HOTELS AND HISTORY

Following some historical references in last week’s column the following chronicle on local hotels has come to hand.

The first hotel erected was the North Melbourne Hotel (1854-1904) on an elevated site at 16 Howard Street North Melbourne, a popular rendezvous before departure to the diggings. Bendigo St. (opposite Peloso’s Errol Street Delicatessen) is today a reminder of those far-off stirring times.

Local hotels were frequently the meeting places of branches of friendly societies which were formed in Hotham as early as the “fifties”. Among these were the Ancient Order of Foresters, The Court Hotham Lodge meeting at Court Hotham Hotel in Errol St.; Manchester Unity “Alliance” Lodge, at the King’s Arms, Queensberry St., Ancient Order of Foresters, Court City of Lincoln, at the Lincoln Inn; Ancient Order of Foresters, Court Royal Artillery at Royal Artillery Hotel. The Hotham Lodge of Freemasons assembled at the Court House Hotel, Queensberry St.

In direct contrast with most other friendly societies The Victoria Tent, Temperance Society, met at the local Common School.

by “The Rouseabout” first published in the Northern Advertiser, circa 1970’s

Do you know more about this story? Email: info@hothamhistory.org.au