Oddfellows Hotel, 35-39 Little Lonsdale Street & Little Leighardt Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
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Oddfellows Hotel, 35-39 Little Lonsdale Street & Little Leighardt Street, Melbourne
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1985
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BIF-CITY 110721
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DATE: 1854;RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER 2024:__________________________________________________ASSOCIATIONS: Wills, Henry C;DESIGNER: Unknown;BUILDER: Wills, Henry CPeriod: Early VictorianNotable features 1985: Stone corner section, added to & stuccoed later; old signs. Notable timber spandrel carving; notable early window______________________________GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYStatement of Significance -DraftHistoryHenry Wills became the owner of this site soon after a Crown Grant was issued to William Kennon (1848). Wills, a carpenter, applied for permits to build 'an addition' to an existing 'dwelling house' in Little Lonsdale Street East (October 1850), 'alterations and additions to house', in the 'dwelling house' there in March 1853. Rate descriptions qualify some of these works as follows: a 'brick double house, 10 rooms, kitchen and stables' becomes a 'large house stucco, cellar, 15 rooms, bar and stable in yard', during 1853 - 4, presumably reaching its current form. Hence part of the hotel (east section, ground level) may date from 1848 - 50, being added to in 1850 (forming a single storey pair) and 1852 - 3 to create a two storey pair of five rooms each (as rated in 1853) and finally, in 1853, it was extended to the corner as the present hotel. Wills occupied one of the houses, a Solomon Baily the other, during 1850 - 1. Frederick Pearce (a builder) leased the completed hotel from mid 1853, obtaining a licence in September, under the sign of the Oddfellows Hotel. After a succession of Publicans, Wills sold the business to John Wood in 1874, who retained it until licensing reduction meant it closed in 1912, leaving a Chinese cabinet making business in the eastern section of the building. This business expanded into the hotel, after 1912 and a change of owner, to one Cheok Hong Cheong, and remained so until Commonwealth acquisition. The business sign of 1950 was Sun Cheong Loong & Co., Eastern Furniture Manufacturers.DescriptionA stuccoed brick two storey and parapeted row house pair, attached to a stuccoed rubble bluestone hotel section; the two simply elevated sections differing only in wall material and the segment arching of the ground level hotel openings, (white brick trimmed). Boldly carved timber mouldings have been used in the tympanum of each arched opening, the openings including the normal bar window, residential and bar doors. Simple bare interiors are also visible, also old faded signs, both from the cabinet making and hotel occupations. The existing paint work is early. The white bricks used to trim openings represent an early use of this material, (possibly imported), other occurrences dating from 1858 onwards.SignificanceA two storey corner hotel built in 1853 incorporating an earlier two storey house. The building is almost entirely intact externally (including many signs) and is a most evocative remnant of the poorest quarter of 19th century Melbourne, illustrating not only the early social life in the area but also its later takeover by Chinese merchants stigmatised in the wealthier parts of the city.ManagementRecommended Alterations Openings altered at ground level and glazing closed in at upper level (both inappropriate - reinstate original design or sympathetic alternative).Other Comments Shown on BIBB's map (c1856) - corner section only; PA 155 (28/1/54); O/B - Michael Lynch builds 'opposite Oddfellows'__________________Victorian Heritage Register: H2266Oddfellows HotelWhat is significant?The former Oddfellows Hotel is a two storey building constructed in stages between c1848 and 1853. A carpenter, Henry Charles Wills, built a single storey cottage with a carpenter's yard for himself on the eastern end of the site after purchasing the land in 1848, and in 1850 built a similar two-room cottage next to it, which he leased out. In 1852 Wills added a second storey to each of the houses, and in 1853 he constructed on the western part of the site a 'large house stucco, cellar, 15 rooms, bar and stable in yard', known as the Odd Fellows Hotel. The second house became part of the hotel, but the house at the eastern end was always separate and operated at one time as a boarding house and from the late 1890s was leased