Spread Eagle Hotel

From Hotels of Ballarat
Spread Eagle Hotel
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History
Town Millbrook
Known dates 1856-1893

The Spread Eagle Hotel was a hotel in Millbrook, <1856-1893>.

Site[edit | edit source]

The hotel is described as being at Bacchus Station in 1857.[1]. This is pre railway so it is not Bacchus Marsh railway station. A squatter, William Henry Bacchus, had a property on the Moorabool (in the parish of Lal Lal), first called Burrumbeetup in 1839, but later known as Perewur Station, or Peerewurr Station, in the 1870s.[2] In 1858 the hotel was described as being near Ballan.[3] Described as being on the Melbourne Road in 1858.[4]

A local remembered the location:

Beyond the Moorabool the track pretty well followed what is now the course of the existing road until Bacchus's creek was reached. The Spread Eagle hotel, beyond where Millbrook now is, was the first public house to be met with after leaving Ballan, and was, Mr Donsley thinks, built at the instance of Mr W. H. Bacchus. On reaching Bacchus's creek the track turned north and crossed the creek above the site of the present bridge and continuing on by what was known as the Two-Mile junction, passed to the north of Mount Warrenheip.[5]

In June 1893 the hotel is described as being at Millbrook.[6]

Background[edit | edit source]

History[edit | edit source]

In October 1856, J. A. Cline is advertising that he has found a horse near the hotel's paddocks.[7]

In February 1858, there was a court case over the ownership of the hotel and its license:

Mr Randall applied on behalf of William Nebin for the transfer of the license of the Spread Eagle Hotel near Ballan, from George Stubbs. Mr Trench, on behalf of Mr Stubbs who had obtained a transfer from a Mr McClure, opposed, stating the person applying had taken forcible possession of the hotel and turned Stubbs out, who himself stated that Nebin, McClure, and others came and turned him out ; Nebin having a pistol in his hand. Mr Nebin kicked Mr Stubbs in the eye. Mr Randall contended that as Mr Stubbs was merely the transferee of the license of McClure, and according to the ruling of the Court no such thing as a transfer could take place, therefore the license was vested in McClure. McClure was willing to have the license cancelled, and then Mr Nebin could have a license granted. The Bench refused the application, holding that the transfer having been already granted, they could not interfere with it.[3]

The hotel was offered for lease in October 1860:

TO LET—(in consequence of the present occupant returning to Europe)—the SPREAD EAGLE HOTEL, On the Melbourne and Ballarat Road, 10 miles from Ballarat. The house contains 16 rooms, and has stabling for 15 or more horses, with every convenience for a large trade. A never failing supply of water exists close to the house, and is laid on to the premises by pipes. Attached to the hotel is a Paddock of 35 acres, a Large Garden, well stocked, and 40 acres additional land, partially fenced. The Melbourne and Ballarat Coaches change horses. The furniture and Stock may be bought cheap,—and to a satisfactory tenant, rent will be moderate. Apply to A. R. FITCHETT, House and Land Agent, Market-square, Geelong.[8]

The hotel was offered for sale in May 1861:

TUESDAY, 21st MAY, At Eleven o'clock sharp, AT THE SPREAD EAGLE HOTEL, Near Bacchus' Station, on the Melbourne and Ballarat Road, To Hotelkeepers, Farmers, Cattle Dealers and Others. HENRY SALMON has received instructions from Mr John A. Cline, (who is leaving the colony by the Great Britain) to sell by public auction, on Tuesday, 21st May, at the Spread Eagle Hotel, near Bacchus Station, on the Melbourne and Ballarat Road, The whole of the HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE Of the Hotel, Consisting of tables, chairs, chests of drawers, sofas, toilet tables, looking glasses, washstands, carpets, fenders and fire irons, crockery ware, and a large quantity of kitchen utensils and sundries. Also the following LIVE STOCK, DRAY, HARNESS, &c Comprising 10 head milch cows, 20 head young stock, 8 horses, suitable for draught or saddle, Pigs, One horse dray, A quantity of harness, saddles, bridles, &c A quantity of potatoes, garden produce, and other sundries, too numerous to particularise in this advertisement. The auctioneer would particularly draw the attention of farmers and others to this bono fide sale of the above valuable stock, as the whole is to be disposed of without the slightest reserve, and must be sold on the day of sale. Without reserve. Terms at sale.[9]

In April 1873, Daniel Curran applied for a license for the hotel:

Notice of: application for a publican’s LICENSE.—To the Licensing Magistrates at Gordons. I, DANIEL CURRAN, of Warrenheip, Farmer, do hereby give NOTICE that I desire to obtain, and will at the next Licensing Meeting, the 18th June, APPLY for, a PUBLICAN’S LICENSE for a house situate at Warrenheip, known as the Spread Eagle, containing five rooms, exclusive of those required for the use of the family. - The Twenty-fifth day of April, a.d. 1873. ~ DANIEL CURRAN (Signature of Applicant).[10]

In July 1873 John Green Wall was charged with wounding a horse outside the hotel. The main witness was the Dennis Curran, son of the publican:

