By MICK ROBERTS © AT the harbour end of the Pitt Street Mall, in the heart of Sydney’s busiest shopping precinct, stands a five storey reminder of how the city’s colonial pubs developed. There’s no better example of the evolution… Read More ›
Pitt Street
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 ›
Scandal and intrigue at The Empire
By MICK ROBERTS © A ROYAL romance with a murder conspiracy theory, a celebrity scandal, mysterious deaths, and a tragic love story ending in suicide, are the stand-out headlines during the Empire Hotel’s 35 year history. Rising from the ashes… Read More ›
The ultimate price for respectability: Currency Lass
In the early times the native-born colonists were known by the title of “Currency”; and it was common enough to hear a person spoken of as a “currency lad” or a “currency lass”. But this custom has almost entirely died out,… Read More ›