to Chinese cabinet makers. The hotel lost its license along with many others in the city with the Licenses Reduction laws of 1906 and closed in 1912. After the hotel closed the whole building became a furniture manufacturing workshop and in 1914 the property was bought by the well-known merchant Cheok Hong Cheong, a missionary and social reformer in the Chinese quarter of Melbourne. The building was occupied by Chinese cabinet makers until 1948 when it was acquired by the Commonwealth Government. The elevations on Little Lonsdale Street and the former Little Leichardt Street have remained largely intact but a number of alterations were made to the interior and the rear during its use both as a hotel and factory. The building was restored externally in the 1990s with the interior rearranged for commercial use. In 2005-06 an extension was added at the rear and the interiors were largely gutted as part of its conversion to a bar and restaurant. The city block on which the building is located has been redeveloped, and the former hotel is now almost surrounded by high-rise buildings: the Telstra national headquarters, the Casselden Place office tower and The Urban Workshop.The former Oddfellows Hotel is a two-storey stuccoed building with a splayed corner entrance, typical of hotels of the period. At the eastern end are the two two-storey parapeted row houses which are attached to the stuccoed rubble bluestone hotel section to the west. The hotel building is readily distinguished from the older former houses by the segmental arches over the large hotel windows and doorways on the ground floor. The bar entrance was on the splayed corner and the residential entrance off Little Lonsdale Street to the east. The doors and most of the twelve-pane double-hung sash windows are 1990s reconstructions of the originals, but the multi-pane window embedded in the south wall is likely to be original. The roof was probably originally slate, but is now clad with corrugated iron. The interior has been largely gutted but the original bluestone rubble cellar remains, with an entrance in the footpath on the former Little Leichardt Street. A large modern addition has been made at the rear but the rear random-coursed bluestone wall of the hotel and an original chimney above it survive. A chimney in mid-roof is also original. Only a few remnants of the original fabric survive internally.This site is part of the traditional land of the Wurundjeri people.How is it significant?The former Oddfellows Hotel is of historical and architectural significance to the state of Victoria.Why is it significant?The former Oddfellows Hotel is historically significant as one of the oldest surviving buildings in the City of Melbourne. The facades on Little Lonsdale and the former Little Leichardt Streets are largely intact externally and the building is a now rare demonstration of the many modest buildings once common in the city, most of which have now been either demolished or significantly altered. It is of great importance in understanding the way of life in the poorer parts of the city in the past. It is significant for its association with Melbourne's Little Lon district, home to the city's poorest residents and many immigrant groups, particularly the Chinese, during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and once notorious for its poverty, crime and prostitution. It is significant for its association with Melbourne's Chinatown in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries when much of this part of Melbourne was occupied by Chinese cabinet makers.The former Oddfellows Hotel is architecturally significant as a rare surviving example of the external form of a small 1850s hotel building in a Colonial Georgian style. Its street facades are largely intact and it is a now rare demonstration of the many modest commercial buildings once common in the city. It is typical of the many small hotels built throughout Victoria in the mid-nineteenth century, which were often built on corners and had a splayed corner entrance._____________________________GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM cites source 77; also CITY OF MELBOURNE BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATION 155;___________________________HERITAGE BRANCH, MINISTRY FOR PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT 1987 CITY OF MELBOURNE CENTRAL CITY NOTABLE BUILDINGS CITATIONSA two-storey corner hotel built in 1853 incorporating an earlier two-storey house. The first licensee in 1853 of the Oddfellows Hotel was a Frederick Pearce. From the late 1890s the hotel function was reduced and the rear rooms were us ed by Chinese cabinet makers until, in 1912, it was de-licensed and sold to Cheok Hong Cheong, a cabinet maker. It remained in that use until 1948 wh en it was a cquired by the Commonwealth of Australia. The building is almost entirely intact externally (including many signs) and is a most evocative remnant of the poorest quarter of 19th century Melbourne, illustrating not only the early social life in the area but also its later takeover by Chinese merchants stigmatised in the wealthier parts of the city.