Russell Hotel, The Rocks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Russell Hotel |
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Russell Hotel, pictured in 2019
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| Location | 143-143a George Street, The Rocks, City of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1887 |
| Built for | Thomas Brennan |
| Architectural style(s) | Queen Anne |
| Owner | Property NSW |
| Official name: Russell Hotel and shop; Port Jackson Hotel; Russell Private Hotel | |
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Designated | 10 May 2002 |
| Reference no. | 1575 |
| Type | Hotel |
| Category | Commercial |
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The Russell Hotel is a historic hotel found at 143-143a George Street in The Rocks, a part of Sydney, Australia. It was built in 1887. For many years, it was known as the Port Jackson Hotel. In 1923, it stopped selling alcohol and became the Russell Private Hotel, offering rooms on its upper floors. The ground floor has been used for different businesses, like a cafe and now a restaurant and bar. The hotel is owned by Property NSW, a government agency in New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 10 May 2002 because of its important history and unique style.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
The area where the Russell Hotel stands has a long and interesting past.
Early Days: From Hospital to Quarry
When the first European settlers arrived in 1788, this spot was home to a hospital for convicts. Many sick convicts were cared for here, especially after the Second Fleet arrived with hundreds of ill people. A portable hospital building, brought from England, was used from 1790. This was the main hospital for the colony until a new one, sometimes called the "Rum" hospital, was finished in 1816 on Macquarie Street.
After the hospital moved, the land became a government quarry. Workers dug out sandstone from here to help build Sydney, especially for Governor Macquarie's projects. A map from 1822 shows this area as a quarry.
Samuel Terry's Ownership
In 1841, this piece of land was officially given to the family of Samuel Terry. Samuel Terry (1776? - 1838) was a very successful former convict. He arrived in Sydney in 1801 after being found guilty of theft. After his sentence ended, he became a rich merchant and landowner. People even called him the "Botany Bay Rothschild" because he was so wealthy.
Around the 1820s, Samuel Terry built a row of three buildings on the George Street side of the land. The Russell Hotel stands on part of where these buildings once were. One of these buildings later became a public house, or pub, called the Patent Slip Tavern. This name likely came from a nearby government dock, showing its connection to the busy port. Many taverns like this were found in the port areas of The Rocks and Millers Point during the 1800s.
In 1851, a man named Isaac Moore leased the Patent Slip Tavern. He knew that the discovery of gold in New South Wales would bring more business. The rent for the tavern increased, showing how much property values went up during the gold rush.
Samuel Terry's wife, Rosetta, owned the site until she passed away in 1858. Later, in 1861, William Reilly bought the property. He continued to run the tavern and also rebuilt some houses behind the hotel.
Thomas Brennan Builds the Hotel
In 1880, Thomas Brennan bought the property. He built the Russell Hotel we see today in 1887. You can even see the date carved into the building! After it was finished, the hotel became known as the Port Jackson Hotel. It opened just in time for Australia's 100th anniversary of European settlement.
The hotel was likely a place where people could buy beer and spirits from a company called Allt's Brewery & Wine & Spirit Co. Ltd. However, the economic downturn of the 1890s caused this company to close.
Thomas Brennan, the hotel's owner, died in 1894. The hotel was then sold to Tooth & Co., a large brewing company, in 1896.
Government Takes Over
In 1900, the bubonic plague broke out in Sydney. To control the disease, the government took over many private properties in The Rocks area, including the Port Jackson Hotel. The government then leased the hotel to Tooth & Co., and it continued to operate as a pub until 1923.
Around 1902, some houses behind the hotel were pulled down. Later, in 1913, a new building was constructed in that area.
No More Alcohol: The Russell Private Hotel
A big change happened in the 1920s. A special board decided to reduce the number of pubs in New South Wales. This was partly due to a movement that encouraged people to drink less alcohol. Because of this, the Port Jackson Hotel's license to sell alcohol was taken away around 1923. Tooth & Co. received money as compensation for losing the license. A new Port Jackson Hotel was later built by Tooth & Co. further down George Street.
