Florence E. Moloney

From Hotels of Ballarat
Florence E. Moloney
Born Florence Emily Richards
Occupation Publican
Years active 1912-1919
Known for Limerick and Clare Castle Hotel
Home town Ballarat
Spouse(s) John Joseph Moloney

Florence Emily Moloney was a publican in Ballarat, <1912-1919.

History[edit | edit source]

Moloney held the license for the Limerick and Clare Castle Hotel in Main Road, Ballarat East, from at least November 1912 to 1919 when it was closed by the License Reduction Board.

She was fined for breaching licensing laws in 1912:

Florence Moloney, of the Limerick and Clare Castle Hotel, Ballarat East, was today fined £3 and £5 respectively for selling liquor and having her bar door unlocked during prohibited hours. Two policemen swore that through a window they saw two men being served with liquor. Two other witnesses, including the defendant, swore positively that no liquor had been served after 11.20, and that the bar door was not unlocked.[1]

Her husband was the cause of many of her problems as this 1913 report shows:

BALLARAT. Florence Emily Maloney, licensee of the Limerick and Clare Castle Hotel, Main road, Ballarat East, charged her husband, John Joseph Maloney, with having assaulted her. Mrs. Maloney told the bench that her husband had been on a continuous drinking bout, and had frequently assaulted her. She was afraid to go to their room at night, and was compelled to sleep by herself in a remote part of the house. On April 2nd he struck her, and dragged her by the hair, rendering her unconscious. Maloney, who did not appear when the case was first called last week, was absent again to-day. He was sentenced to 14 days imprisonment without the option of a fine.[2]

She moved from Ballarat and held other hotel licenses around Victoria. In 1926 she unsuccessfully sought to take over the license of the Flower Hotel in Port Melbourne:

Licensing Court. FLOWER HOTEL, Bay Street, Port Melbourne. In the Licensing Court on Monday last Mr E. Croft (Messrs. Croft and Rhoden) renewed the application adjourned from the previous Monday, that the licence of the Flower Hotel be transferred to Mrs. Florence E. Moloney from Mrs. Annie Kelly. Mr. Inspector Brown opposed on behalf of the police. Mr. Brown based his opposition on the ground that the applicant was not a fit and proper person to hold a licence. There had been convictions from March, 1911 to December, 1925. She had held seven licences. Some of the convictions were for most serious offences.