___________________________MAHLSTEDT FIRE INSURANCE PLAN SERIES STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIASection 2, map 8A192533-39 Sam Young Cabinet Factory - 3 tenancies, 2 storey masonry, FUD between 35 and 37___________________________NEWSPAPERS:1854https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4799597An inquest was held on Tuesday before Dr. Youl at the OddFellows' HoteL Little Lonsdale-street east, upon the body of a child two years old, named Katherine McNeil. This was a melancholy case, and the inquiry before the coroner elicited evidence of frightful depravity. Deborah Phillips deposed that the mother of the deceased came to her house which is near at hand, and desired her to go back with her to her house; and upon going there, she found the bed in flames, and the child in the bed. Medical aid was at once obtained, but the child was dead. The mother was sober at the time, but is often drunk. This witness, who appeared to be under the influence of liquor whilst giving her evidence, was committed to gaol for seven days for contempt of court. Mary Ann McNeil, the mother of deceased, said that her husband came home about ten o'clock, and after some words about the linen, he struck her. She ran out, and he brought her in, and continued beating her, during which time the child was in the bed crying. She escaped from him, and went to the house of the last witness, and on returning about an hour afterwards, found the bed in flames, and the child burnt to death. Thomas Lamon, a baker, deposed that he lived opposite to the house of the mother, whom he had known for some time. He had never seen her sober. He had often heard quarrelling in the house. Dr. Maund deposed that he had examined the body of deceased. Tho body was charred as if by fire. The tongue was swollen and protruded from the mouth. The eyes were much congested. The body appeared to be well developed and in perfect health. He believed death to have been occasioned by the combined influence of burning and suffocation. Verdict accordingly. The father of deceased upon whom the evidence adduced at the inquest seemed to throw suspicion of something wrong in connection with this unhappy affair, was brought to the City Coroner's office in the course of the morning by a detective officer, when he deposed that about ten o'clock on the night in question he went home from his employer's house, where he was in the habit of sleeping. He found the gate and the house door open, and the child crying in the bed. His wife was not in, and upon going in quest or her he found her a few doors off, and amidst a company of drunken, fighting neighbors. She was drunk and refused at first to accompany him home, but did so after a while. She had just undressed the child and put her to bed, while he held the candle. Upon asking his wife for some linen belonging to himself and fellow-servant, and refusing to give her money, which he knew she would spend in liquor, she took a candlestick and aimed a blow at him, which he warded off, and then struck her in the face. She screamed out "murder," and he gathered up the clothes he came for and went out of the house, leaving the candle on the mantelpiece. There was no light left in the bedroom when he went away. He afterwards saw his wife return to the house he had found her in when he came home. He then re- turned to his employer's house, and thence into Collins-street, to put an advertisement in the Argus for some person to take care of his child, but the office was closed. On the Saturday before his wife was drunk, and fighting with another woman in the same condition, and both were dragging each other by the hair of their heads. She had been drunk nearly every day for the last three months. After he had given the above evidence he was discharged from the custody of the detective officer..1855The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957)Wednesday 25 April 1855 - Page 5Licensing...Edward R. McCallam, Oddfellows' Hotel,Little Lonsdale-street. Granted..1856ELECTION MEETINGS.