UNLAWFUL WOUNDING A MARE—John Green Wall pleaded not guilty to a charge of maliciously wounding a mare, the property of Cornelius O’Sullivan, at the Spread Eagle hotel, near the Moorabool River, on, the 24th April. The prisoner was defended by Mr M'Dermott. Cornelius O'Sullivan said he purchased a grey mare at a sale of the prisoner’s property. A few days after the sale the witness and the prisoner had some angry words. About four o'clock in the afternoon witness’ man-servant, Nolan, was coming from Ballarat, near the Spread Eagle hotel, where Nolan had a drink, leaving the mare in the cart outside. The mare was then all right, but when the animal was brought home, about 6.30 p.m., witness found the mare to be bleeding from the off hind foot, and great difficulty was experienced in stopping the bleeding. Nolan said that he stopped at the Spread Eagle hotel, and saw the prisoner there, who left before him. When witness went outside to go home, he found the mare bleeding from the foot. He had not noticed her in the state when he arrived at the hotel. Dennis Curran, son of the keeper of the Spread Eagle hotel said he saw the prisoner smoothing his hand down the inside portion of the horse’s off hind leg. There was no one near, the prisoner at the time except himself. The prisoner saw witness and said to him, “That’s a good boy." He was then going toward the horse. About a minute after Wall had gone away from the horse he saw blood coming from the leg of the horse, from the spot where he had seen Wall’s hand smoothing the leg. As soon as Nolan came out of the hotel he told him about the blood and about Wall. He did not see any one else go near the horse. Senior-constable Hurley deposed to the arrest of the prisoner on the 29th April. Mr M‘Dermott argued that it was a case of doubt, although he admitted there was a suspicion against the prisoner. The only evidence criminating Wall was that of the boy, but the boy only saw the prisoner near the horse, thus he contended that the charge was a doubtful one, and claimed for the prisoner the benefit of the doubt, as there did not appear to be any malice between the prisoner and O’Sullivan. The boy Curran was re-called at the instance of the jurymen, and said that a when Wall touched the horse it kicked. The jury retired for-half an hour and returned a verdict of not guilty. The prisoner was then discharged.[11]

The hotel was described in November 1891:

"...Passing by the Spread Eagle, an old hostelry and coaching stables of former days, whose sad and forsaken looking wreck stands out in vivid contrast to its one busy aspect as a haunt of men...[12]

Community Involvement[edit | edit source]

Politics[edit | edit source]


The People[edit | edit source]

  • In October 1856 the publican is J. A. Cline.[7]
  • In June 1857 the publican's license was granted to John A. Clive.[1] Or is this McLure?[3]
  • In September 1857, George Stubbs applied to transfer the license, but did not appear in court.[14] The license was granted in October 1857,[15]
  • In June 1858 the license was granted to William Neelan.[4]
  • In June 1860 the license was granted to John A. Cline.[16].
  • In May 1861 John A. Cline offered the hotel for sale.[9]
  • In April 1873, Daniel Curran applied for the license.[10]
    • In July 1873 the publican's son, Dennis Curran, was a witness in court.[11]
  • In June 1893, the publican, James Telford, died at the hotel.[6]

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1857 'GENERAL ANNUAL LICENSING MEETING.', The Star (Ballarat, Vic. : 1855 - 1864), 13 June, p. 3. , viewed 08 Sep 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66042654
  2. ↑ Wikisource contributors. "Page: The History of Ballarat.djvu/37." Wikisource . Wikisource , 8 Nov. 2010. Web. 7 Sep. 2017, from https://en.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=Page:The_History_of_Ballarat.djvu/37&oldid=2186540
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 1858 'POLICE COURT.', The Star (Ballarat, Vic. : 1855 - 1864), 27 February, p. 2. , viewed 09 Sep 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66046781
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 1858 'DISTRICT POLICE COURT.', The Star (Ballarat, Vic. : 1855 - 1864), 12 June, p. 2. , viewed 08 Aug 2019, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66048627
  5. ↑ 1917 '...Over Sixty Years Ago...', Gordon, Egerton and Ballan Advertiser (Vic. : 1914 - 1918), 9 March, p. 1. , viewed 20 Dec 2023, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129424451
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 1893 'Family Notices', The Ballarat Star (Vic. : 1865 - 1924), 23 June, p. 3. , viewed 25 Jan 2019, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article209788249
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 1856 'Advertising', The Star (Ballarat, Vic. : 1855 - 1864), 28 October, p. 4. , viewed 18 Jun 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66039890
  8. ↑ 1860 'Advertising', Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1859 - 1929), 10 October, p. 1. , viewed 25 Apr 2019, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article148886761
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 1861 'Advertising', The Star (Ballarat, Vic. : 1855 - 1864), 16 May, p. 3. , viewed 25 Apr 2019, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66339285
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 1873 'Advertising', The Ballarat Star (Vic. : 1865 - 1924), 26 April, p. 3. , viewed 25 Apr 2019, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article199004172
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 1873 'GENERAL SESSIONS.', The Ballarat Star (Vic. : 1865 - 1924), 4 July, p. 4. , viewed 25 Apr 2019, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article199005706
  12. ↑ 1891 'No Title', The Bacchus Marsh Express (Vic. : 1866 - 1918), 14 November, p. 2. , viewed 25 Apr 2019, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article89282249
  13. ↑ 1883 'ELECTION NEWS.', The Ballarat Star (Vic. : 1865 - 1924), 16 February, p. 3. , viewed 20 Dec 2023, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article202704095
  14. ↑ 1857 'POLICE COURT.', The Star (Ballarat, Vic. : 1855 - 1864), 26 September, p. 2. , viewed 09 Sep 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66044442
  15. ↑ 1857 'POLICE COURT.', The Star (Ballarat, Vic. : 1855 - 1864), 3 October, p. 2. , viewed 14 Jul 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66044535
  16. ↑ 1860 'AFTERNOON SITTINGS.', The Star (Ballarat, Vic. : 1855 - 1864), 23 June, p. 3. , viewed 17 Jun 2018, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66056613


External Links[edit | edit source]

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