Ernest E. Camm

Ernest E. Camm
Born	1872 Rokewood, Victoria
Died	3 January 1955 Beeac, Victoria
Occupation	Publican
Years active	1896-1912
Known for	Break o'Day Hotel Commercial Hotel New Farmers' Arms (Beeac)
Home town	Corindhap
Spouse(s)	Georgina Camm
Parents	John Edmund Camm (father) Louisa Sorall (mother)

Ernest E. Camm was a publican at Corindhap, Victoria, <1896-1912.

History

Ernest Edmund John Camm was a publican at the Commercial Hotel in Corindhap.

He was born in 1872 at Rokewood, Victoria, the son of John Edmund Camm and Louisa Sorall (Hayden).

In November 1896, Camm advertised he and his wife Georgina, would take over the license of the Break o'Day Hotel, from Mary J. Thomas (Georgina's aunt):

LICENSING ACT 1890. NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TRANSFER OF LICENSE. We, MARY JANE THOMAS, of Corindhap, the holder of a Victualler's License for the house and premises known as The Break o’Day Hotel, situate at Corindhap, in the Licensing District of Rokewood, transferror and GEORGINA CAMM, of Corindhap, proposed transferee, do hereby, give notice that it is our intention to apply to the Licensing Court for the said Licensing District, on the 7th day cf December, 1896, at one o’clock in the afternoon, at Scarsdale, for a TRANSFER of the said LICENSE to the said GEORGINA CAMM. Given under our hands this 29th day of October, 1896. MARY JANE THOMAS, Present Holder of the said License. GEORGINA CAMM, Proposed Transferree. Witness—ERNEST E. J. CAMM.

LICENSING ACT 1890. NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TRANSFER OF LICENSE. We, MARY JANE THOMAS, of Corindhap, the holder of a Victualler’s License for the house and premises known as The Break o’ Day Hotel, situate at Corindhap, in the Licensing District of Rokewood, transferror, and ERNEST E. J. CAMM, of Corindhap, proposed transferree, do hereby give notice that it is our intention to apply to the Licensing Court for the said Licensing District on the 7th day of December, 1896, at one o'clock in the afternoon, at Scarsdale, for a TRANSFER of the said LICENSE to the said ERNEST E. J. CAMM. Given under our hands this 29th day of October, 1896. MARY JANE THOMAS, Present Holder of the said License, ERNEST E. J. CAMM, Proposed Transferree. Witness—Georgina Camm.

Camm was the licensee of the Commercial Hotel from at least 1900 until 1912. In June 1909 he took over the license from his younger brother, Leslie Bertram Camm. Leslie moved his license to the Corindhap Hotel.

By 1900 Camm had renamed the hotel the Commercial Hotel.

In October 1900, Camm chaired a meeting of the Break 0'Day Turf Club at the Commercial Hotel.

A dinner was held for him when he left the hotel in March 1912:

RECOGNISING A CITIZEN’S WORTH. A well-attended meeting was held in the local Mechanics’ Hall on Friday night last, for the purpose of recognising the many services rendered to the district by Mr E. E. J. Camm, the popular proprietor of the Commercial Hotel, Corindhap, who has disposed of the hotel, and will be leaving the district very shortly. Mr J. Meyer, J.P., was voted to the chair. A strong committee was formed, consisting of Messrs C. W. Stanbrook (chairman), W. Laidler, jun. (secretary), J. Meyer (treasurer), W. Laidler, sen., R. Jolly, R. Gilbert, W. E. Lawless, H. Trende, T. Mellington, F. Ratcliffe, A. Trende, R. A. Quarrell, and G. Arnold. It was resolved to tender Mr and Mrs Camm a complimentary social on a date to be fixed in April next.

When he left Corindhap he sold his property in the area as well:

Owing to Mr E. E. J. Cannon having disposed of the Commercial hotel, Corindhap, to Mr K. Kelly, a clearing sale of land, horses, and farm implements was held by W. Darcy and Co., on Saturday last. There was a large attendance of buyers, and every lot submitted realised good prices. A 40 acre block of farm land at the Springs realised £10 per acre, and a block of 13 acres in Rokewood reached £11 17s 6d per acre. Mrs Quarrell was the purchaser of the Spring paddock, and Mr T. Simpson of the Rokewood paddock.

In August 1914 the press reported on Camm's new hotel at Beeac:

The contractor, Mr. F. Gaunt, of Ballarat, has almost completed the building of the New Farmers' Arms Hotel, which is being built to the order of Mr. E. Camm. It only now remains for a few finishing touches to complete one of. the finest and most up-to-date hotels in the Western District. The new building is built entirely of Ballarat bricks, and contains 21 rooms, including two front bars and two bar parlors, and a large commercial room. It is lath and plastered throughout, and efficiently lighted with Quirk's latest model air-gas, which has been installed throughout the building. In order to ensue an abundance of good water a large underground tank has been put in, which has a capacity of 30,000 gallons of water. The fittings in the various rooms have been carried out in a most elaborate style, a special feature in the bars being a glass overhead shelf. The new building is an ornament to the town, and the owner, Mr. Camm, is to be commended for his confidence in the suitability of the district in erecting such an up-to-date building, which has cost between £2,000 and £3,000. Owing to the heavy demand which is made on the licensee, Mr. C. Turner, for accommodation, it has been found necessary to retain twelve rooms, which previously belonged to the old buildings, the remainder of the rooms having been demolished.

In January 1920 the Camperdown Chronicle reported that Camm had retired from the hotel.

In April 1920 following the death of his brother, Albert Richard Camm, a butcher a Corindhap, he was administrator of the estate. At this time he was described as a licensed victualler living in Beeac.

In March 1936 he was mining at Corindhap when he discovered large nugget:

Mr. E. Camm, of Beeac, and his son, who have been mining at Corindhap for some time, unearthed a nugget weighing 4 lb. 6 oz. avoirdupois, worth about £520.

He died on 3 January 1955, and is buried at Beeac, Victoria.