Sultan Hotel

From Hotels of Ballarat
For other hotels with the same or similar names see .
Sultan Hotel
Picture needed
History
Town Barry's Reef, Blackwood
Known dates 1874-1875
Other names aka McGregor's Hotel

The Sultan Hotel was a hotel at Barry's Reef, Blackwood, Victoria, <1874-1875>.

Site[edit | edit source]

The hotel was at Barry's Reef, about 2.5km north of Blackwood.[1] It was next door to the Family Hotel.[2]

Background[edit | edit source]

The hotel was also known as McGregor's Hotel.[1]

History[edit | edit source]

I'm March 1874, George Daniels advertised he was applying for a license for the hotel:

I GEORGE DANIEL, of Barry's Reef, do hereby give notice that I desire to obtain, and will at the next Licensing Meeting to be holden at the Court of Petty Sessions, Blackwood, on the 27th day of March, 1874, apply for, a PUBLICANS' LICENSE under the Amending Wines, Beer, and Spirits Statute, 1870, for a house situate at Barry's Reef, and to be known as the Sultan Hotel, containing twelve (12) rooms, exclusive of those required for the use of myself. GEORGE DANIEL. Dated this 11th day of March, 1874,[3]

The hotel was destroyed by fire in January 1875, which killed one of the residents:

FATAL FIRE AT BLACKWOOD. The Ballarat Post reports that on Tuesday night, or early on Wednesday morning, a fire broke out in M'Gregor's Hotel at Barry's Reef, Blackwood. The hotel was speedily reduced to ashes, and, sad to relate, a lodger named Captain Reid, who was slightly the worse for liquor, it is said, and in whose bedroom the fire is supposed to have originated, was burned to death in the flames.[1]
The report respecting the death of Captain Reid is true. He was sleeping in one of the rooms at the Sultan Hotel, and was burned to death. Nothing remained of him but a portion of the body. This was identified by a few particles of clothing. The fire broke out at one o clock on Wednesday morning. Mr. Macgregor was the landlord and owner. He was insured for £400. The building was of wood, and detached.[4]

The Bacchus Marsh paper carried a full report:

LAST Wednesday morning a fire broke out in the premises of the Sultan hotel, owned by Mr. Alex. M'Gregor, which resulted in its total destruction, and the death of one poor fellow, named Edward Reid, who was drunk at the time of going to bed. From information I have obtained he appeared perfectly stupid as to how he should act in order to save himself, having been twice carried away from the fire into the passage. When taken out from debris of the fire his remains presented a most sickening sight; both legs up to the thigh, and the arms above the elbow, being entirely burnt away, and a small portion of the skull only remained. The abdomen, heart, and liver were all laid bare. The deceased was a man very much respected by many, and possessed above the ordinary amount of intelligence. The remains were followed to the grave this morning (Thursday) by upwards of fifty persons.


Thos. Mahar's hotel, which adjoins the Sultan, has sustained great injury, the whole of the premises being entirely gutted, and the most of the southern portion of the building destroyed, and it is a perfect miracle to me that a single pole of it was left standing, considering the appliances they had for extinguishing the fire. Mahar is not insured, and is, therefore, a great loser by the fire. This is, I hear, the second time Mr. M'Gregor has had the misfortune of being burnt out. He was insured for £400.


