Parker's United Hotel

Parker's United Hotel

Picture needed
History
Town	Gordon
Closed	1877-1913
Other names	aka Daly's Hotel

Parkers' United Hotel was a hotel in Gordon, Victoria, <1877-1913.

Site

The hotel was in Gordon. It was also known as Daly's Hotel during the tenure of Kate Daly from 1877 to 1885. This can create confusion as the Victoria Hotel in Gordon was also known as Daly's Hotel when run earlier by Kate and her husband Jeremiah Daly.

Background

The hotel was closed by the License Reduction Board in 1913. The owner received £225 compensation; licensee, £40.

History

In October 1880, the young cook at the hotel, Jane Blakley, was found drowned in the well:

An enquiry into the cause of death of Jane Blakely found drowned at Gordon on the 14th instant, took place at Mrs Daly's hotel on the evening of said day. The evidence of Kate Daly, Margaret Sellers, George Neville, Edward Bell, James Deacon, and Walter Thomas, was taken on oath before Mr Thomas Anketell, J P., touching the death of deceased.

Mrs Daly hotel-keeper, said—I have known the deceased, Jane Blakely, for about two months, she having been in my employ as cook. I remember the 13th instant; she appeared in a very excited state as though she had been drinking; this was about two o'clock in the afternoon. The excitement seemed to increase until half-past ten when she went to bed. She slept in the same bed with Margaret Sellers, my housemaid. Between ten and eleven o'clock I called out to Margaret Sellers, "Are you in bed, and is the candle out ?" and the reply was " We are in bed, and the candle is out." About six o'clock the following morning I called the servants as usual, and I believe it was Margaret Sellers who replied, "Jane is up ". Not finding her on my premises when I went down, I went to her aunt to see if she was there. The aunt knew nothing of her. In looking round the yard, I found some of the slabs forming the covering of the well moved. I then sent for Constable Deacon. Deceased informed me on two occasions that she never felt right since having the fever. I know of no cause which could have induced deceased to commit suicide, nor have I any reason to suppose deceased met with foul play. Margaret Sellers corroborated the above evidence. George Neville, blacksmith, deposed—I knew the deceased casually. On hearing the deceased was missing, and thinking she might have fallen or thrown herself into the well, I at the request of some neighbors, made a grappling-iron, and on putting the iron down the body was brought to the surface, but sank again.

Edward Bell, examined—Between nine and ten am. the 14th I entered Mrs Daly's yard. I saw a number of people around the well. I was asked to go down the well to put a rope around the body of deceased. I did so, and saw the body brought up to the surface. The well is about 60 feet deep, and had about 30 feet of water in it. James Deacon, constable in charge at Gordon, stated that he was present at the finding of the body, which had on a chemise and night-dress, and an outer dress apparently a walking-dress, and stockings. Then were no marks of violence upon the body, and from enquiries made have no reason to suppose that the deceased met with any foul play. Dr Walter Thomas, duly registered medical practioner, made a post mortem examination on the body of the deceased, and after an elaborate disquisition on the different internal parts of the body, his opinion was that the cause of death was suffocation from drowning. The coroner summed up and brought in the following verdict:—That Jane Blakley died by suffocation from drowning, she having probably thrown herself into the well whilst suffering from a fit of temporary insanity. The age of the deceased was twenty-two. Her parents reside at Moonlight, other side of Newtown.

Community Involvement

Community

• Testimonial dinner for the post mistress, Miss Roberston, February 1879, on the occasion of her leaving the town.
• Testimonial dinner for the head teacher, Mr. Buckley, June 1882, on the occasion of him leaving the district.

Unions

• Enginedrivers meeting, August 1882.

Inquests

• October 1880, into the death of the cook, Jane Blakley.

The People

• In November 1877, the license was transferred from Joseph Sterritt to Kate Daly. Daly had transferred from the Victoria Hotel.
  • In February 1879, Kate Daly is still noted as the publican.
  • Her license was renewed in December 1879.
  • In October 1880, Kate Daly was a witness at the inquest into the death of Jane Blakley.
  • In June 1882, Kate Daly is noted as the publican.
  • In December 1884 Kate Daly had her license renewed.
• In December 1884, an application for a new license for the hotel by James McCusker was postponed as he had not given a full 14 days notice.
• In December 1887 the publican, James McCusker, had his license renewed.
  • In December 1887 the publican, James McCusker, was elected as a member of the Ballarat Licensed Victuallers' Association.
• In December 1893 the publican, Robert Williams, had his license renewed.
• In August 1913, the licensee was Mr. J. Freeman, and the owner was the Ballarat Brewing Company.

Staff

• In October 1880 the cook was Jane Blakley.
• In October 1880 the housemaid was Margaret Sellers.