Duchess of Kent Hotel

Duchess of Kent

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History
Town	Ballarat
Street	Main Road
Opened	c 1855
Known dates	1855-1870
Other names	Hotel d'Europe
Demolished	April 1872

The Duchess of Kent Hotel was in Ballarat, Victoria, <1855-1870>.

Site

The Duchess of Kent Hotel was in Main Street, Ballarat. In August 1856, Silas E. Crain, surgeon and physician, had his office opposite the hotel. In 1857 i6 was described as being opposite W. T. Jackson's timber yard. In 1862 the site was described as being opposite a two storeyed boarding house which was the source of a fire that destroyed 30 buildings.

History

In January 1857 the hotel advertised its benefits:

DUCHESS OF KENT HOTEL, MAIN ROAD. WILLIAM ROBINSON begs to inform visitors to Ballarat, that they will find his Hotel replete with every accommodation. His stock of WINES AND SPIRITS are of the very best vintages and brands. The lovers of a glass of PRIME ENGLISH ALE can obtain from his cellar an article unsurpassed in the colony- " Clear, Sparkling and Cool." The Victualling Department is presided over by a first-rate cook, and the table is regularly supplied with every delicacy in season Families requiring privacy can be accommodated with Neat Suites of Apartments. Every Monday and Saturday evening the lover of harmony can enjoy a song and his glass in the good old Free and Easy Style and listen to one pf the best instruments on Ballarat, presided over by an efficient pianist. Those who delight in home associations can regale themselves with the CHIMING of The only set of Hand Bells in the Colony and dream

"Of love and hope, and that sweet time
When first they heard that evening chime."

WELL AIRED BEDS AND GOOD STABLING

During the license application hearing in June 1857 the cleanliness of the hotel was criticized:

Mr Inspector Taylor said the house itself was all very well, but the back premises were in a filthy state. Mr Dunne remarked that this had been remedied since the place was inspected.

In June 1858 the hotel keeper was assaulted:

Miel v Dowby-A summons for damages ; for an assault. Complainant deposed that Dowby violently assaulted him in the bagatelle room of the Duchess of Kent Hotel of which he (complainant) is the keeper. Corroborative evidence was given, and defendant, who did not appear, was ordered to pay £5 or distress to issue, and in default one week's imprisonment.

In December 1858 the publican was fined for having an unlicenced bagatelle table:

Chas. Scorer, Duchess of Kent Hotel, for having an unlicensed bagatelle table. The defendant said the town clerk had told him the police would not interfere until certain correspondence between the Government and the Municipal Council had ended. The magistrate said the Municipal Council had no jurisdiction over licensed houses, and if publicans were fools enough to listen to such advice as that mentioned they must take the consequences. Under the circumstances, however, a mitigated fine of 10s only would be imposed.

The hotel was flooded during the Ballarat flood of 9 December 1860.

In April 1870 a man was charged for his behavior outside the hotel:

George Gunmow, a young man, was charged with threatening behavior in front of the Duchess of Kent hotel. He had been found by the police conducting himself in a disorderly manner, and threatening in very objectionable terms to knock off the head of a passer-by. He, however, pleaded that he had no intention of doing what he said, and that he had merely said what was attributed to him in fun. Mr Gaunt discharged him.</ref>1870 'POLICE.', The Ballarat Star (Vic. : 1865 - 1924), 5 April, p. 4. , viewed 07 Nov 2022, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article219307489</ref>

The hotel was pulled down in April 1872 and removed to Windermere:

Some time ago the old Duchess of Kent hotel and Hotel d’Europe, Main street, was sold, if we remember rightly, for £100. Tenders were invited by the purchaser to take down the hotel and cart it to Windermere for re-erection. The work of removal is all but completed; none but the main timbers being left standing. The building possesses historical interest, having been used on frequent occasions as a place of meeting for many years during the early days of Ballarat.

Community Involvement

• Ballarat Gas Company, June 1857,meeting to discuss the engineer's report into establishing a gas works.
• Ballarat Building Association, July 1857, meeting of directors and others interested in establishing the association.
• In December 1857 the Municipal Council of Ballarat East held their meetings at the hotel.
• Ballarat Rifle Regiment, August 1858, meeting to appoint a sergeant-major, and to discuss uniforms.

Inquests

• April 1857, an inquest into the death of Peter Fabrew, a miner found nearby:

At the Duchess of Kent Hotel, on the body of Peter Fabrew, a colored man, aged about 40. It appeared from the evidence, that deceased had been complaining for upwards of twelve months, and on Friday was seen fossicking near his tent above Sharp and Co.'s shaft, behind the Duchess of Kent, about twelve o'clock. About two o'clock he was found lying on a water-box near the same shaft, and on examination was found to be cold and quite dead. A post mortem examination shewed that death was caused from the effects of dropsy of the chest and pericardium. - Verdict accordingly. - The deceased left property to the amount of about £50, which the Coroner took possession of to be handed over to the Curator of Intestate Estates.

The People

• In December 1856 and June 1857 the license was granted to William Robinson.
• In June 1858 the hotel keeper was a Mr. Miel.
• In June 1858 the license was granted to Charles Scorer.
• In July 1858, the license had been issued to Thomas Robinson instead of Charles Scorer:

Thomas Robinson, Duchess of Kent Hotel, Main Road. Mr Scorer appeared and said the application should have been in his name but he had been absent when the application was made. Granted, the name to (be) changed.

• • In December 1858 the publican was Charles Scorer.
  • In June 1859 Scorer's license was renewed.
• In June 1862 the publican's license was granted to William Robinson.
• In July 1868 the publican John Jefferies transferred his license from the John o'Groat Hotel.