Port Phillip Hotel (Clunes)

There was also a Port Phillip Hotel in Sturt Street, Ballarat.

Port Phillip Hotel

Port Phillip Hotel, 1861 State Library of Victoria Collection
History
Town	Clunes
Known dates	1860-1891

The Port Phillip Hotel was a hotel in Clunes, Victoria, <1860-1891>.

Site

The Port Phillip Hotel was in Clunes. In 1865 a council report placed the hotel near the creek at the foot of the Camp Street Hill:

That tenders be called for the erection of a bridge (according to plans and specifications submitted) at the foot of Camp Hill street across the creek towards the Port Phillip Hotel, upon condition that the Clunes United Company and Criterion Company contribute £50 each towards the expense.

Map

Approximate position of the hotel:

Loading map...

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History

There was an assault at the hotel in June 1860:

Samuel Bunting summoned Patrick Cusack for an assault, damages laid at £10. Plaintiff stated that he was in the Port Phillip Hotel, on Tuesday evening last, the defendant approached and struck him a blow in the face and elsewhere; he had given no provocation, and was much astonished and hurt. William Anliss saw defendant strike the prosecutor, as described, and saw no provocation given. Defendant admitted being in the hotel on said evening, but only knew that he was drunk and forgot what he did ; the plaintiff was a man he would not fall out with on any consideration ; he was sorry for what he had done. Fined £5 and 2s 6d costs, which was forthwith paid. Plaintiff wished the amount of the fine be forwarded to the Ballarat Hospital.

The hotel publican, John McFarren, was robbed in April 1861:

ROBBERY. — Last night Mr John M'Farren, of the Port Phillip Hotel, was robbed of £104 in notes, and £3 16s in silver, besides some valuable documents and deeds, of no use to others. At twenty minutes to twelve the cash-box which contained this property was safe under Mr Farren's bed; in the morning it was missed, and the back door was found open. The thief was no doubt acquainted with all the ways and proceedings of the house, and this may lead to a fact most desired. I also learn, that a very valuable gold watch, the property of Mr Montgomery, the census enumerator, was in the cash, box. The neighborhood sympathises with Mr. M'Farren, as he is unable to work from an accident received not long since. — Clunes correspondent Creswick Advertiser, 9th April.

In October 1862 the body of John Collins was found in the creek, three months after he had fallen off the bridge on his way to the hotel:

DISCOVERY OF THE BODY OF JOHN COLLINS. — On Sunday morning, between ten and eleven o'clock, some persons crossing the bridge leading to the Port Phillip works discovered the body of John Collins, who, it will be recollected, had been missing since the 22nd of July, and, as it was surmised at the time and has since proved correct, fell over the above bridge into the creek, which was at that time swollen with the heavy winter rains, and met with a watery grave. As was given out in evidence at the inquest, it appears that deceased was the worse for liquor, the night was dark and stormy, and, losing his footing, the swollen waters soon engulfed their prey. Ineffectual efforts, it will be remembered, were made soon after the man was missed, by dragging the creek, to recover the body, but only deceased's hat was found. A large amount of sand is carried down the creek when a flood prevails, and it would seem that the body was arrested in its course down the stream by a couple of posts, and, when found, the unfortunate man was half-buried in the sludge, and had consequently to be dug out. As may be supposed, through the long immersion, deceased was in an advanced state of decomposition, the head especially being almost decayed.
The inquest was held at the Criterion hotel the following day, before Mr. W. B. Lees, and deceased's brother was examined at some length. Deceased was twenty-four years of age, a native of Cornwall, and had been five years in the colony. Nothing material was, however, adduced from the inquiry. Four L1 notes, 2s in silver, a watch, and a pipe, were found on his person. The evidence of Richard Kent, who was in deceased's company at the Criterion Hotel on the night in question, was taken, who, it seems, advised the deceased not to go over the bridge to the Port Phillip hotel. Deceased, however, would go, and thus met his death. The jury returned a verdict of accidentally drowned. The deceased's remains were interred in the Cemetery the same afternoon, followed by a numerous procession of mourners, amongst whom were many Oddfellows, of which society deceased was a member.

In May 1865, the publican, Charles Gordon, complained about flooding at the hotel:

From Charles Gordon, calling attention to the injury caused to the road from the crossing at the bottom of Camp Hill street to the Port Phillip Company's works and the Port Phillip Hotel, by the dams erected in the creek by the Port Phillip Company.

