In June 1862 the publican's license was granted to George Collins (given as Cummins in 1862)
  • His license was renewed in July 1864, December 1873 and 1874.
  • Collins died of dropsy in July 1882.
• In January 1883, Annie Collins had her license renewed.
  • In June 1888 the publican and owner was Annie Collins.
• In December 1896 the license was transferred from George Blythen to Heinrich Beckman.
• In April 1897 and November 1898 the publican was Henry Beckman.
• In November 1906, the publican, Annie Bethune was fined for Sunday trading.
• In December 1906, an application to transfer the license from Annie Bethune to James Rowett was withdrawn.
• In January 1907 the license was transferred from Annie Bethune to James Rowett Clarence.
• From at least August 1913 to August 1914 the publican was Edgar Peters.
• In August 1916 the license was transferred from the estate of S. Powell to Eliza Pratt.
• In July 1918, the license was transferred from Eliza Pratt to John McInerney.
• In March 1920 the licensee was John McInerney and the owner was the Ballarat Brewing Company.