A report received from the Ballarat police showed that the applicant had the Limerick and Clare Castle Hotels, Main road, Ballarat East. While she was licensee the conduct of the hotel was bad and apart from breaches of the Licensing Act, there were frequent brawls at and much drunkenness about the premises. Had the Licensing Act been more strictly enforced there would have been more convictions. There was strong suspicion that a good deal of immoral conduct went on at the hotel. Since leaving Ballarat, applicant had been licensee of hotels at Coleraine, Birregurra, Sunbury, Woodend, and Chilwell. Police Constable Roberts, stationed at Ballarat East, knew the applicant when she was licensee of the Limerick and Clare Castle Hotel. He had hown her since 1914. She was in the hotel when he went to Ballarat. The hotel was delicensed by the Licensing Reduction Board in 1919. It was conducted very badly while Mrs. Maloney had it. She had no control over it. There were frequent brawls at it. Trading after hours went on, and there was a conviction for serving under age. By Mr. Croft: He was not in Ballarat the whole of the time she was in the hotel. He knew nothing about the cases in 1913. In 1916 she was charged with serving a person under age. He gave evidence in a case against her in July, 1919.
After the Limerick and Clare Castle Hotel was delicensed she was granted a licence at Birregurra. Her husband had been addicted to liquor, but he (witness) would not say it was owing to this weakness many of the convictions were obtained, because half the time he was not there. After a disagreement, he would go away and come back after six or eight months. By Mr. Brown: Three females were on the premises. The licensee and two daughters, one married who lived apart from her husband. It was commonly reputed that immoral conduct went on at this hotel. Mr. Croft : I do hope your Worships will not take any notice of what is said to be "commonly reputed" — mere tittle tattle. The Chairman said the Licensing Act specifically referred to the repute in which a licensee's establishment was held. Mr. Croft argued that common repute meant nothing as to an allegation such as that. Police evidence in previous cases had stated that in consequence of Mr. Moloney's conduct convictions had taken place.
When the Limerick and Clare Castle was closed, she was given an opportunity and she went to Birregurra. She was convicted there for gaming on the premises, but was not personally responsible, as she was in Melbourne at the time, having left her son in charge. The charge arose through travellers playing draw poker. The Chairman: She was given a chance in 1919, again in 1922, again in 1924, and one in 1925, Suppose we devote ourselves to that phase. Mr. Croft thought that depended on what the convictions were and the circumstances attending them. As to the charge of gaming on the premises, she had no more to do with it than he (Mr. Croft) had. The Chairman: Yes, she had a lot more than you. Mr. Croft: Actually, no, Sir. The Chairman: Actually, yes. She is the holder of the licence and she appoints a person to take charge of the premises. Mr. Croft: Legally, no doubt, she was responsible. A licensee was not to be a prisoner on the premises. Must a licensee never get off the premises? The Chairman: Give your answer to the five subsequent convictions. Mr. Croft: At the Lord of the Isles, at Chilwell, she was there a year and six months without any convictions.
Then with respect to the case at the Criterion Hotel, Coleraine, a butcher boy coming for the order was talking, to the son of the owner. There was no question of "trading." Their Worships were aware how at country hotels and houses tradesmen's boys stopped and talked in a way they did not in the city. She then went to the Railway Hotel, Sunbury, and while there had two convictions — Sunday trading and bar door open — both on the same occasion. It appeared three plainclothes men arrived from Melbourne and represented themselves as bona fide travellers. The barman took them in and served them. Two other men walked in behind them. Mrs. Maloney was not there at the time. She went next to Woodend, where she was for over six months, with no convictions. Mr. Brown: Not there alone. Mr. Croft was surprised to hear Mr. Brown say that, as he was one of the fair men of the police force. The whole of the trouble with Mrs. Moloney had been caused by her husband, who had now been deceased six months. Now the cause of the trouble had been removed. If granted, this application, she would be assisted by her two daughters and her son-in-law. She would go to the hotel, if permitted, and conduct it properly. She knew what she was up against. In five months time the question of her conduct would come up. He hoped the Bench would grant the application.

The Chairman: Her applications had already been opposed several times, and she had had considerable leniency extended to her, but it did not seem to be effective. The Court was now in a position, in view of the Licensing Inspector's objections to refer to the convictions. He (his Worship) should think Mr. Croft had a very hard row to hoe. Mr Croft hoped the Court would take into consideration the bright parts of her record, as well as her faults. The Chairman: The Court would take everything into consideration. How had she acted when given licences before? She had offended in every case but one. Mr, Croft : It was at Chilwell. The Chairman: Except one year since 1922 there had been convictions every year. There were limits to warnings. Mrs. Moloney stated that the fine for serving under age was to a lad who gave his age as 18, and she had not been able to seal the jug he brought. She knew the Flower Hotel had a good meal trade and she would attend to it. By Mr. Brown: She did not know why the plainclothes police were sent from Melbourne when she had the hotel at Sunbury. She had been eight times convicted in fourteen years. She had held seven licences in fourteen years. By Mr. Croft: She was now in a position where she could exercise complete authority and see that no offences were committed. The Chairman: The Court is not prepared to grant the transfer. Mr, Croft: Will you let me withdraw the application, Sir? The Chairman: Very well.[3]

Florence was married to John Joseph Moloney.[4] After leaving Ballarat, they had hotels at:

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1912 'BALLARAT.', Bendigo Advertiser (Vic. : 1855 - 1918), 21 November, p. 7. , viewed 22 Feb 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article90000843
  2. 1913 'BALLARAT.', Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1859 - 1929), 18 April, p. 5. , viewed 22 Feb 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article150679380
  3. 1926 'Licensing Court', Record (Emerald Hill, Vic. : 1881 - 1954), 22 May, p. 7. , viewed 19 Feb 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164447242
  4. Australian Marriage Index, Victoria, 1897, Ref. No. 1634
  5. Australian Electoral Roll, Victoria, 1924, Echuca, Nagambie
  6. Victorian Directory (Sands) 1924
  7. Australian Electoral Roll, Victoria, 1925, Bendigo, Woodend
  8. Victorian Directory (Sands) 1926

External links[edit | edit source]