The following is the evidence taken at a magisterial inquiry as to the death of the deceased, Edward Reid, held by D. G. Stobie, Esq., J.P., at Shaw's hotel :
George Daniels deposed that he was a licensed publican, Barry's Reef, and occupied the Sultan hotel, which was burnt down on Wednesday morning at about 1 o'clock. Went to bed as usual last night, at about 20 minutes past 12 o'clock. There were several lodgers in the house at the time. Saw no one up but Veal. The house was closed, all but the kitchen, which was usually left open for the accommodation of such of the lodgers who came home from the afternoon shift shortly after 12 o'clock at night. Two of the lodgers work on the afternoon shift, named John Veal and Richard Oliver. Before going to bed I saw John Veal in the kitchen, and requested him to lock up the premises in the usual way. There was a fire burning in the kitchen fireplace, and he was having a cup of tea. Veal was quite sober. Just after going to sleep I heard my wife cry out "for God's sake get up, the house is on fire." She was out of bed, and standing by the bedroom door. The bedroom door opened into a small room that opened into the kitchen. She was standing there. I got up, and sent my wife out, and then dressed, rushed into the kitchen with her and my child. I pushed my wife out of a side door leading into the yard from the kitchen, as the main door had been locked as usual. Saw flames the instant I awoke in an adjoining bedroom. The ceiling was on fire. The principal flames were to the north of the building. I did not actually see flames, only the reflection. After getting my wife out I rushed into my house again to get a cash box that was in another box in my bedroom, but did not succeed, as the bedroom was all in flames. I called out as loud as I could to those in the house, and told my wife to call up her father and mother who were sleeping in an adjoining house. I called out when I first awoke. When I went outside I saw M'Intyre, a boarder, and asked him if all the lodgers were out. He replied that he feared the old captain was burnt, but that he thought the rest were out. He was standing in the yard. He was calling out. He also said that the last time he saw Reid he was all in flames, and that he believed it was a case for him. I then went to look for my wife, who, I ascertained, was at Thompson's. I scarcely knew what I was doing. I saw Veal trying to get some of the things out of the house. I did not see Oliver, except after the fire. Veal was dressed, and Oliver partly dressed. Reid was a boarder in the house, and had been one for some nine months or longer. He was a miner working in the Sultan. The last time I saw him was at Godwin's hotel at 10 o'clock. Should have gone on at 12 that night to work. The last work he did was on Saturday, the 9th. inst. He had been drinking, and said that he did not feel very well. I did not notice him drunk. When I saw him at Godwin's he was sober. He was at the bar at the time. He occupied a room by himself. He appeared to have been drinking, but was not drunk. I should take him to be about 50 years old. I did not go to Reid's bedroom last night. I did not know if he was in bed or not. I thought he was at work. I made no enquiries about him. When I think a lodger is the worse of drink I always go to his room to satisfy myself that the light is out. I was quite satisfied that all was right when I went to bed. The house was insured for £400 in the name of self and Alex M'Gregor. I believe I have made a mistake as to in whose name the insurance is effected. If my father-in-law says that it is in his name I suppose he is correct. I understood it was in our joint names. [Here Mr. M'Gregor said it was not in the joint names, but solely in his own.] I saved a set of musical glasses, and some books, and that is all. Mr. M'Intyre was a boarder in the house. Deceased was a single man, as far as I know. He had no property to my knowledge, except a watch, which was burnt. I have seen some remains which I believe to be those of Edward Reid.


Mrs. Daniels deposed that she is the wife of the last witness. About ten minutes past 12 last night I went to bed. I heard my husband speaking to John Veal, and he then came to bed. At about a quarter to 1 I heard Mr. M'Intyre calling out "fire." I then awoke my husband, telling him the place was on fire. We ran to open the door going through the bar to the dining room, and I opened it. There I saw Mr. M'Intyre, who was standing in the passage trying to get through to the bar. When I opened it he came into the kitchen and got out at the back door. My husband then gave me the baby, and told me to get away out of the fire. I then went to Mrs. thompson's and stopped there till the fire was nearly over. I knew Edward Reid. I saw him yesterday at dinner time, but did not see him after that. He slept in the first bedroom on the left hand side of the dining room going from the front to the back. Do not know if deceased was in his own room or not last night. He was sober yesterday, but had been drinking. I believe he knew what he was doing. All was quiet before I heard Mr. M'Intyre cry out. I saw no fire till I opened the bar door, and I and my husband saw the dining room on fire. The fire was coming from Reid's room up the passage. It would have been dangerous to go to Reid's room when I looked up the passage.


