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 ›
Sydney hotels
The ‘sign-board’ banter between Chippendale’s Broadway Hotel and Barnabas Church
The priest and the publican By MICK ROBERTS © THE friendly contest of chaffing – perfected and usually kept within the bar-room – spilled outside onto one of Sydney’s busiest streets during the 1980s. Chaffing – the pleasure of teasing… Read More ›
Notorious Sydney wharfies’ pub, the Bristol Arms
By MICK ROBERTS © SYDNEY’S remaining wharfie pubs are far and few between, where brawls were common, and thirsts were big. Down on Sussex Street, towards Darling Harbour, can be found a pub from that era, although its ‘bloodhouse’ days,… Read More ›
Sydney’s long-gone Australian Hotel on Market Street
By MICK ROBERTS © ARTHUR Edwin Lawes was pictured in the Daily Telegraph on December 22 1927 working behind the bar of his Sydney pub. Lawes was licensee of the Australian Hotel from 1920 to 1928. Born in Penrith in… Read More ›
The Golden Sheaf’s beer garden…
Bigger, Better beer garden for Sydney Licensee Jack Thomas, of the Golden Sheaf Hotel, Double Bay, is planning one of the biggest beer gardens in Australia. Recently he established a small beer garden of 15 tables in the concrete courtyard… Read More ›
Beer and bustle don’t mix
In London in 1750 the gin shop signs used to announce that you could get “drunk for a penny, dead drunk for tuppence.” In Sydney in 1946, due to the tempo of drinking, you can get drunk on four pots,… Read More ›
Metropolitan Hotel, Sydney
The original Metropolitan Hotel, at the corner of George and Bridge streets Sydney, was demolished in 1910 and replaced with the current heritage listed structure. The site of the Metropolitan has been occupied by a hotel since the 1830s. In… Read More ›
Strong Man Inn, Parramatta
Breasting the bar earns Margaret time in the watch house MARGARET Carey, after enjoying a couple of rums at the Strong Man Inn, Parramatta in September 1828, was ordered to spend time in the watch house “until sober” after souveniring… Read More ›
Belmore Hotel, Circular Quay Sydney
A Snake in the bar A COUPLE of blokes who enjoyed a morning tipple at their ‘early opener’ down by Circular Quay, got a good laugh out of a frightened barmaid one Autumn day in 1937. When a four-foot snake… Read More ›
Bondi pub drinkers rally for war bonds
The sale of war bonds was a significant aspect of the Australian home front during the Second World War. Administered by the Commonwealth War Loan Office, the war loans scheme encouraged Australians to buy war bonds which would mature… Read More ›