In September 1865 two men who were at the hotel got into a violent argument at the Foresters' Arms Hotel, which continued when they returned to the Port Phillip:

"...a murderous assault was committed on Thursday afternoon last, at the Port Phillip Hotel, Clunes, by a miner named William Saunders, aged twenty-seven. The accused, now in custody, quarrelled with a mate named Peter Watkins, at the Foresters' Arms Hotel, over a game at skittles, blows having been exchanged between them. Both subsequently left the house together, and returned to the Port Phillip Hotel, where they lodged. Dinner having been served, Saunders left the dining room, and having armed himself with a poker, quietly stole up at the back of Watkins, and dealt him a blow on the back of the head, which felled him to the ground. The savage then jumped on his victim, fracturing, it is supposed, two of his ribs, and before he could be prevented, he succeeded in striking him two other blows on the head, when the poker was wrenched from his hands by two of the female servants, assisted by one of the boarders. Medical attendance was promptly procured for the sufferer, whose recovery is considered doubtful."

In June 1866 the publican wrote to the Clunes Borough Council asking for financial relief after the creek flooded:

From C. Gordon, landlord of the Port Phillip hotel, praying for remission of rates, on the plea of loss of business owing to the damming up of the creek having caused the water to flood up to his door.-Not entertained.

In June 1869, a guest was found dead:

A destitute drunkard, named Doolan, was accommodated with a bed at the Port Phillip Hotel, Clunes, the other night, and was found dead next morning.

James Doolan, "penniless, and in a state of intoxication," reached the Port Phillip Hotel, Clunes, the other day. Out of charity, Mr Lohan, the landlord, put him to bed, and when visited next morning, he was found dead. Dr. Robinson made a post mortem examination, and found death to have resulted from serious apoplexy.

In March 1872 J. M. Allen was granted permission to hold a private quadrille party at the hotel.

In August 1875 there was an inquest into the death of Julia Minton, a former servant at the hotel;

An inquest was held at the Port Phillip Hotel yesterday afternoon, before Mr. Jessup, coroner, on the cause of the death of a woman named Julia Minton. From the evidence it appeared that the deceased had been a servant at the hotel to within the last three months, but since that she has been living with a miner named Evans, as his wife. On Tuesday night, whilst in bed, deceased had occasion to pick up some article from off the floor, and while in the act of doing so she gave a sigh, fell back on the bed, and shortly afterwards expired. Medical evidence proved that the deceased suffered from heart disease, and a verdict accordingly was returned. A strange circumstance connected with the affair is that, although Evans resided within a few doors of the hotel, neither the landlord nor any of the neighbors knew that the unfortunate woman was living with him.

In October 1875 the owner, Thomas Lohan took action to recover rent from his tenant:

Thos. Lohan v George Williams, an action for £6, four weeks' rent for use and occupation of the Port Phillip hotel; Mr Pope for complainant and Mr Jessup for defendant. The amount sued for was not disputed, only a misunderstanding arose between the parties as to the time of payment. The bench ruled that the defendant was a weekly tenant, and made an order for the amount, with £1 3s 6d costs.

In August 1882 the owner, J. Lohan, took action to recover debts from the previous tenant, M. Doyle:

J. Lohan v M. Doyle; Mr Walter for plaintiff, Mr Pope for defendant; action for £3 7s. The defendant at one time rented the Port Phillip hotel owned by the plaintiff, and when he left the premises owed rates to the amount of £3 7s, which the plaintiff paid; the plaintiff now sued for the recovery of the same; verdict for plaintiff, with £1 5s costs.

The license was forfeited in December 1891:

...the whole of the renewals applied for were granted, with the exception of Thomas Lohan, of the Port Phillip hotel, Clunes, who had failed to lodge his license with the clerk, and was not himself present. The license was there fore declared forfeited.

Community Involvement

Inquests

• August 1875, into the death of Julia Minton, a former servant.

Sport

• Clunes Cricket Club, April 1861, end of season meeting.

The People

• In June 1860 the publican's license was granted to John McFarren or McFerren.
  • His license was renewed in June 1861 and 1863.
• In June 1864 the publican's license was granted to Charles Gordon.
  • Gordon still held the license in June 1866.
• In March 1869 the license was transferred from Henry St. Ellen to Thomas Lohan.
• In August 1871 the license was transferred to W. Dainton.
  • It was renewed in December 1871.
• In October 1875 the publican was George Williams.
• In December 1876 the license was granted to W. Power.
• In February 1882 the license was transferred from John Doyle to John Duke. Doyle moved to the Bull and Mouth Hotel.
• In July 1883 the license was transferred from John Duke to Mary Morgan.
• In December 1883 the license was granted to J. A. Duke. Mary Morgan applied to transfer the license, but was refused because of an informality in the application. The previous publican's license was renewed to allow transfer at a later date.
• In January 1884 the license was transferred from John Duke to Mary Morgan.
• In September 1884 the license was transferred from Mary Bassett to her husband Christopher Barrett.
• In December 1886 the publican was J. Lohan.
  • He was fined £5 in March 1891 for breaches of the licensing laws.
• In December 1891 the publican, Thomas Lohan, had his license forfeited by the Licensing Court.