British Seamen's Hotel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids British Seamen's Hotel |
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Argyle Street in 2014; the former hotel is on the left on the street corner
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| Location | 39-43 Argyle Street, The Rocks, City of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1886 |
| Built for | John Gill |
| Architectural style(s) | Federation Free Classical |
| Owner | Property NSW |
| Official name: British Seamen's Hotel (former); Parker Gallery; Sydney Cove Providore; British Seamen's Hotel | |
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Designated | 10 May 2002 |
| Reference no. | 1532 |
| Type | Hotel |
| Category | Commercial |
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The British Seamen's Hotel is a historic building in The Rocks, a famous part of Sydney, Australia. It was built in 1886 for a person named John Gill. Over the years, it has been a hotel, a place for people to live, and an office building. Today, it is a bar. This building is very important to the history of New South Wales and is officially protected as a heritage site. It is owned by Property NSW, which is part of the Government of New South Wales.
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History of the British Seamen's Hotel
The land where the hotel stands has a long and interesting history. From 1795 to 1816, it was part of the garden for the first hospital in Sydney. It was also near the home of Dr. William Redfern, an early surgeon.
Early Land Use and Buildings
In 1810, Harrington Street was created as part of Governor Macquarie's plan for Sydney. Later, around 1816, the main hospital moved to Macquarie Street. The famous architect Francis Greenway then lived in the old surgeon's house nearby until the 1830s. He even tried to build a new house on the land.
Who Owned the Land?
For many years, there was a lot of disagreement about who owned this piece of land. Different people claimed they had been given the land or had bought it. One person, James Rampling, who arrived in Australia as a prisoner in 1814, built a two-storey house and a bakery on the site. He claimed he bought the land, but others said he didn't have the right to own it because he was a prisoner.
In 1825, a government surveyor said that Rampling had taken the land without permission. Later, in 1825, the Supreme Court decided that John Gleeson was the rightful owner. Gleeson had a lease for the land from 1823.
Becoming a Hotel
In 1830, the land was sold again. A part of it, including the house built by Rampling, was sold to Fredrick Unwin. Unwin then rented the house to Caleb Salter, who opened a hotel called the 'King's Head' in 1830. This hotel stayed open until at least 1837. By 1834, Salter owned the land and had made the building bigger.
The hotel changed its name several times. In 1845, it was known as the "King's Head Inn." By 1845, it was called the "Rose and Crown" and kept that name until at least 1861. In 1865, it became the "Argyle Hotel." Finally, in 1868, the name British Seamen's Hotel appeared, with Mary Wormleighten as the manager.
The Gill Family and New Building
Around 1885, William Reilly, who owned the property, sold it to two brothers, John and William Gill. They were farmers. In 1886, the Gill brothers built the current hotel building. It was designed to look very similar to the old hotel's layout. The new building also included two shops facing Argyle Street.
The hotel's name changed again in 1899 to Hughes's Family Hotel. In the 1920s, it was also known as McCarthy's Hotel.
Changes Over the Years
In 1903, the government took ownership of the property. The building continued to be a hotel until about 1925-1927. In 1928, it was changed into a boarding house, a place where people could rent rooms to live. It stayed a residential building until 1955.
In the mid-1950s, the building became an office for a meat export company called Thomas Playfair Pty Ltd. In 1970, the Sydney Cove Redevelopment Authority took control of the property.
Major restoration work was done on the building in 1995. The outside and inside were carefully repaired and brought back to how they looked in the 1890s. This work even won an award in 1996! Since then, the building has been used for different businesses, and today it houses a special bar.
Design and Appearance
The British Seamen's Hotel is designed in a style called Federation Free Classical. This means it looks like classical Greek or Roman buildings but with Australian touches.
The front of the building, facing Argyle Street, is very fancy. It has decorative bands, stone details, arched windows with colorful leadlight glass, and a decorative wall at the top called a parapet. The side facing Harrington Street looks similar but is narrower. The other sides of the building are made of painted brick.
The building has two main parts. One part is a single shop on the ground floor. The other part, the former hotel, has two levels. The hotel used to have 13 rooms, two bathrooms, and a basement. The inside of the old hotel is very decorative.
Thanks to the big restoration work in 1995-1996, the building is in excellent condition today.
Why is it a Heritage Site?
The former British Seamen's Hotel is very important to the history and culture of New South Wales. It's listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register, which means it's officially protected.
- A Long History: The site has been used since the early days of the colony, starting as part of the first hospital gardens. It shows how The Rocks area has changed over time, from a hospital area to a busy place with hotels and shops.
- Important People: The site is linked to important historical figures like Dr. Redfern, the first Assistant Surgeon, and Francis Greenway, a famous colonial architect. Rosetta Terry, the wife of a wealthy businessman named Samuel Terry, also owned the site when it was a hotel.
- Early Hotel Life: It was one of the first inns in The Rocks, opening in the 1830s. It was a meeting place for local people and sailors who visited the nearby wharves. Its name, "British Seamen's Hotel," shows its strong connection to sailors for many years.
- Changing Uses: The building's different uses—as a hotel, a boarding house, and an office—show how people's lives and the area's economy changed over time.
- Beautiful Architecture: The building's design is a great example of the Federation Free Classical style. Its detailed front and overall look add to the historical feel of Argyle and Harrington Streets.
- Research Potential: Digging into the ground around the building has shown that there are still many historical remains. This means the site can teach us even more about the past buildings and the lives of people who lived and worked there.
The British Seamen's Hotel is a rare example of a Federation Free Classical style hotel in The Rocks area. It helps us understand the history of Sydney and how its buildings and communities have developed since 1788.
