Freemasons Hotel
The Freemasons Hotel in January 2022
Freemasons Hotel is located in Western Australia
Freemasons Hotel
Freemasons Hotel
Location of the Freemasons Hotel in Western Australia
General information
TypeAustralian pub
LocationBridgetown, Western Australia
Coordinates33°57′30″S 116°08′14″E / 33.9583°S 116.1373°E / -33.9583; 116.1373 (Freemasons Hotel)
Designated9 February 1996
Reference no.248

The Freemasons Hotel is a heritage-listed hotel in Bridgetown, Western Australia. It is located at 2 Steere Street, at the corner of Hampton Street (South Western Highway).[1]

History

The first Freemasons Hotel in Bridgetown was originally known as the Warner Hotel, located at the corner of Hampton Street and Phillips Street. A provisional hotel licence for the site was granted to Frederick Stanforth Warner in 1898. It was likely partially built by 1899, when it was listed for sale. The hotel opened in July 1900, with Warner as the proprietor. In November 1901 the Governor Sir Arthur Lawley, visiting for the Nelson Agricultural Show, renamed it the Freemasons Hotel.[2] The hotel was taken over by P. Diprose c. 1900, followed shortly by Robert Arthur John Crawford[3] in 1902.[4] By 1903 Bunning Bros owned the hotel.[5]

The hotel had low patronage due to its distance from the town centre,[3] and the recently constructed Bridgetown railway station.[6] Robert Bunning purchased a lot of land at the corner of Hampton Street and Steere Street, in the centre of Bridgetown[3] opposite the Mechanics' Institute.

In 1902, Diprose wanted to transfer the hotel licence to a proposed new building at Hampton Street and Steere Street, but the licence transfer was denied.[7] Plans for the new hotel were available by May 1903,[8] but a licence for the site was also denied in June 1903.[5]

By March 1904 the new hotel was under construction by Bunning Bros.[9] The Freemason Hotel's licence was transferred to the new building in 1904, with the old building left vacant. An opening dinner was held at the new Freemasons Hotel on 4 November,[10] and on 14 March 1905 the hotel was let to Elizabeth Hurst for a ten-year term. Further construction works were completed by late 1906, adding two shop fronts on Steere Street with extra accommodation above them.[3]

In 1939 the hotel was extended down Hampton Street, and renovated throughout.[6] In 1992, there were internal alterations made. Plans by L. M. Whitney show removal and reconfiguration of brick wall, including the removal of a fireplace, as well as upgrade to the kitchen, preparation room, and toilet facilities. Further changes were proposed in 2002 in plans by architect D. Singe, to create a liquor store in the hotel, and to add an alfresco dining area to the existing bar. The hotel closed in January 2004, in preparation for the proposed renovations.[3]

In 2013, a $86,136 grant from the State Heritage Commission was awarded, covering half of the cost of replacing the roof.[11] A section of the verandah's support, balcony timbers, and balustrading were damaged in January 2017 by a truck crash,[12] and were replaced later that year.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Heritage Council of Western Australia (3 February 2017). "Freemasons Hotel, Bridgetown". inHerit. Government of Western Australia. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  2. ↑ Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes (3 February 2017). "Nelson House Lodge (fmr)". inHerit. Government of Western Australia. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Heritage Council of Western Australia (4 November 2005). "Register of Heritage Places – Assessment Documentation Freemasons Hotel, Bridgetown" (PDF). Government of Western Australia. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  4. ↑ "BRIDGETOWN". Southern Times. Western Australia. 29 May 1902. p. 3. Retrieved 27 January 2020 – via Trove.
  5. 1 2 "Nelson Licensing Court". Southern Times. Western Australia. 6 June 1903. p. 4. Retrieved 27 January 2020 – via Trove.
  6. 1 2 3 "B9 Freemasons Hotel (Bridgetown)". Municipal Heritage Place - Bridgetown. Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes. pp. 31–34. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  7. ↑ "BRIDGETOWN". Southern Times. Western Australia. 6 March 1902. p. 5. Retrieved 27 January 2020 – via Trove.
  8. ↑ "DISTRICT NEWS". Bunbury Herald. Western Australia. 13 May 1903. p. 4. Retrieved 28 January 2020 – via Trove.
  9. ↑ "Bridgetown". Western Mail. Western Australia. 12 March 1904. p. 17. Retrieved 27 January 2020 – via Trove.
  10. ↑ "Freemason's Hotel". Blackwood Chronicle And South-west Mining News. Western Australia. 12 November 1904. p. 3. Retrieved 27 January 2020 – via Trove.
  11. ↑ Francis, Peter (6 December 2013). "Heritage grant for Freemasons Hotel in Bridgetown". Donnybrook-Bridgetown Mail. Archived from the original on 27 January 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  12. ↑ "Business as usual despite incident". Manjimup Bridgetown Times. 1 February 2017. p. 6. Retrieved 27 January 2020 – via PressReader.
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