The old Port Jackson Hotel building was then turned into a cafe by 1927. It was known by different names, like Whitworth's Cafe and the Colonial Café. After World War II, it became the Singapore Cafe and then Allen's Cafe.
From 1933, the upper floors of the building started offering rooms for guests, becoming the Russell Private Hotel. The name "Russell" might be a coincidence, as one of the last pub managers before Tooth & Co. bought it was named W. Russell. The upper floors have continued to be used as a hotel ever since.
In 1981, Victoria Alexander took over the hotel. She gave it a big makeover and reopened it as one of Sydney's first "boutique" hotels, meaning it was small and stylish. In 1985, a group of companies bought the hotel. They also bought the Fortune of War Hotel nearby and combined their operations in 1987.
The ground floor, which used to be the cafe, was leased to a Japanese bookshop and delicatessen in the 1980s. After 1991, it became a cafe again, first called the Russell Tea Room, and later the Acacia Restaurant. Today, the ground floor is a bar and restaurant called The Push, while the upper floors still offer hotel accommodation.
What the Hotel Looks Like
The Russell Hotel is built on a corner, with its base sitting on exposed sandstone rock. The outside walls are covered with a smooth finish and have decorative patterns. The building stands out with its unique, round corner topped by a cone-shaped roof. The timber doors and windows look original and are in good condition. There's also a decorative chimney that adds to its charm.
Inside, the hotel still has its original layout. You can see old wooden features, stained glass windows (called leadlight), timber floors and ceilings, and a wooden staircase leading upstairs. The upper floors still have the original hotel room layout, with old doors and fireplaces.
Why the Russell Hotel is Special
The Russell Hotel is very important to the history and look of New South Wales.
It's a rare and beautiful example of a late 1800s hotel built in the Queen Anne style. It fits perfectly into the historic area of The Rocks, near the harbour. The outside and inside of the hotel still have many of their original features and layout, showing what this architectural style was like.
The site itself has been used by Europeans for a very long time. It was part of the colony's first hospital from the 1790s to the 1810s. Then, in the 1830s, it was part of a stone building built by Samuel Terry. The fact that it has been a public house or hotel continuously since then shows its strong connection to how The Rocks area grew and changed.
The hotel is listed on important heritage registers by the government and community groups. This shows that people recognize its value, both on its own and as part of the historic Rocks area. Because it's in a popular tourist spot and looks so historic, with its famous tower, many visitors and locals know it. The tower is a local landmark that clearly marks the corner of George and Globe Streets, leading into the main tourist area of The Rocks.
The Russell Hotel was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 10 May 2002 because it met several important standards:
- It shows the history of New South Wales: The site has been used for a very long time, starting as a hospital in the early colony and then as part of Samuel Terry's buildings. Its continuous use as a pub or hotel is linked to the growth of The Rocks as a place for people to live and visit.
- It's connected to important people: The site was once owned by Samuel Terry, who was known as "The Botany Bay Rothschild" because of his great wealth.
- It's beautiful and well-designed: The hotel is a great example of the Queen Anne architectural style from the late 1800s. Its picturesque tower is a local landmark that stands out near Circular Quay and marks the entrance to The Rocks' commercial street. Even though some parts were rebuilt in the 1980s, the outside and inside still have many original features and their original layout.
- It's important to the community: The hotel is recognized by government and community groups on heritage lists. Its current use as a hotel in a popular tourist spot means it's well-known and appreciated by both visitors and locals.
- It can teach us more about history: Because it's a rare type of building and still very original, it could help us learn more about its design and history. The site also has the potential to reveal information about even older uses and structures that were there before.
- It's a unique example: It's a special example of a late 1800s Queen Anne style hotel located in the historic harbour area of Sydney. It truly shows the main features of its architectural style.
- It represents a type of place: The hotel is a good example of a small, former licensed hotel from the 1800s, built during a time of economic growth in the 1880s.
