THE HOTEL, NOW OWNED BY PAULINE MCCRACKEN, 1927 AND AGAIN IN 1929 WHILE IT WAS BEING THE RAILWAY HOTEL, BARCALDINE

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1 THE RAILWAY HOTEL, BARCALDINE THE HOTEL, NOW OWNED BY PAULINE MCCRACKEN, BURNT DOWN THREE TIMES BEFORE 1932: IN 1896, 1927 AND AGAIN IN 1929 WHILE IT WAS BEING REBUILT. LUCKILY, THAT WAS THE LAST INCIDENT AND THE CURRENT BUILDING HAS BEEN STANDING SINCE THEN. Page 1 of 21

2 Western Champion 1 March First Railway Hotel is built by Mr John Lennon. The Lennon family emigrated from Clady County, Armagh in Ireland. Five of John and Catherine Lennon s children enrolled on the opening day of the Barcaldine State School in Mr John Lennon dies. Page 2 of 21

3 Western Champion, 17 June 1890 Capricornian, 15 November 1890 At about-midnight on Tuesday an alarm of fire was raised, one of the bedrooms at Mrs. Lennon s hotel being found in flames. A crowd was soon present from the hall adjoining, and the flames put out, Mr. Holmes, of the Queensland National Bank, specially distinguishing himself. The room in which the fire occurred was lined and ceiled with calico and a big fire was only prevented by the prompt action taken. July 1890 Mrs Catherine Lennon, Proprietress and licensee. 12 July 1891 Mrs Catherine Lennon, Proprietress and licensee. Page 3 of 21

4 Western Champion Almanac 1891 Western Champion, December 1895 The police, having received special instructions during the past week to see that all shops and public houses were closed during divine service on Sundays, a street watch was kept on all the hotels. There was considerable grumbling among a certain section of the community, as hitherto it was possible to get a drink at any of the bars at all hours of the day and the sudden stoppage of this convenience was looked upon as a serious grievance. 29 December 1896 First Railway Hotel burns down. All buildings are destroyed including bedrooms and outhouses. Page 4 of 21

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7 Morning Bulletin 30 December 1896 Western Champion, February 1897 Mrs Lennon is constructing a two-storey hotel on the site of the old Railway Hotel. Meacham & Leyland are the builders. Page 7 of 21

8 The Capricornian, 16 Jan 1897 Our townspeople who suffered from the late fire are now busily engaged in re-erecting their premises, which, I understand, will in all cases be a marked improvement on the original structures. Mrs. Lennon will replace the Railway Hotel with a two storey building, which will compare favourably with any hotel in the town. Mr. Vesper is putting up two shops in place of those pulled down, which will be a great improvement on the original premises. Mr. Peel is about to put up a new hotel, and Mr. Hoskins is busy reerecting his shop. It is to be hoped something will be done to give us a Town Hall in place of the one burned down. Worker, 18 December 1898 July 1899 Second Railway Hotel built. Mrs Catherine Lennon, Proprietress and licensee. From left: Exchange Hotel, Railway Hotel (partly hidden), Royal Hotel (with turret), shops, original Shakspeare Hotel. c1900 (Barcaldine & District Historical Society image). April 1901 Mrs Catherine Lennon, Proprietress and licensee 24 May 1905 Mrs Catherine Lennon dies at the age of 100. Buried in Barcaldine Cemetery. At the time of her death, she was the longest running/oldest person to hold a victualler s license. 23 September 1905 Mr John James Lennon, Proprietor Page 8 of 21

9 View looking westwards along Oak Street from Railway Hotel, c1905 Lennon s Railway Hotel c1906 (SLQ image) Page 9 of 21

10 6 April 1907 John James Lennon, Proprietor Union Office notable because of its connection with the 1891 Shearers' Strike was moved on wheels from Ash Street to become the kitchen of the hotel. 17 April 1909 John James Lennon, Proprietor. April 1910 John James Lennon, Proprietor. Western Champion, June 1912 The Licensing Victuallers Association in the chief cities have been dealing with the counter lunch questions and a conference sitting at Adelaide has decreed they must go. Barcaldine won t be affected so no one need be alarmed. One time however, in the long ago, the bar counters were decked with sandwiches, biscuits and cheeses, red herrings and sprats, with salads etc. But anyway why should commercial hotels supply free lunches? May just as reasonably expect rest to furnish free beer! April 1915 License renewed to Mr John James Lennon for 35. View across Oak Street from western end of railway goods shed From Left: Second Railway Hotel, Exchange Hotel, Parnell s store, Royal Hotel. (SLQ image) Page 10 of 21

