This post looks at the history of the original Iona Hotel at Garfield, which opened in 1904 and burnt down in 1914.
In June 1903 it was reported that a petition for a local option poll for a Hotel in Garfield had obtained 200 signatures from voters in the recently created Iona Riding of the Shire of Berwick; more signatures were also gathered from the Pakenham Riding (1). This petition led to a local option poll taking place on August 27, 1903 in the Pakenham Licensing District, as a result of an application by George Ellis for a hotel licence at Garfield (2). It was reported that the statutory number of hotels to which the district is entitled is eight and the existing number is seven (3). The vote was restricted to the Iona and Pakenham Ridings and it was in favour of the Hotel at Garfield. Subsequently, in December 1903, the licensing bench which sat at Berwick on the 12th inst. granted a licence to Mr G. W. Ellis for an hotel at Garfield, subject to the building being completed in accordance with the plans and specifications, by June 1. It is expected that the premises will be ready for opening by March 1 (4).
I presume that the fact that the Hotel was located in the Iona Riding, which was formed May 31, 1901 (5) and the ratepayers of this riding had supported the establishment of the Hotel through a petition and voting in the local option poll, that it led to the Hotel being called the Iona Hotel.
The advertisement for the Iona Hotel which run in the
South Bourke & Mornington Journal from April 1904
The Iona Hotel at Garfield was opened in mid-March 1904 (6). A comprehensive report on the new Hotel was published in the South Bourke and
Mornington Journal of April 13, 1904 -
Garfield certainly ranks amongst the towns on the Gippsland line of railway which have innovations of improvement during the past two or three years, the most recent step in this direction being the building of a house of accommodation, via, the Iona hotel. Residents in the vicinity have agitated in this respect for some time past and success has attended their efforts, for they have now an hotel which is a credit to the place, and those who have occasion to visit Garfield will find the enterprising proprietor, Mr Geo.
W. Ellis, all that is to be desired as regards a landlord.
There is no reason now why the place should not become a favorite resort for both holiday seekers and sportsmen, as within a short distance from the town are to be found innumerable fern gullies and caves of marvellous beauty, and, for those who are in quest of game, the surrounding country will be found all that a sportsman wishes, a whether it be with the gun or fishing-rod.
The hotel stands on a prominent site only a few yards from the railway station, and is of very pretty design indeed, presenting a thoroughly up-to-date appearance the hotel and outbuildings, &c. occupy about an acre of ground. The structure comprises twenty-nine rooms, including a spacious bar room, parlors, commercial room, dining room, drawing room, sixteen bed rooms, billiard room (with full sized Alcock's table and fixtures), kitchen &c. The building, which is of weather board, is lathed and plastered throughout, and the front portion outside (six feet from the ground) is of jarrah-wood, oiled and polished, which has a pleasing effect.
The appointments are of modern style, and in each of the principal rooms electric bells are provided. Add to this the fact that the place has a gas manufacturing plant and a sewerage system, then it will be realised that the hotel is thoroughly complete in every detail. The acetyline gas is laid on right through the building, and is a beautiful illuminant. The septic sewerage system is reed, and an excellent one it is. From the whole of the building the refuse is carried by an underground pipe to the filter beds (which are in the yard) and there treated effectively. This system has been approved of by the Board of Health. The stabling accommodation is also of a substantial nature. Judging by the provision made by the huge underground tank there should never be a water famine here; from this source water is supplied and pumped into iron tanks placed in position for use in bath rooms, lavatory, &c.
The architects (Messrs. H. W. and F. B. Tompkins), and the contractors (Messrs. Atkinson & Gordon) have every reason to feel proud of their work. The furnishing of the place, which although not yet quite completed, is a matter which clearly shews the heavy expense the proprietor has been under, but good taste is displayed in this direction also. To sum up briefly, Garfield has an hotel sufficient for its requirements for years to come, and it is to be hoped Mr. Ellis' venture meets with the reward it deserves (7).
In 1907, George Ellis sold the Hotel to Thomas O’Donohue who was connected to Martin O’Donohue who built the Garfield Picture Theatre in 1924 (8). In the four years that Ellis owned the Hotel the Net Annual Value of the site had risen from £75 to £125 (9) which is an indication of the growth of the town. Ellis and his family were farewelled from the town at a function at the Hotel in September 1907. Mr Hattersley, who chaired the function said There were few men who had done more for a township and neighbourhood, than their guest, and whatever was for the advancement of the district Mr. Ellis was always in front to do his part. He presented Mr Ellis with a set of pipes which he trusted the pipes would bestow great comfort during hours of worry, and whenever he took and filled it that it would remind him of the friends left behind in Garfield (10).
