Suburban Hotel (Norman Street)

For hotels with the same or similar names see Suburban Hotel.

Suburban Hotel

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History
Town	Ballarat
Street	Norman Street
Closed	1882
Known dates	1857-1882
Other names	Suburban House Suburban Hermitage Hotel
Demolished	Destroyed by fire, 8 October 1882

The Suburban Hotel was a hotel in Ballarat, Victoria, <1857-1882.

Site

In 1857 the location is given as Dead Horse Road. An 1861 map shows the Suburban Hotel was on the north side of Norman Street, about halfway between Creswick Road and Doveton Street North, in what is now Club Crescent. The hotel is described in 1868 as being in Soldiers' Hill.

In September 1874 the address was described as Daylesford Road.

Location: now 26 Club Crescent Invermay Park VIC 3350. -37.534481, 143.857418 Map: Google Maps

This is now a residential area and no trace of the hotel remains.

In September 1873 the site is described as being in Doveton Street.

Background

In 1857 the hotel was known Suburban House. Also known as the Suburban Hermitage in 1870.

History

In August 1868 the hotel was used as a venue for a public meeting by candidates for the Bungaree Road Board election.

Withers wrote about the hotel in 1870 and his writings were later republished in 1920:

Most Ballarat people know where the old Suburban hotel used to stand, by the south-west angle of the New Cemetery. It may yet be there, but with a new name. It is now, the Suburban Hermitage, and Dr Franklin still resides there. Lately he seems to have gone into the poetical and humorous line, but without forsaking his bonifacial avocation. On the fence before the door is the following notice— ‘Horses on any other hydrobibaceaus animals are requested to be fastened outside the enclosure.’ Over the door of the ‘Hermitage’ poetry breathes a more cheerful, if not more elegant welcome. Over the portal the visitor can read'—‘Licensed for wholesale and retail of wines and fermented and spirituous liquors, by Mr. Franklin,

Who rejoices with all those who rejoice.
Mourns with all those who mourn.
Alleviates the thirst, of those who pay,
But gives credit to none, he requests to say.

In October 1870 the licensee, Maurice Franklyn, was declared insolvent:

We are informed on reliable authority that a meeting of the creditors of Mr Franklin, of the Suburban hotel, was hold on Tuesday, the 11th inst., Mr John Woofe, of Slaty Creek, as the largest creditor, in the chair. It seems that the bank has a lien on the whole property to its full value. The unsecured debts amount to near a thousand pounds sterling, and the only available asset seems to be a miniature representation of a quorum of the members of the Bungaree Road Board embodied in stuffed monkeys. It was therefore unanimously agreed to put the estate into the Insolvent Court.

The hotel was burnt in a fire in May 1874:

Shortly after five o'clock on Wednesday morning a fire broke out in a room off the bar in the Suburban hotel, Doveton street north, close to the New Cemetery. The hotel was occupied by Mr Martin Doyle with his wife and five children. The building, an eight-roomed one, which was of wood with a corrugated iron roof, was entirely consumed, as were also the contents of the hotel, with the exception of a few chairs that were hurriedly thrown out of the place when the fire was discovered. Mr Doyle’s'property is insured for £100, but his loss is far greater than that sum would cover; and Mr William Stillman, of the Ancient Briton hotel, Bridge street, the owner of the house, is insured for £200. The origin of the fire is said to have been the overheating of a pipe, conveying the smoke from an American stove which was in the room where the fire was first seen to break out. The pipe went through the boards and up to the roof of the house on the outside, and a fire had been kept in the stove all night. Mrs Doyle and her five children were in bed and asleep when the fire was discovered by Mr Doyle, who was lying on a sofa in the front room, and it was as much as they could do to get away from the burning building with their lives. With the assistance of Mr Larkins, hotelkeeper, and several of the neighbors, the fire was prevented front spreading to a large building a few yards from the hotel, used as a polling booth for the Bungareeshire elections. Both fire brigades repaired to the scene of the fire with their hose-reels, but the water-pipes do riot extend so far up Doveton street, consequently the brigades were powerless to help by that means, and they had no engine with them. The firemen rendered what assistance they could to prevent the spread of the fire.

The empty hotel was destroyed by fire on 8 October 1882.

FIRE IN BALLARAT NORTH. About half-past 1 yesterday morning a fire broke out at the Suburban hotel, near the New Cemetery, by which that building was entirely destroyed. The City firebell rang out an alarm, quickly followed by the Ballarat, and both brigades proceeded to the scene of the fire, but nothing could be done to save the building on account of there being no water supply and the fire having gained a firm hold of the building. The hotel has been untenanted since Thursday last. It was the property of Mr James Fleming, and was, we hear, insured for £150 in the North British and Mercantile Company. It will be remembered that some time ago the landlord was summoned before the City Police Court for allowing his place to fall into a state of dilapidation. It was the intention of Mr Fleming to construct two small cottages on the site.

The People

• In June 1857 and 1860, the publican's license was granted to Maurice Franklyn, or Franklin.
• In 1870 the owner and publican was Dr. Franklin.
  • He was put into insolvency in October 1870.
• In June 1873 the license was transferred from Maurice Franklyn to William Cunnington.
  • In July 1873, William Cunnington was granted a new license in lieu of transfer. His license was renewed in December 1873.
• In July 1874 the license was transferred from Martin Doyle to Michael Carrol.
  • In December 1875 his license was renewed.
• In September 1877, the freehold "... with all necessary outbuildings. The whole are contained on a nice block of Freehold Land, con- taining upwards of 5 acres." was offered for public auction by the owner, William Stillman.
• In December 1877 the police objected to the renewal of James Fleming's license on the grounds that the hotel needed repairs. The case was adjourned for two weeks.
• The owner in October 1882 was James Fleming.