Lord Nelson Hotel, Millers Point facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Lord Nelson Hotel
Lord Nelson Hotel in 2014
Location	19 Kent Street, Millers Point, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Built	1835
Architect	Michael Lehane

New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name: Lord Nelson Hotel
Type	state heritage (built)
Designated	2 April 1999
Reference no.	509
Type	Hotel
Category	Commercial

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The Lord Nelson Hotel is a very old and famous pub and hotel in Sydney, Australia. You can find it at 19 Kent Street in a place called Millers Point. It was built by James Dempsey, who was a stonemason from Ireland, around 1814 to 1815. This hotel is the oldest working licensed hotel in Sydney. It was officially added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 because of its important history.

History of the Lord Nelson Hotel
What the Lord Nelson Hotel Looks Like
- Inside the Hotel
- Changes and Dates
Why the Lord Nelson Hotel is Important
See also

History of the Lord Nelson Hotel

How Millers Point Got Its Name

The area where the hotel stands was first called Cockle Bay Point by Europeans. Later, it was renamed Millers Point after an ex-convict named John "Jack the Miller" Leighton. The northern part of Kent Street and the western part of Windmill Street were known as "The Quarries." This area provided a lot of the stone used to build early Sydney.

Building the Hotel

The Lord Nelson Hotel was built in the late 1830s by William Wells. He might have been a plasterer. The architect who designed the building was Michael Lehane. The sandstone blocks used for the hotel probably came from the quarries near Observatory Hill. The hotel got its liquor licence in June 1842. This makes it the oldest continuously working licensed hotel in Sydney.

Owners and Changes Over Time

From 1860 to 1866, Charles J Sounders managed the Lord Nelson Hotel. In 1867, William Wells, who built the hotel, bought it back. He stayed there until 1870. After him, many different people managed the hotel over the years.

In 1891, the Sydney Storage Company took over the property. They leased part of it back to Patrick Powell in 1893. Later, in 1900, the Oswald Bond Stores were built next to the hotel.

Government Ownership and Updates

The government took over the property in 1901. It was then managed by the Sydney Harbour Trust from 1911. Many people ran the hotel during these years. From 1911 to 1917, Michael Lehane, the original architect, managed it.

In 1922, some changes were approved for the building. These changes might have included updating the rooms on the second floor.

In the 1930s, the company leasing the hotel, Tooth and Co. Ltd, had trouble with high rent. They talked to the Sydney Harbour Trust and got a better deal.

In 1932, an inspector checked the hotel. He asked for several updates to meet safety rules. These included making the kitchen and dining rooms fly-proof and fixing the lights.

More big changes happened in 1938. Architects Copeman, Lemont and Keesing designed these updates. The changes were made to follow the Liquor Act of 1912. The Maritime Services Board of New South Wales, which owned the property, then gave Tooth and Co. Ltd a 20-year lease.

In 1938, new equipment was installed to keep beer cold. The refrigeration system was updated again in 1947 and 1956. In 1941, a part of the cellar was made into a special room for spirits.

In the mid-1950s, more repairs were done to the inside and outside of the hotel. This was to make sure it was in good condition. In 1957, a "keg slide" was built on Kent Street. This allowed beer kegs to be moved easily from the street to the basement.

In 1963, the Maritime Services Board leased the hotel to Percy Cheers. Over the next few decades, different people leased and ran the hotel.

Modern Updates and Awards

In the early 1980s, major renovations worth $100,000 were done. These likely involved restoring the outside of the building.

In 1986, plans were approved to add a brewery to the hotel's basement and ground floors. Walls on the first floor were opened up to create a larger restaurant area. The bar was also moved into the restaurant area.

On July 1, 1988, a fire started in the building because of a fireplace flue. One room on the second floor was badly damaged.

In 1990, a new exhaust system was installed in the kitchen. In the 1990s, the Lord Nelson Hotel won several awards. It was voted "Best Pub" by Great Pubs of Sydney and "Best Tourist Hotel" by the Australian Hotels Association.

