| Also known as | The Ayrshire Hotel [22] 1853-1869, renamed The Clare Castle 1870-1872, renamed The Ayrshire 1873-1876, renamed Rock of Cashel 1876-1884, renamed Queens Arms Hotel 1884-1904 | |
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| Previous Address | 158 was also known as 48 and 50 Chetwynd Street, Hotham before street renumbering. | Source: from the 1895 MMBW map |
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Timelapse Building Images
No Entries Found
Land Details
- Number 22 on the Historic Pubs of North Melbourne map
- 1895 MMBW map
- Compiled Crown Record Plan
Building Details
No Entries Found
Subsequent Building Alterations
No Entries Found
Architectural Features
No Entries Found
Heritage Significance and Listings
| Heritage Listings and Explanatory Notes |
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The Victorian era heritage hotel that once existed on this site was demolished after 1955 and replaced by a five storey concrete and brick telephone and communications exchange. Built in 1960. |
Owners
| From | To | Owner | More Info | Data Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| to date | Private | source: Hatcher Index | ||
| Mr. Hugh Glass, first Crown land purchaser | https://www.melbournestreets.com.au/glass-hugh/ | source: Hatcher Index | ||
| Boon Wurrung and Woiwurrung (Wurundjeri) peoples of the Kulin Nation | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Victoria | source: Hatcher Index |
Residents
| From | To | Resident | More Info | Data Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| to date | North Melbourne Telephone Exchange | source Hatcher Index | ||
| 1940 | 1955 | Mrs. Evelyn Barry (156) | source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Lindsay Thomas in 2020. | |
| 1935 | 1935 | James F. Cowie and Mrs. Cowie (156) | source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Lindsay Thomas in 2020. | |
| 1930 | 1930 | Italians (158) | source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Lindsay Thomas in 2020. | |
| 1925 | 1925 | Mrs. Jessie Coates (48 and 50) | source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Lindsay Thomas in 2020. | |
| 1910 | 1920 | Mrs. A. M. Lysart (48 and 50) | source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Lindsay Thomas in 2020. | |
| 1900 | 1905 | James Moran – Queen’s Arms Hotel | source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Lindsay Thomas in 2020. | |
| 1897 | Ellen Bannon – Queen’s Arms Hotel | http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article9774675 | source: The Argus | |
| 1890 | 1895 | Mrs. Mary Smith – Queen’s Arms Hotel | source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Lindsay Thomas in 2020. |
Social History
1897 The Argus.
LICENSING PROSECUTION.
DR. LLOYD MERCIFULLY INCLINED.
At the North Melbourne Court yesterday, before Dr. F. Lloyd and Mr. J. Wylie, J.P.’s, Ellen Bannon, licensee of the Queen’s Arms Hotel, Chetwynd-street, was charged with Sunday trading on the 26th ult. Defendant said she was serving a boarder and “his friend” on that day. Dr. Lloyd suggested that the case be withdrawn on payment of costs. Inspector Waters said that he could not consent to that, as defendant had been previously convicted of licensing offences. Defendant was fined £5, in effect pleading guilty. The inspector asked for costs, but Dr. Lloyd said he did not think they should be granted. It was no use pushing the law, as it was calculated to bring it into bad odour. Serving a boarder’s friend on Sunday was a mere technical offence. He detested drunkenness, but he did not believe in too severe measures. No costs would be allowed.
source” The Argus
50 Chetwynd Street
The Ayrshire Hotel [22] 1853-1869, renamed The Clare Castle 1870-1872, renamed The Ayrshire 1873-1876, renamed Rock of Cashel 1876-1884, renamed Queens Arms Hotel 1884-1904 and later demolished.
The first name.
Note that the lane running parallel to Chetwynd off Gardiner is still shown as Ayrshire Lane. This was the site of The Ayrshire Hotel, established in 1853, and one of the early hotels for new arrivals in the colony. In its early days, the Ayrshire seems to have attracted Scots among its patrons. The town of Ayr is on the Firth of Clyde in western Scotland.
The Scots connection
In September 1854, a young Scot wrote home to his father:
We went to the Ayrshire Hotel Chetwynd Street where we got one bed and that not very big and far from clean. However we managed to huddle together with the help of fleas whose name was legion) till the morning, when we got a cup of coffee, slice of bread and a bit of mutton, for which we only paid ten shillings well!
On 29th September 1854, those interested in setting up a Presbyterian Church in North Melbourne met at The Ayrshire. The Presbyterian Church followed the ideas of the reformer Calvin and was strong in Scotland. On this occasion, the meeting room at The Ayrshire was packed with an interesting cross section of the community. Subsequently land was set aside and a notable Presbyterian Church, which continues today as a Uniting Church was built in Curzon Street.
Historic Pubs of North Melbourne by Hotham History Project.
Context and Streetscape
| Precinct |
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This property resides within the municipality of the City of Melbourne. We respectfully acknowledge it is on the traditional land of the Kulin Nation. |
| Zoning |
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The controls listed below affect this property: This information must be verified with the relevant planning or heritage authority. |
| Streetscape |
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Chetwynd Street was once predominantly a residential street with single and two storey Victorian terrace dwellings, two churches, a school and two hotels known as the Queens Arms and the Star of Hotham. The Chetwynd streetscape today is characterised by a mix of multi-storey blocks of public flats, some modern commercial/industrial buildings, an ambulance depot, and a school. In 2021, only fifty of the original one hundred and twenty-nine Victorian heritage dwellings once found on this street remain, compared to the 1895 Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works map. |
Other Information
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