D. M'Intyre deposed that he lodged at the Sultan hotel, and had tea with deceased about half past 5. For one hour after tea I was in his company, sitting in the Sultan hotel verandah. He was quite sober then. On my asking him, he said he did not know if he would go to work that night, as he was annoyed about something. He spoke to Daniels after he left me. I did not see him again till half-past 11, in Mr. Daniels' kitchen. He was the worse for liquor, but quite rational, and able to take care of himself. I then heard him go to bed with a candle and afterwards I saw him undressing within a few minutes of 12 o'clock. I spoke to him in his bedroom, but he did not answer. I asked him how he felt. He was then undressed, lying in his bed, and the candle was burning on the little table in the front of the window. He was retching at the time, and I said "it serves you right, Captain" - this being the name by which he was called. The window was up, I put it down, and removed his mining cap, made of calico. Mr. and Mrs. M'Gregor asked me to go and see if it was all right in the Captain's room and see if there was any danger. Mr. and Mrs. M'Gregor did not live in the same premises as where deceased was burnt. After shutting the Captain's door, I went to bed. My room was next to his, only having a partition between mine and deceased's. Veal slept in the same room as me. I was awoke by some one, by whom I do not know, and the first thing I did was to make for the Captain's room as the fire was coming from there through the ceiling of my room, and on opening the door I saw him trying to put out the fire with a coat, or something., I said "for God's sake, Captain, come out of this." He replied, "it is all right." I then took hold of him and pushed him out into the dining room, and then went back to my own bedroom, what for, I do not know, and there found all my clothes taken away, and no one there. Then made an effort to get to the dining room, and there found three men trying to break it in, in order to get out. They were Goldsworth and son, and Oliver. I called out "fire" to Daniels, and asked him to open the door. When the door was opened I looked after the Captain. He was in the passage. The upper portion of his body was all in flames, and I could not reach him. I made my escape through the bar, out of the south side of the building. I believe the fire originated in the Captain's room, from what I saw when I opened the door of deceased's room. The ceiling of the room had just fallen down upon him, and covered him with flames. The reason I then left him was that I thought others were in greater danger, and I went to look after them. He had every chance of making his escape. He never was that drunk that he could not walk. I cannot account for his not trying to escape. He must have been stupified. His head and whiskers were all on fire when I got hold of him. Daniels and wife were in bed at the time I first got out. Mrs. Daniels replied to me when I called out " fire." Mr. and Mrs. M'Gregor were in the tap room when they told me to go and see if the Captain and his room were all right.


Senior-Constable Wm. Irwin deposed that at a quarter to 1 o'clock this morning he passed the Sultan hotel in company with Constable Hawks. The hotel was in darkness, all having apparently retired to rest. Returned to the Police station, and when I had been there a few minutes my wife called out that Mahar's was all on fire. I ran to the Sultan hotel, that adjoins Mahar's, and found the flames just bursting out of the roof over the dining room. It was quite impossible to save it, as it was almost momentarily in flames, I then burst open the door of Mahar's hotel, I did what I could to save it from being destroyed. From enquiries I made I found that deceased was missing, and after the flames had got low the remains of deceased were discovered by myself others. The body was not recognisable, but there is no doubt but that it is the remains of Edward Reid. The building is entirely destroyed. Verdict recorded :-" That Edward Reid was burnt to death in the Sultan hotel, which was destroyed by fire on the morning of the 13th instant."


Some of the members of the Accident Relief Society (which has over £200 to its credit) appear to express dissatisfaction with the Secretary of that Society in causing to be buried one of its members (who was burnt in the Sultan hotel) out of the funds of the same. Reid was a brother miner residing with them for years past. If the poor fellow was drunk that was his sin, and dearly has the unfortunate man paid the penalty. I never thought a man lived on Barry's Reef who would have begrudged the remains of Edward Reid a decent burial, in lieu of a pauper's, out of the funds of the said Society. I consider it my duty to note the praise-worthy conduct of Senior-constable Wm. Irwin at the late fire, in being the means of rescuing the whole of Mr. Mahar's family from their premises. They were all asleep when he first made an entry into the house.[2]

Community Involvement[edit | edit source]

The People[edit | edit source]

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1875 'FATAL FIRE AT BLACKWOOD.', Leader (Melbourne, Vic. : 1862 - 1918), 16 January, p. 21. , viewed 27 Dec 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article197936819
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 1875 'BLACKWOOD.', The Bacchus Marsh Express (Vic. : 1866 - 1918), 16 January, p. 3. , viewed 27 Dec 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88348835
  3. 1874 'Advertising', The Bacchus Marsh Express (Vic. : 1866 - 1918), 14 March, p. 2. , viewed 29 Dec 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article93141173
  4. 1875 '[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]', Leader (Melbourne, Vic. : 1862 - 1918), 16 January, p. 21. , viewed 27 Dec 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article197936783
  5. 1874 'BLACKWOOD.', The Bacchus Marsh Express (Vic. : 1866 - 1918), 26 December, p. 3. , viewed 29 Dec 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article93141260


External Links[edit | edit source]