By MICK ROBERTS © FROM a humble innkeeper on the NSW South Coast with a keen interest in horse racing, to one of Australia’s wealthiest businessmen, the story of George Adams centres firmly on Sydney’s Tattersalls Hotel. Having a punt… Read More ›
Publicans
McConkey’s Bodalla Hotel
A pub filled with history McCONKEY’S Hotel has been a landmark at Bodalla [on the NSW South Coast] for many years, and is overflowing with history. Established in 1875 and owned by The Bodalla (Pastoral) Company until the 1930s… Read More ›
Exchange Hotel, Pingelly
WHEELBARROW BUG BITES PINGELLY FOR A £10 SIDE WAGER, Bert Wilson, a Pingelly blacksmith (WA), pushed Ben Jackson (sitter) in a barrow from Brookton to Pingelly (12½ miles) in 5 hours, 14 minutes. The wager was that the distance would… Read More ›
Road Trip: The pubs of Balmain and Rozelle
By MICK ROBERTS © THE pubs we visited on our road trip to Sydney’s inner-west in 2019 started their trading life as working class, blue collar establishments. The four pubs all opened over a century ago, frequented by wharfies, factory… Read More ›
Road trip: Glenroy Hotel, Alexandria
By MICK ROBERTS © THERE’S a feeling of longevity, a sense of durability at the Glenroy Hotel. The Alexandria pub, in Sydney’ inner-southern suburbs, a stone’s throw from Redfern, has been quenching thirsts for as long as anybody cares to… Read More ›
The man who invented the ‘lock-nut’, entrepreneur James H. Shekleton was also a bush publican
By MICK ROBERTS © NOT far from where a long-forgotten bush pub once traded, 450kms east of Perth in the Western Australian outback, sits the lonely grave of Scotsman, Tom Davidson. The goldfields of Western Australia are a strange last… Read More ›
The old Palace has been serving-up beer in Sydney for over 150 years: Local Taphouse, Darlinghurst
Palace Hotel, Darlinghurst By MICK ROBERTS © THE Palace Hotel was first licensed in December 1878. Currently a craft beer pub, specialising in Australian brews, the former Palace Hotel, at the corner of Flinders Street and South Dowling Road at… Read More ›
He can shout – if he likes
This week the Sunday Telegraph asked the President of the United Liquor Victuallers Association (ULVA), Mr N. Connolly, the attitude the ULVA would adopt toward a Sydney publican who reintroduced the pre-war gesture of “shouting” rounds of drinks for his… Read More ›
Parramatta’s Tattersalls Hotel and the Creasey family
By MICK ROBERTS © MARGARET Creasey must have been wary of banks. Twice, banks purchased her pubs at Parramatta, and moved her from successful operating businesses over her 26 year career as a hotelier. Margaret, along with her husband John, established… Read More ›
Paddington pub punching above its weight
By MICK ROBERTS © LIKE footballers, it seemed it was once a right of passage for boxers to turn their hand to a pub career after retiring from their sport. One pugilist who swapped his gloves for a publican apron was… Read More ›