-The electors are requested to meet the candidates this evening :Mr. Wood, at the Cheltenham Hotel; Mr. Bennett, at the Darebin Creek Hotel; Mr. Philip Johnson, Bridge Inn, Richmond-road ; Hon. Mr. Stawell, at Cole's Wharf at five, atthe Manchester Inn at seven, and Oddfellows Hotel, Little Lonsdale-street, at eight o'clock ; ....1857GOOD INVESTMENT. City Property for SALE.-The ODDFELLOWS' HOTEL, with Brick House adjoining, situated in Lonsdale-street east, producing a good and permanent rental. A. E.Wheatley, 90 Queen-street.1859https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/5693732Friends of Mr. CHARLES ALEXANDER are respectfully invited to follow the remains of his late sister in-law, Mrs. Dick, to the place of interment, Melbourne General Cemetery. The funeral to move from his residence, Oddfellows Hotel, Little Lonsdale- street east, this day (Friday), 16th December, 1859, at 3 o'clock p. m..1886The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954)Friday 22 January 1886 - Page 5https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/199457531SUNDAY TRADING.Two city hotelkeepers, Darby Reddan, licensee of the Oddfellows' Hotel, Little Lonsdale-street, and Patrick Hayes, licensee of the Lord Clyde Hotel, Flinders-street, appeared on summons at the City Court yesterday, to answer complaints of Sunday trading. In both cases Mr. Moloney appeared for the defence. With respect to the first mentioned defendant, Constable Hayes said he visited the hotel at eight o'clock on Sunday morning, the 10th inst., when he found five women in the passage apparently waiting to be served. A man, said to be a lodger, was carrying up stairs several glasses of liquor on a tray. Three other men were present, also said by the landlord to be boarders ; one was in the act of drinking a glass of ale served by defendant. The latter could produce no book containing the names of any of his customers entered as boarders. Beer was being carried about, and was being served by defendant to those who called for it. The women present were using very bad language, but they were not served with drinks. These five men and two men were seen leaving the hotel a short time after the police left. For the defence, Richard Dooley said he had been a lodger in the hotel two months. The drink carried upstairs was for himself, and James M'Lean, another lodger, and two farmers who had since left. The defendant having made a statement denying the sale of liquor, as alleged, the bench inflicted a fine of 40s.SUNDAY TRADING.Two city hotelkeepers, Darby Reddan, licensee of the Oddfellows' Hotel, Little Lonsdale-street, and Patrick Hayes, licensee of the Lord Clyde Hotel, Flinders-street, appeared on summons at the City Court yesterday, to answer complaints of Sunday trading. In both cases Mr. Moloney appeared for the defence. With respect to the first mentioned defendant, Constable Hayes said he visited the hotel at eight o'clock on Sunday morning, the 10th inst., when he found five women in the passage apparently waiting to be served. A man, said to be a lodger, was carrying up stairs several glasses of liquor on a tray. Three other men were present, also said by the landlord to be boarders ; one was in the act of drinking a glass of ale served by defendant. The latter could produce no book containing the names of any of his customers entered as boarders. Beer was being carried about, and was being served by defendant to those who called for it. The women present were using very bad language, but they were not served with drinks. These five men and two men were seen leaving the hotel a short time after the police left. For the defence, Richard Dooley said he had been a lodger in the hotel two months. The drink carried upstairs was for himself, and James M'Lean, another lodger, and two farmers who had since left. The defendant having made a statement denying the sale of liquor, as alleged, the bench inflicted a fine of 40s..1887https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/88931231FATAL STABBING AFFRAY.On Friday night, the 24th ult., at about half past one o'clock, there occurred in Little Lonsdale-street a serious affray, which has since terminated in the death of one of the persons engaged in it. Two young men, named Henry Legg and James Reddan, were the principal combatants. They were surrounded dur- ing the drunken quarrel by several others, all more or less under the influence of liquor. By his own account Legg was attacked outside the Oddfellows' Hotel, Little Lonsdale-street east, which is kept by D. Reddan, and in defending himself he drew a knife and wounded three of his assailants. One of them, James Reddan, son of the licensee of the hotel, was mortally injured, and he died at 6 o'clock on Wednesday evening at the Melbourne hospital. He received a deep wound on the left temple. Con- stable Maxwell, who