Lost Hotels - The Golden Rule

Tuesday the 9th of March 1909 was a very sad day for Adelaide's connoisseur of beer and other alcohol consumptions, with 37 Hotels across Adelaide and the broader suburbs to be closed by the Licensing Bench.
On the Bench that made such decisions (some decisions were made with very good reason) were Messrs. J Gorden, S.M. W Gilbert, W. Burford, W. Kither, T.H. Booker and W.D. Ponder M.P.
Of 413 applications for renewal of a license, in the Port Adelaide, East Torrens and Sturt districts were refused. Of these 31 were for new applications for old Hotels, and these were granted. Fifteen “Club”s obtained new licensing, and 27 renewals or new licenses for Wine were refused, plus 10 applications for renewals of Storekeeping wine licenses were refused.



The Hotels Affected were:



I. Paris Portland (T. Adams).
2. Sussex, Port Adelaide (G. Bishop).  
3. Blythwood, Mitcham (Ellen Black-ham).
4. Kensington, Kensington (Albert E.Bleechmore).
5. Australia's Pride, Port Adelaide (T. J.  Blencowe)
6. Jervois, Port Adelaide (HonoraBrady)
7.Burnside, Burnside (Annie E. Canny).
8. Unley Inn, Unley (J. C. L. Chapple).  
9. Forest Inn, Black Forest (B. J.  Conry).
10. Mafeking Hero, Hindley-street (P. M.Daly).
11. World's End, Magill (J. Dick).
12. Morphett Arms, Morphettville (J.Foody).
13. Mountain Hut, Glen Osmond (W. Forrest).
14. Berkshire, Glenelg (Emily M. Frearson).
15. Golden Rule, Pirie-street (Elizabeth  B. Frith).
16. Rising Sun. Kensington (W. J.George).
17. Vine Inn, Glen Osmond (A. M. Gibbons) .
18. Lass o' Gowrie, Port Adelaide (H.Goddard).
19. Lady MacDonnell, South-road (E.Grindell).
20. Scotch Thistle, Portland (J. Hutchison).
21. Prince's, Port Adelaide (R. Jonas).
22. Ship Inn, Port Adelaide (J. L.Joyce).
23. Royal Oak, Paddington (JamesJulian).
24. Thornton, Glanville (F. J. Martien-son).
25. Kentish Arms. Kent Town (Florence Millar).
26. Mitcham, Mitcham (R. J. Miller).
27. Duke of Wellington, Port Adelaide(Christina Parker).
28. Vintage Shades, Norwood (Alice Ryan).
29. Family Hotel, Norwood (Matilda Stephenson).
30. Brighton Inn (H. Harris).
31. British Standard, Alberton (E. J. Symonds).
32. Terminus, Glenelg (Ellen Thompson).33. Paradise-bridge, Paradise (Anna Waite).
34. Hawkestone Arms, Mitcham (J. M. Wave).
35. Kew, Kew (J. H. West).
36. Brunswick Pier, Port Adelaide (Johanna Winslet).
37. Dock, Port Adelaide (A. Kluck).

  The Golden Rule Hotel license was opposed by the police. The main call for the public-house to be taken away was from William Edward Conroy, a wood merchant who ran a business directly opposite the Golden Rule hotel in Pirie Street.
  Mr Conroy stated publicly: “The Golden Rule Hotel, which was absolutely unnecessary to the public. I have patronised all the hotels in the vicinity. I have not inspected the interiors of the other houses, and have not been in the Golden Rule twice in nine years. It was the worst conducted house in the street. I have seen six or seven licensees in the house, and they came and went like chaff before the wind.”

The building previously the Golden Rule Hotel, 29 August 1941, east corner of Pirie Street and Moger Lane. . The Hotel lost its licence in 1909 and some time after that was taken over by the Government garage next door, which occupied the entire site up until 1967, when it moved to new premises in Gilles St, Adelaide.

Richard Hanley, of Pirie Street, was quoted as saying: “I live opposite the Golden Rule, which is the scene of frequent rows. There were only four hotels in Pirie Street from King William Street to Hindmarsh-square. A highly respectable class of people live in the vicinity of the Golden Rule, and I am one of them!”
Inspector Davey, who was for closing the Hotel stated that the building was old and small. It was not needed for the accommodation of the public. He had received complaints about the hotel. In December he asked Mrs Frith to make improvements, which had since been carried out. He did not know what they had cost.

The Landlady, Mrs Elizabeth Frith had recently lost her husband, and was currently running the pub with her married sister. A the time of the closing, she had held the license for two years straight, counterpointing the earlier testimony of Mr Conroy. The Widow Firth stated to the board that she had recently spent considerable money on repairs to the building, that there had been no fights in her pub since her ownership and that the hotel was making a considerable profit through patronage and accommodation.
Patrons had even begun a petition to keep the Hotel open, but the Overseeing Bench declined to allow the petition to be used as evidence and turned it away.
The Hotel was let to Mrs Frith by the S.A. Brewing Company for 30/ per week.




So it was that Adelaide lost another of its drinking holes, and a little piece of history, that now, hopefully, will be forgotten...

© 2014 Allen Tiller

www.eidolonparanormal.com.au