Sadly, the hotel was destroyed by fire on April 23, 1914. The Bunyip Free Press had this report -
A fire broke out between 8 and 4 o'clock on Thursday morning, April 23rd, at Garfield, at the Iona Hotel and Mr. E. A. Gabbett's general store. How or where the outbreak first took place appears to be a mystery, but it spread with such rapidity that both buildings and their contents were completely destroyed.There were 26 persons sleeping in the hotel and Mr. Cryan had difficulty in waking and getting them clear of the burning building. Mrs. Ockenden, the cook at the hotel, states that the fire did not start in the hotel building, and is inclined to the belief that it started at the back of the store. A niece of Mr. Cryan's lost L14/10 in notes and gold in the flames.
The hotel was a fine, up-to-date wooden building, and was owned by Mr. T. O'Donohue, who had it partly covered by insurance, but his loss will be a heavy one, as the companies will not accept more than half the value of wooden buildings used as hotels. Mr. T. J. Cryan, the licensee, had a valuation of L600 on his stock, and he estimates his loss at double that amount, so that he too has suffered through the outbreak. We were unable to ascertain the insurances on Mr. Gabbett's stock or the building.
Only about a dozen chimneys now standing occupy the two blocks and the main street looks very bare (11).
There was another report of the fire, which differed slightly in detail, published in the Bunyip and Garfield Express of April 28, 1914 -
A disastrous fire occurred on Thursday morning between three and four o'clock at Garfield, which resulted in the total destruction of the Iona hotel and Mr E. Gabbett's grocery store. Between the hours mentioned some employes at Bird's bakery, which is further along the street, observed a fire in the direction of the hotel, Investigation satisfied them that the building was burning and the alarm was raised.
There were between 20 and 30 inmates of the hotel at the time amongst whom were a number of ladies, but fortunately all escaped from the burning building. The fire appeared to some observers to start outside the eastern wall of the building while others declare it came from the kitchen. However, it had a good hold when first noticed and no time was lost by the lodgers and the family and friends of Mr Cryan, licensee, in leaving the doomed structure.
The fire spread with great rapidity, and was favored by a north westerly breeze. A salvage party however, made good use of the little time at their disposal and succeeded in saving a piano and a few other articles of furniture, but there was no time to rescue the heavy furnishings from the building and over £500 worth was destroyed. Miss Cryan, daughter of the licensee lost £14 in gold and notes which she left in the building.
From the hotel the flames spread to Mr Gabbett's store, which adjoins it and soon the two structures were a seething mass of flame. The grocery stock was completely destroyed and the dwelling portion of the building, which is at the rear of the shop. The household furniture was destroyed. The insurances on the Iona hotel are as follows :-Mr T. Donohue, owner, £1500 on the building, furniture £500, Mr C.J. Cryan licensee, £600 on the stock. The amount of Mr Gabbett's insurance is not available, but it is understood that his stock was only lightly insured. All concerned are heavy losers. The business of the hotel is being carried on in a building next to the old premises, whilst Mr Gabbett has opened his store in Mr Bird's premises, pending building operations (12).
The Iona Hotel, completed.
Dandenong Advertiser, January 14, 1915 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article88659792
The new Hotel, which is the existing Hotel, was completed by January 1915, according to the report in the Dandenong Advertiser, above. I presume it officially opened soon after that, but once again, I can't find a specific opening date. Mr Cryan continued to advertise his Hotel in the Bunyip and Garfield Express all though 1914 and 1915, presumably because he was operating in the building next door, so that doesn't give any clues. There is a report, in the South Bourke and Mornington Journal from May 27, 1915
saying that the Shire of Berwick Health Inspector, Dr H. White, had inspected
the Iona Hotel and he was pleased with the appointments and sanitation of the
place and that no expense had been spared by the proprietors to make it all
respects one of the best equipped hotels in the colony (13), but whether the Hotel could operate before the official inspection, I cannot say.
The 'new' Iona Hotel, taken most likely after it opened in 1915.
Image: Berwick Pakenham Historical Society
Trove list - I have created a short list of articles connected to this post, access it here.
Footnotes
(1) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, June 3 1903, see here.
(2) The Age, August 28, 1903, see here.
(3) Ibid
(4) The Argus, December 15 1903, see here.
(5) From Bullock tracks to bitumen: a brief history of the Shire of Berwick (Historical Society of Berwick Shire, 1962). p. 10.
(6) I can't find a specific opening date - The Argus of March 15, 1904, see here, reported that the building is now completed, and will be opened for business in a day or two.
(7) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, April 13, 1904, see here.
(8) Licence transfer - South Bourke & Mornington Journal, September 18, 1907, see here. Garfield Picture Theatre
(9) Shire of Berwick Rate Books
(10) South Bourke & Mornington Journal, September 11, 1907, see here.
(11) Bunyip Free Press, April 23, 1914, see here.
(12) Bunyip and Garfield Express, April 28, 1914. This report was also republished in the Gippsland Independent, May 1, 1914, see here.
(13) South Bourke and Mornington Journal, May 27, 1915 see here.