was on duty near the place, on hearing the disturbance hastened to the spot, and (says the "Age") from what he was informed regarding the conflict he arrested Henry Legg on a charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm on young Reddan. The latter's dying depositions were taken on Tuesday be- fore Mr. Williams, J.P. For nearly a week past Reddan has been conscious only at intervals, and from the first it was seen that no surgical skill could save his life. His assailant, who has been out on £100 bail on the first and less serious charge preferred, will now be rearrested and charged with wilful murder..1905https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/210346334SINGING HYMNS. ARGUMENT AS TO THE CORRECT WAY.THE POLICE SETTLE THE DISPUTE.MELBOURNE, Thursday.Michael Goonan, John. Howson, Frederick Williams, and George Weir are four young men. whom the casual observer would say had but little music in their This opinion is emphatically endorsed by Mr Matthew Ormsby, whom. they serenaded last night in a rather remarkable fashion. The quartette pleaded guilty in the City Court ‘this morning to charges of insulting behaviour. Mr Ormsby stated that he w the license of the Oddfellows' hotel, in Little Lonsdale street. ‘‘Those young fellows,” he said, “sat down on the footpath in. front of my hotel Iast night when I was shutting up, and commenced to sing. ' They-kept it up till half-past 12. (Laughter.) "Then I asked to stop. They would . not do so, and I had to go round and get a policeman to stop them. They made an awful noise.*' (Laughter.) ;Sub-inspector Balchin—What were they doing? Witness They were singing hymns. (Laughter.) Every time I asked them to stop -they said, “Put some beer in the bottle and we will.” (Loud laughter.). "They could be heard all over the place.Constable Dooley stated that when he arrived the accused were arguing the point as to the correct way to sing a hymn. (Loud laughter) They could be heard 300-yards away. They were all under the influence of drink.Williams and Weir were each fined 10s, 'in. ‘default,' three days’ imprisonment, Goonan and Howson were discharged..1912https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/226948895The Bendigo Independent (Vic. : 1891 - 1918) Fri 22 Nov 1912 Page 2LITTLE LONSDALE STREET LADIES.LITTLE LONSDALE STREET LADIESA charge of having suffered women of bad character to be upon her premises was preferred at the City Court, to-day against Georgina Fawcett, licensee of the Oddfellows' Hotel, Little Lonsdale street. Constable Olholm gave evidence that on October 16 he found three women of bad character on the premises, while a fourth was smoking a cigarette. Defendant, said that the following notice was posted in her bar: "Ladies are kindly requested not to stay longer than five minutes. Smoking is not allowed."A fine of £2, in default distress, was imposed..https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/197404778ODDFELLOWS' HOTEL.The Licences Reduction Board continued its deprivation sittings in- respect' of the Glpps (city) district yesterday. The further hearing of the case of the Oddfellows Hotel, Little. Lonsdale street, which was commenced on the previous day, lasted nearly the whole day, some twenty witnesses being called. The licensing inspector (Inspector Farnan) produced a certificate of conviction made against the licensee for supplying liquor to persons in a state of intoxication. Mr. Meagher, who appeared for -the owner .and licensee (Instructed by. Messrs. Snowden, Neave and Demaine) objected -to its admission in evidence as not being within the provisions of -section 14 of the act-of 1904, which defines the offence of "selling" ' to such persons. The evidence showed chat the hotel was situated in a slum quarter of the city, and the police considered that it ought to be closed. For the defence it was urged that it was better to keep some hotels in those localities rather than -force their patrons into wider and better streets for -their refreshments. The licensee slated that the trade was a large one, and had considerably in creased of late.Judgment was reserved..1913https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/241796914RELICENSED HOTEL.Messrs Sydney C. Arnold and Co. sold by Auction on Tuesday the premises of the delicensed Oddfellows' Hotel, 39 Little Lonsdale street, under Instructions from the trustees of John Wood, deceased. The property comprises a two-story brick building near Spring street on land 56ft x 80ft., and the price realised was £1240
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| Original | 110721 | 1 pdf : 1,505 KB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |