Belmore Hotel, Belmore, NSW. Picture: Mick Roberts Collection
Belmore Hotel, Belmore, NSW, 1936. Picture: Noel Butlin Archives, Australian National University.
THE Belmore Hotel, in Sydney’s south-west, began business controversially in 1928.
Parramatta publican, Harry Gadd transferred his license of the Park Gate Hotel to the corner of Burwood Road and Tobruk Avenue, Belmore on August 14 1928.
The 51-year-old publican was granted permission by the licensing courts to transfer the historic license, which had been operating on the south-east corner of George and O’Connell Street, Parramatta, opposite the George Street Tudor Gatehouse to Parramatta Park, since the 1870s.
The earliest mention of Park Gate Hotel appears in 1879 when Annie Cripps purchased the property for £7,000. Her husband was John Fisher Cripps, a confectioner who once managed The Coffee Palace Hotel in lower Pitt Street and George Street, Sydney before it was burnt down.
Their son, John Fisher Cripps, Junior was the proprietor and manager.
In 1923, the Park Gate Hotel was put on the market for lease by Raine & Horne and was described as:
“This well-known and old-established Hotel is solidly constructed of brick, part of the building is of 3 floors, and part 2 floors. It has spacious verandahs. Contains about 20 rooms and offices. The property is let on lease, at a rental of £5 per week. Further particulars on application to the auctioneers.”
Park Gate Hotel, corner of George and O’Connell Streets, Parramatta, C1913. Picture: City of Parramatta Research & Collections
New owner, Harry Herbert Gadd in 1927 controversially transferred the licence of the Park Gate Hotel to Belmore.
The move caused quite a stir when the first application was made in July 1927.
Canterbury Council’s Labor mayor, Eric Howard admitted to receiving £50 for giving favourable evidence to Gadd’s application for the Belmore pub.
Gadd had a short stay at Belmore and by November he was hosting the Forest Lodge Hotel in Sydney’s inner-west.
Tooth and Company brewery purchased the Belmore Hotel in August 1932, and held the freehold for 68 years before selling the pub in 1980.
The old Park Gate Hotel at Parramatta operated as a guest house after it lost its license, and was demolished in 1959.
Belmore Hotel, Belmore, NSW, 1949. Picture: Noel Butlin Archives, Australian National University.
Belmore Hotel, Belmore, NSW, 1960. Picture: Noel Butlin Archives, Australian National University.
Belmore Hotel, Belmore, NSW. Picture: Mick Roberts Collection
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Categories: NSW hotels, Publicans, Sydney hotels
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