What the Lord Nelson Hotel Looks Like

The Lord Nelson Hotel is a three-story building made of smooth sandstone. It is built in an old style called Old Colonial Regency. The roof is shaped like an "L" and is covered with corrugated asbestos cement. This roof is not the original one. A decorative wall and cap hide part of the roof.

The building has a special corner entrance. It features a rounded doorway with two wooden doors and a fanlight window above. Another similar doorway is on the Argyle Street side. A third door is on the eastern side.

The windows on the first and second floors are regular, multi-paned timber double-hung windows. On the ground floor, there are large, fixed timber windows on either side of the corner. All windows have simple stone sills that stick out a little.

A special line of plaster, called a string course, runs along the Argyle Street side at ground level. It continues along the Kent Street side. Below this line, the sandstone wall has been covered with plaster and painted.

You can see a "kegslide" on the eastern side. This is a special opening that allows beer kegs to be loaded directly from the street into the basement.

Inside the Hotel

The building has five levels: a basement, ground floor, first floor, second floor, and an attic.

Ground Floor: This is mostly where the public bar is located.
First Floor: This floor has two main parts. The southern part is the restaurant seating area. The northeastern part has the main stairs, a small storage room, and restrooms. The northwestern part has the kitchen and a bar that opens to the restaurant. There is also a sheltered deck area.
Second Floor: This floor has eight rooms, two bathrooms, two storage rooms, a single restroom, and a small kitchen area.
Attic: The attic is an open, "L-shaped" space with a wooden floor and many exposed rafters (roof beams).

Changes and Dates

c. 1836: The hotel was built.
1842–1845: Possible additions were made to the north and west sides.
1922: The second-floor rooms were updated.
1930s: The kitchen and restrooms were added or improved.
1938: The ground floor bar was changed, new stairs were built, and the second-floor rooms were updated again.
1957: The keg slide was built.
1960: The ground floor bar was changed again.
1980s: The outside of the building was fully restored.
1986: A brewery was added inside the hotel.
1987: The deck and service stairs were enclosed, and a bar was put on the first floor.
1988: A fire caused damage to the building.

Why the Lord Nelson Hotel is Important

The Lord Nelson Hotel is very important because it is the oldest working licensed hotel in Sydney. When the government took over many properties in Millers Point around 1900 due to health concerns, the Lord Nelson Hotel was one of only two hotels in the area that were kept.

It is also important because it is one of only three hotel buildings in Sydney built in the Old Colonial Regency style. The Lord Nelson is considered the best example of these three. It helps give the area its unique look and feel. It is a rare example of an early 19th-century hotel that is still in use today.

The hotel is also part of a group of corner hotels in the northern part of Sydney. These hotels were important places for people to meet, relax, and find affordable places to stay. Because of its age and continuous use since the early days of European settlement, the site might also be important for scientific study.

The Lord Nelson Hotel was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999, because it meets several important requirements:

It shows how history unfolded in New South Wales.

The Lord Nelson Hotel is a key part of the history of corner hotels in Millers Point and The Rocks in the 1800s. It is older than most hotels in the area. It was one of the few hotels not torn down after the health crisis around 1900. It is the earliest hotel in Sydney that has been open and trading continuously.

It shows great design and building skills.

The Lord Nelson Hotel is important for its beautiful design. Its outside looks much like it did when it was built, showing the Old Colonial Regency style. It adds a lot to the special character of the area.

It has a strong connection to the community.

The Lord Nelson Hotel is important to the community because it was part of a network of corner hotels. These hotels provided places for people to socialize, have fun, and find cheap accommodation in the northern part of the city. It also has a long history with the hotel business.

It can teach us more about history.

The Lord Nelson Hotel is a good place for scientific research. This is because it is so old and has been used continuously since the early European settlement.

It is a rare example of its kind.

The building is very important because it is a rare surviving example of the Old Colonial Regency style.

It represents an important type of historical place.

The building is a good example of the important corner hotels that played a big role in the social life of Sydney, especially in the Millers Point and waterfront areas.