11 Oak Street scene c1917. In view from Left- Railway Hotel, Exchange Hotel, Royal Hotel. April 1919 March 1920 March 1923 License granted to Margaret Lennon ex Executor for the late John James Lennon. Margaret Lennon, Proprietress and licensee. Margaret Lennon applies to have license transferred to Mr Edmond Fuery. Page 11 of 21

12 March 1923 After 36 years in the Railway Hotel, the Lennon family lease to Mr E Fuery. The Fuery family lease the hotel from 1923 to about 1940 when the Lennon family return. The Western Champion, 24 February 1923 After being in the Lennon family for over 36 years, the well-known Railway Hotel at Barcaldine on Thursday passed into the hands of Mr. E. Fuery, who until recently carried on a storekeeping and aerated waters business. Mr. Fuery is well and popularly known in these parts, and was, for a considerable time, in the Railway Department. With the capable assistance of his wife, (who is a daughter of Mrs. A. Lynch, of the Royal Hotel) we are sure the Railway will be as excellently managed by Mr. Fuery in the future as it has been in the past, and we wish Mr, and Mrs. Fuery every success and prosperity in their new venture and congratulate them upon assuming the proprietorship of such an oldestablished business. 10 November 1927 Railway Hotel destroyed by fire. Owner Mrs Margaret Lennon, Proprietress; E Fuery, Licensee Exchange Hotel burnt down at the same time. Joe Jackson (hairdresser and tobacconist) lost his shop in the fire moved his business to the Federal Hotel after fire. Meacham & Leyland on the east and Parnell s store on the west were partly damaged in the fire and suffered water damage Page 12 of 21

13 FIRE IN BARCALDINE. TWO HOTELS DESTROYED. The Capricornian, 10 November 1927 In the most serious outbreak in the eastern section of the town since 1896 when about 12 buildings were destroyed, occurred about 3:45 o clock this morning, resulting in the total destruction of the Railway Hotel, E Fuery proprietor, and the Exchange Hotel, W Moore licensee. Damage was done to Meacham and Leyland s premises, which adjoined the Exchange Hotel, and which had a miraculous escape, and also to Parnell s adjoining the Railway Hotel. The fire bell sounded the dread alarm, which was followed by the screeching of the siren. The new Morris engine, which is fitted with a Hale pump, was quickly on the scene and this did excellent service, supplied with two hoses, with 90lbs. pressure, and there was ample water. Two hoses were also used from the rear in Oak Street. The firemen did wonderful work and performed what almost appeared to be an impossibility in effecting such a wonderful save in a block, in which the buildings were practically alongside each other and with no breaks. The iron wall of Meacham s large emporium was alongside the Exchange Hotel. The fire was stopped here. The same applies to Parnell s, which is an old single storied building, separated from the Railway Hotel by a 6 ft. passage, although the balcony of the hotel is overhead. The firemen on the roof of Parnell s worked like Trojans. The flames from the large two-storied hotel almost touched their faces, but they stuck to their guns and eventually the fire was beaten and portion of the western end of the hotel stands as a monument to the heroic efforts of the firemen. Firemen and volunteers at the rear of the burning buildings did excellent work, and a bucket brigade at Meacham s were instrumental in quelling outbreaks in those properties. Fortunately at the critical time the wind veered and drove the flames away from Meacham s. This undoubtedly prevented the fire from spreading eastwardly. By 4.30 the fire was well under control and there is now an ugly blank in the centre of this section. Too much praise cannot be given to the brigade, and the new engine pump proved a godsend in combating the fire. The fire started in the storeroom of the Exchange Hotel. The flames spread rapidly. Mr. Moore and his family escaped with difficulty and saved nothing. Mr. Fuery is a heavy loser; he lost all. Much sympathy is felt for Mr. Fuery, who only lost his wife last week. Tim Fuery lost an expensive wireless outfit. Joe Jackson, hairdresser and tobacconist in the Railway building, lost practically everything. He had a nice little stock. Business people west of the immediate scene of the fire, but in the same block, hurriedly removed their stocks, etc. On one occasion the flames were blowing dangerously over the Champion buildings in Ash Street and the worst was feared. Millions of large sparks fell and the watchers had an anxious time until the wind again changed and drove the flames almost directly north. Altogether 1300 ft. of hose was in use and the brigade undoubtedly proved very efficient under the excellent command of Chief Officer Williams and Deputy Vale. The Railway Hotel is owned by Mrs. J. Lennon, her late husband being the occupier for years. The Exchange Hotel is owned by Messrs. Hempenstall Brothers, who hold all the Insurances, which, it is understood, are with the New Zealand Co. The Railway Hotel was insured with the South British Co for 1030 and I.O.A. for Mr. Jackson s stock, tools in trade, and effects was insured with the State Insurance Office. April 1928 July 1929 August 1929 Mr. E Fuery s license is renewed. He plans to rebuild the hotel. Mr Joe Jackson, hairdresser and tobacconist, is operating out of the Railway Hotel again Mr. E Fuery is proprietor of Railway Hotel. Page 13 of 21

