“Time gents, drink ’em up”, was the barman’s call as six o’clock approached and the taps were turned off for another day. The six o’clock swill was Australian and New Zealand slang for the last-minute rush to buy drinks before the… Read More ›
Australian Hotels
Brothers, butchering and beer
By MICK ROBERTS © THE five Hill brothers made their fortune through beer, wine and spirits. The ‘currency lads’ – a name given to native born colonist – George, William, David, and Richard were Sydney publicans, who besides pumping ale,… Read More ›
Watch those pub cellars
Fatal Fall Down Cellar John Healy, aged about 50, a labourer by occupation, fell down the cellar of the Trades Union Hotel, Harbour-street:, city, this morning and broke his neck. It is said that he had an altercation with two women just prior to… Read More ›
Cabbage Tree Inn, Fairy Meadow
NORTH ILLAWARRA COUNCIL. Tuesday , August 6 1883. Moved by Alderman Ryan – That the Clerk be instructed to write to the Postmaster-General requesting that the name of the post office be changed from “Cabbage Tree” to Fairy Meadow”. The name of the… Read More ›
Historic Landmark to be Demolished
The Sydney Morning Herald, Saturday 3 March 1928: The old Bee Hive Hotel, now a hostel of the Church of England Men’s Society. The building, which stands at the corner of Princes and Argyle streets, is almost 100 years old.
Tom’s tall tales from the box seat
By MICK ROBERTS © “Driver Kelly would tell hobgoblin stories by the way, especially of the ‘little one-legged man of Bottle Forest’, whose footprint it was considered uncanny to come across. No one would camp anywhere along the road if… Read More ›
Parramatta Road’s Bald Faced Stag
By MICK ROBERTS © SEVEN kilometres from the heart of Sydney, along the Parramatta Road at Leichhardt, is one of the city’s oldest trading pubs. Although built in 1926, the Bald Faced Stag Hotel has served up beer under several names… Read More ›
The Dog and Duck, Haymarket, Sydney: 1815-1891
By MICK ROBERTS © FOR over 80 years the Dog and Duck was a landmark pub on George Street Sydney. A coach terminus for travellers between country NSW and Sydney, and popular with teamsters bringing stock and trade from the… Read More ›