THE Criterion was built at Weston in 1903 by James Jones, an experienced hotelier who had run a number of hotels in Newcastle and Sydney prior to setting his sights on the booming coalfields of South Maitland.
Jim was licensee of the Terminus and Criterion hotels in Newcastle before moving to Sydney where he took over the license of the Lyceum Hotel.
Returning to Newcastle, he became licensee of the Criterion Hotel, but seeing great possibilities in the coalfields of South Maitland, he sold out with plans to build a grand pub at Kurri Kurri.
Jim purchased a £1000 allotment at the first sale of Kurri Kurri township with plans to build his grand hotel on the site. However, he failed to secure a license for the site and instead turned his attention to the first sale of the Weston subdivision, where he bought largely.
In 1903 he built a fine hotel, several stores, and cottages, and considerably improved the streets near the Criterion. The Newcastle Morning Herald reported on August 26 1903:
WESTON: PROGRESS OF THE TOWN
This township is making great progress at present. Mr J. Jones, late of the Criterion Hotel, Newcastle, is building a large hotel in Station-street. Mr Jones is present superintending the work, and great progress is being done with the building. When completed it will be an acquisition to the town.
Jim was regarded as one of the pioneers of Weston. He retired from the Criterion Hotel in 1905, and died in 1908.
Credit card bar tip
Would you like to make a small donation towards the publication of The Time Gents website? If you would like to support my work, you can leave a $2.50 donation here with your credit card, or you can increase the amount after clicking or tapping into the icon below. Your generous patronage of my work and research, however small it appears to you, will greatly help me with my continuing costs and research.
Or tip with PayPal
PAYPAL BAR TIP
If you would like to support my work, you can leave a small tip here of $2, or several small tips, just increase the amount as you like. Your generous patronage of my work and research, however small it appears to you, will greatly help me with my continuing costs.
$2.00
Categories: Newcastle hotels, NSW hotels
i love the idea of your blog but why don’t you go inside? I think without the inside you only have half the story.
I did go inside, Elizabeth. You can read my review at the Australian Pub Project Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/australianpubs/