Horse Bazaar Hotel (Armstrong Street)

For other hotels with the same or similar names see Horse Bazaar Hotel.

Horse Bazaar Hotel

Picture needed
History
Town	Ballarat
Street	Armstrong Street
Closed	1911
Known dates	1875-1911

The Horse Bazaar Hotel was a hotel in Ballarat, <1875-1911.

Site

The hotel was in Armstrong Street South, Ballarat, next to the Stork Hotel.

History

In June 1882, the publican's wife opposed the granting of a license:

James Dwyer applied for the transfer of the license of the Horse Bazaar hotel to Claus Hintz. The wife of Hintz objected to the transfer on account of her husband's habits. Mr Gaunt appeared for the applicant. The case was adjourned for a week.

In September 1887 the publican was charged for allowing a drunken person on the premises:

Drunken Persons on the Premises. Maurice Troy, of the Horse Bazaar hotel, was charged with allowing drunken persons to assemble on the premises. Constable M'Girley gave evidence as to having heard quarrelling and obscene language from outside the hotel. On going inside he saw a young man staggering into a bar parlor, with blood on his hands and a cut over his eye. The defendant made the excuse that he could not turn the people out because he had a sore arm, but when the witness offered to assist him he said he did not wish him taken out if he would remain quiet. The man, however, followed the constable out into, the street, and had to be arrested. His companions attempted to rescue him, and the witness had to send for Constable Wall. No one offered to assist him. For the defence, accused called a barmaid at the hotel, who stated that the men had just come into the hotel about 10 minutes before the constable. His Honor severely censured the defendant for his conduct, and said that the allowing of drunken persons on licensed premises must be put down. The defendant, by allowing it, was bringing disgrace upon a respectable calling, which must be protected against persons who brought such disgrace upon it. The defendant was fined £10, with 10s costs.

In December 1909 the publican, Jack Dunne, was promoting a boxing match in Ballarat on Christmas Eve:

Jack Dunne, who is well known in boxing circles, and is at present licensee of the Horse Bazaar Hotel, Ballarat, is giving the two crack amateurs, Alf. Copperwaite and Tom Williams, a purse of 30 sovs. to box on Christmas Eve. Each of the principals has held the amateur championship of Victoria, though both have now joined the professional ranks. The contest takes place at the Ballarat picture gardens at 3.30 o'clock on Christmas Eve, thus giving visitors an unusual opportunity of witnessing a fine display.

In September 1910, the publican, Thomas Edward Foran, was prosecuted for putting up information about horse racing results at the hotel. This was the first time such a prosecution had been charged, and received national interest:

PUBLISHING BETTING PRICES IN HOTEL BAR. PROSECUTION AND APPEAL. MELBOURNE, This Day. Thomas Foran, licensee of the Horse Bazaar Hotel, Ballarat, was recently fined for a contravention of the Licensing Act for appending to reports of races posted In the bar the starting prices of the winners. To-day arguments were heard before Mr. Justice Hood for an order to review the decision, the main contention being that though the prohibition was against posting Information relating to betting, the Legislature did not Intend to do more than stop the information relating to future races, and hotelkeepers were not, any more than newspapers, prohibited from giving information concerning the betting on past events. Judgment was reserved.

POSTING RACING RESULTS. NOVEL PROSECUTION. MELBOURNE, August 19. At Ballarat Police Court to-day, Thomas, Foran, licencee at the Horse Bazaar Hotel was charged with having permitted a placard to be exhibited at his licensed premises giving information relating to betting. The names of winners of races at Oaklands Hunt Club meeting were posted on the window of the hotel, together with starting prices. The case was the first of the kind brought in the State. The minimum fine of 5 pounds was imposed.

Foran successfully appealed the conviction:

A SUCCESSFUL APPEAL. Melbourne, September 27. Mr. Justice Hood to-day delivered judgment in an appeal by Thomas Edward Foran, licensee of the Horse Bazaar Hotel, Ballarat, against a conviction by the Ballarat magistrates on August 19 on a charge of having posted the odds on a horse race after the event, in contravention of the Licensing Act. His Honor said section 93 of the Licensing Act, 1906, related, in his opinion solely to existing things or possibly to things in the future, the meaning being that a licensed Person must not post any information concerning all such things even in the past, but he could not think that such was the intention of the Legislature. Newspapers were allowed to publish betting odds on races after the event, and a licensed person was not forbidden to have newspapers on his premises. He could also exhibit on his premises the names of winning horses, and his Honor could see no reason for thinking Parliament meant to punish him for merely posting information about past betting, which everyone could read in the press. The conviction I would be set aside, and the case dismissed with costs.

In March 1911, the License Reduction Board held a review of the license:

In the case of the Horse Bazaar hotel, Mr M. Lazaraus appeared for the licensee (Thomas Edward Foran) and for the owners Isabella Mitchell, Thomas Mitchell, Richard Mitchell, and Elizabeth Gray (executors in the estate of the late Richard S. Mitchell). Senior-constable Patterson stated that there were 18 rooms in the house, and was dirty, and in bad order upstairs, and the sanitary conveniences were very unsatisfactory. The Stork hotel adjoined the Horse Bazaar hotel, the Gem hotel was 40 yards away; and the Town Hall hotel 60 yards away.- The Horse Bazaar hotel was 45 yards from Sturt street. He believed that the building would bring as much in rent delicensed as licensed. In his opinion the house was not required for public convenience. He did not think any inconvenience would be caused of two of the three hotels mentioned by him were closed. Evidence was called by Mr Lazarus to show that the hotel was required. The board reserved its decision.

The hotel was one of 11 Ballarat hotels closed in 1911 by the License Reduction Board.

The People

• In December 1875 the license was granted to John Casey.
• In June 1882 James Dwyer appiled to transfer the license to Claus Hintz. Postponed for one week.
• In December 1882, the license was granted to Claus Hintz in lieu of transfer.
• In December 1883 the license was transferred from Claus Hintz to Frank Duggan.
• In December 1883, F. Dugdale's license application was postponed for one week as the hotel lacked proper toiler facilities.
• In September 1887 the publican was Maurice Troy.
• In October 1890 the license was transferred from Alfred Hardware to Patrick Quinn.
• In April 1891 the license was transferred from Patrick Quinn to Johanna O'Neill.
• In May 1903 the license was transferred from Ellen Nora Flannery to Catherine Ellen Blayney.
• In December 1909 the publican was Jack Dunne.
• In September 1910 and March 1911 the licensee was Thomas Edward Foran.