14 29 Oct 1929 Railway Hotel burns down a second time, as it was still being rebuilt, along with the Exchange Hotel. Meacham & Leyland furniture store is destroyed; Joe Jackson s business is destroyed again; the railway goods shed across the road catches alight but the fire is extinguished. Extract from The Capricornian, 31 Oct BARCALDINE BLAZE. TWO HOTELS AND THREE SHOPS The buildings destroyed were the newly-erected Exchange Hotel, which was only finished on Saturday afternoon; Fuery s Railway Hotel; the furniture portion of Messrs. Meacham and Lelyand s emporium; J. S. Jackson s hairdressing saloon in the Railway Hotel; and Parnell s general store, one of the oldest established houses in the town. When the fire was first seen the Exchange Hotel was a raging furnace and Fuery s, which is right alongside quickly ignited. The occupants of Fuery s Hotel hardly had time to get out. The Exchange Hotel appeared to burn like matchwood. The new Railway Hotel was a fine two-storey structure, well furnished. Mr. Fuery had only been in occupation about 12 months and he lost everything. The carpenters only finished their work at the Exchange Hotel last Saturday and it is stated that a plumber was at work there yesterday. The origin of the fire was a mystery. The scene this morning is one of desolation, and once again there is a nasty gap in the main business centre. The Railway Hotel was built of fibrolite and celotex, and the outer walls of the Exchange Hotel were of fibrolite, yet the material offered little or no resistance to the fire, which burned furiously for about an hour. Western Champion 16 November 1929 July 1930 Railway Hotel License transferred from Mr. E Fuery to Margaret Lennon. Page 14 of 21

15 Western Champion, May 1930 Messrs. Meacham and Leyland are making good progress with the new Railway Hotel. The building is well in frame and discloses that the building will be larger than the structure recently destroyed by fire Mrs Margaret Lennon is Proprietress of Lennon s Railway Hotel Mr Joe Jackson, hairdresser and tobacconist in business. Oak Street view 1939 showing cars parked side-by-side in front of third and current Railway Hotel; Royal Hotel with turret (SLQ image). Page 15 of 21

16 Flood in Oak Street c1930s. Railway Hotel far left (SLQ image). Railway Hotel c1946 (Main Roads Department image). Page 16 of 21

17 1954 Six Lennon family members lived in the Railway Hotel including Hugh Lennon, Maureen Patricia Lennon, barmaid; and Marlene Ursula Lennon. Hughie Lennon is manager Raymond Alexander; & Thelma Florence Alexander Licensee 1976 Lennon family descendants sell the hotel view (W Scott image) Mark Flavy Korostovetz, Proprietor; & Elena Korostovetz Page 17 of 21

18 1978 view, also showing eastern side of Artesian Hotel (W Scott image) Opening of Matilda Highway (K Reynolds image) Page 18 of 21

19 2004 view (S Broughton image) view (S Broughton image). Page 19 of 21

20 Copy of Dawn Head Rose painting Opening of Tree of Knowledge Memorial (K Reynolds image) Page 20 of 21

21 Crowd in front of Railway Hotel watching the Opening of Tree of Knowledge Memorial, 2009 (S Broughton image) Compiled by Dr Sharon Broughton December 2015 Page 21 of 21